Slow-cooker honey garlic chicken thighs

You’ll be wanting to pull out your slow-cooker for this honey-garlic chicken dish. The smell wafting through the house makes for a warm welcome home (and a nice reminder that someone — or something — has taken care of your next meal). The meat is so tender and the sauce becomes charred and sticky, as though you’ve cooked these thighs on the barbecue!

Serves 4

Ingredients

THE CHICKEN

• 6 large chicken thighs (skinless and bone in)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika (mild or smoked)
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp black cracked pepper

THE SAUCE

• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar is a good substitute)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp black cracked pepper

PLUS

• 1/4 cup water or chicken stock
• 2 tsp corn starch

Method

1. Pat dry, boneless, skinless chicken thighs with paper towel. Combine 1/2 tablespoon of oil with paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Season chicken, rubbing the mixture into the chicken.
2. Optional sear: heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sear chicken for 2 minutes each side. (Do not cook chicken all the way through, this step is for flavour only.) Transfer chicken thighs to a slow-cooker bowl.
3. To make your sauce: using the chicken pan, scrape away any leftover brown bits in the pan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a rapid simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

SLOW COOK

1. Pour sauce over chicken in slow-cooker bowl, flipping thighs in the sauce to evenly coat. Cover with lid and cook on the high heat setting for 2-3 hours, or the low heat setting for 5-6 hours. Baste with sauce halfway through cooking.
2. Transfer chicken onto serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. While chicken is resting, pour juices from the slow-cooker bowl into a pot large enough to fit the liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Whisk 1/4 cup water (or stock) with 2 teaspoons of corn starch into a lump-free slurry. Whisk into sauce and let simmer for a good 2-3 minutes, or until thickened into a syrup-like consistency. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

FINAL BROIL

1. Place slow-cooked chicken thighs on a lined baking tray. Baste chicken with some of the thickened sauce, about 2 tablespoons per thigh. Broil briefly for 1-2 minutes each side to char the edges.
2. Slice chicken and serve with a drizzling of honey garlic butter sauce.