Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken made with just five ingredients, you can set it in minutes and have the perfect weeknight meal!
Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken is the slow cooker chicken version of one of the most popular recipes on my blog of all time, Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots & Potatoes.
Or if you’re looking for a slow cooker pork version of this recipe (minus the veggies and plus some bacon) here it is! Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin
Some notes about this Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken:
- Yes, you can absolutely make this meal in the oven. Set it on a sheet pan just like you would in the slow cooker and roast at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes (you may want to use foil).
- Want some spice? Add in crushed red pepper or a squirt of Sriracha.
- If you want an even deeper caramel flavor, try dark brown sugar.
- Do not add any liquid! I know it can be scary to cook dry in a slow cooker, the chicken will release a lot of liquids.
- Serve with rice or potato wedges and roasted vegetables.
You can also swap out different cuts of chicken in the slow cooker.
- Try using Chicken Breasts (brownie points for draping bacon on them to keep the chicken moist).
- Double the topping and toss chicken wings with the same topping and cook for 6 hours on low.
- Try rubbing a double topping amount over an entire chicken propped up on some foil balls to keep the chicken out of liquid.
Looking for more slow cooker chicken recipes?
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken
- Crisp & Juicy Slow Cooker Chicken
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
Looking for more awesome Brown Sugar Garlic Recipes?
- Brown Sugar Garlic Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots and Potatoes
- Bacon Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Bacon Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Loin
Tools Used in the making of these Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken Thighs:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
Ingredients
- 5 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Add the chicken, salt, pepper and garlic to the slow cooker.
- Mix it up then flip the chicken skin side up.
- Sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Nutrition
Trying this tonight for my hubby. I’m vegetarian so I don’t get to test it but it looks yummy! I use frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker all the time and because they release so much moisture as they cook, they don’t dry out!
Perfect recipe, price conscientious, easy and now a family favorite! The recipe is perfect and I made it two days ago and my 13 year old asked me this morning to make it, AGAIN TODAY!!
So. I made this but I used drumsticks…its all I had..then I read the comments about not using it…
Is it the same amount of cook time
For breast
Yes but I recommend draping bacon over the breast to keep it moist.
Busy momma of 3 young boys, we put this together in the morning before leaving for the day. The house smelled sooo yummy when we returned home. Happy to say the taste was so delicious. We used chicken breasts since that’s what we had. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hi Sabrina, I just got everything into the Crock-Pot following the recipe exactly. Can’t wait to try it. My question is, can you cook on low for 4 hours and then high for 2 hours? I need this done in 6 hours. I started it on low for now. Maybe finish in the oven after 5 and 1/2 hours would be better? Thanks
Sorry I missed your question until now. How did it turn out?
Can I use skinless chicken thighs ???
Sure 🙂
I want to make this recipe with chicken thighs like it calls for, but my husband only likes boneless skinless chicken breasts. Can I make the thighs and breasts together in the crockpot (wrapping the breast in bacon)? What would the cooking time be then?
I’ve never tried a mixed of both but I would assume it’s the same.
Made this today with two large chicken breasts and added in 5 tbsps chicken stock. It was so good and having the extra liquid made a lovely sauce for our veggies.
Looks delicious. Is it okay to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and what is the difference with Kosher salt? Thanks
If you decide to use boneless skinless breasts, I recommend draping bacon over them while cooking to help keep them moist. Enjoy!
What is the green herb that is diced on top?
Pretty much always parsley. It helps my camera focus and it looks pretty.
Beautiful recipes. Right now making tomato sauce but I will be using a heavier macaroni than spaghetti. The last five times I made sauce I had spaghetti. While I enjoy it I prefer the heavier macaroni once in awhile. I am always happy to try new sauces as well. I am a recipe lover. Not only like to make good food but like to check out how other people make their version.
I made this last night and it was really good I even turned the chicken juices into gravy for my potatoes. It was pretty good like a sweet gravy. I cooked it on low for 8 hours and the chicken came right off the bones it was awesome, the family loved it. I didnt have any minced garlic and ended up using garlic powder but couldn’t really taste the garlic. Next time I’ll get some minced garlic though.
I read above that I can use chicken breast with bacon? Will the bacon crisp up whole cooking?
Yes, but you can always put it under the broiler before serving if you’d like it crispier.
seriously easy and delicious!!!
Sabrina, I made this for dinner tonight and we really enjoyed it. No fuss; 5 simple ingredients; quick to pop into the slow cooker…..but great pay out!! I did mine on low 8 hours, followed by warm for 4 hours (since we weren’t ready to eat yet) and it came out looking exactly like your pictures, with fall of the bone chicken. Plenty of sauce to put over rice. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Was this chicken browned before putting in crockpot? Mine does not look as appetizing as the picture above. Sauce did not thicken either. I must have done something incorrectly.
I didn’t brown it before but you can always place it under a broiler for just a bit before serving to brown it up more to your liking. Hope this helps!
where’s the liquid in the picture coming from? All I see in the recipe is the chicken and seasonings. Am I missing something?
The chicken releases liquids and the brown sugar also liquifies, trust me you’ll end up with the same amount of liquids in your slow cooker.
Hi there! All I have is chicken breasts to use but no bacon! Is there anything else to keep it moist like bacon grease?
No, you really need the bacon. Sorry
I’ve made it twice now, it’s so good and my friends loved it! I use more brown sugar than the recipe, it’s great and easy to make!
I am wanting to make this recipe with the boneless chicken breasts wrapped in the bacon like you said. I want to make 8 of the breasts. Do you know how long that would take to cook in a crock pot?
I would be concerned that the slow cooker would be over crowded with 8 breasts in it. You’ll want to make sure they aren’t on top of each other. You may want to cook it in two slow cookers or in the oven.
Wanting to make this but need to use boneless and skinless chicken breast fillets and can’t use the bacon. So I was gonna put some olive oil on the chicken and wondering if adding some apple juice would help keep the chicken moist? I was thinking of adding 1 cup….thoughts? Thanks, Sandi
I went with boneless chicken breast (skin on) and will hope for the best along with watching it ever-so-closely. !!
Made it using chicken breast. What I learned……The chicken breast with skin on definitely doesn’t yield as much liquid at the end as the thigh does. If you put too many chicken breasts in, it will dry out while cooking. I used three breasts which is more than the 5 thighs. It was good, but not yielding as much liquid definitely seem to have an effect on the overall flavor. Now I just need to figure out if there’s anything I can do to yield more liquid. I also added more carrots as I can’t seem to get enough of them 🙂
I’ve never tried it but not sure it would work. You really need the fat from the bacon to help keep it moist. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out for you. Good luck!
I’m gonna make this tonight, my slow cooker is a bit larger than yours, so im gonna toss in carrots and potatoes on the side!! I know you recommend not too, but I am a rebel. Also I’m 23, the only one who cooks in my relationship of 5 years, and this is my very first time using one of these so IMA DO IT UP REAAALLLL LAZY. Which is why I got this to start with. I hate my electric stove!! But I want the potatoes and carrots dang it haha! So into the pot they go! I will for sure come back and let everyone know how it goes!
I love your zest for living on the edge!!
Very good taste! Moist and tender chicken.
This was wonderful. I cooked it on high for 5 hours, came out moist and tender. Definitely will make this again.
Sabrina, I am wanting to make this using breasts, but unfortunately I can’t eat bacon.Are there other tings that can be done to prevent the drying out/burning? I am also wanting to make enough for 2-3 mights so I was gonna use 3-4 whole breasts. How much should I increase the seasonings by and can I still do this in the slow cooker as food seems to taste so much better when its cooked slow as apposed to fast.
There’s really nothing else that will keep the breasts moist while cooking, sorry. If you decide to still give it a go, you are able to adjust the recipe by hovering over the serving number and use the sliding tool to adjust the measurements. Good luck!
So you don’t put any liquid in it at all? About to make this and I see liquid in the pic but no liquid ingredient.
You only need to add in the what’s in the ingredient list. The chicken will cook down and release liquids so that’s what you’re seeing. Enjoy!
I know this is a stupid question, but I am new to cooking and was wondering if the measurements are supposed to cover all 5 thighs rather than 2 TBSP. minced garlic, etc. per thigh?
Yes, all of the ingredients cover all the thighs not per thigh. Enjoy!
Can you add fresh green beans into the slow cooker?
I usually don’t recommend adding anything extra to the slow cooker because it will create extra liquid and not allow the chicken to crisp up. If you’re ok with knowing that, then go ahead and add them.
What about chic breast don’t like dark meat
It will come out a bit drier if you don’t wrap it in bacon to keep it moist.
Just made this recipe. filled by crock pot with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chicken. I liked the seasonings and the chicken was very tender. However, the chicken did not brown. It was good though. I would use brown sugar again on chicken. Good idea…
So glad you enjoyed the dish! Unfortunately when you add all of those other ingredients into the slow cooker, it releases too much liquid and makes it harder for the chicken to brown. You can always pop it under the broiler for a bit before serving if you decide to cook it that way again.
I am making this right now in the slow cooker but tweaked it a little in a bowl I used 1 cup brown sugar , 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce , 1 tablespoon brown sugar mustard, 1tablespoon honey, pinch of salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper and mix it all together delicious I also cut slits in my chicken and sprinkle with a little garlic powder before I put my rub with added potatoes also an a little water
Do I need anything in this to make sure it don’t stick… like in general will it stick ?
The chicken will release liquids as it cooks so it shouldn’t stick. No need to add anything extra. Enjoy!
Making this tonight!
It was good, but didn’t come out like the picture. I expected more of a brown sugar glaze on the chicken. Still though, tasted ok.
Next time, pop them under the broiler for about 30 seconds before serving. That might give you more of the glaze you’re looking for. 🙂
If I use chicken breasts for this recipe and do it in the oven will I still need to wrap it in the uncooked bacon? Thank you
No, it’s not necessary.
What sides do you suggest with this meal?
You can really add any sides that your family loves. We usually pair it with a vegetable, such as sautéed green beans or roasted cauliflower. It would also be amazing with twice baked potatoes or even Boston Market mac and cheese. I hope you enjoy it!
I want to try this with chicken tenderloins. How long should I let them cook?
I’ve never tested it with tenderloins but it would take less time. I would recommend low 4-6 hours or high 2-3. Make sure to cover the tenderloins with bacon to ensure they stay moist. Good luck!
Can anyone tell me if I have to use the bacon for bonless skinless chicken THIGHS? OR CAN I DO WITHOUT? THANK U:)
For thighs, you should be ok without because it’s has more fat than breasts. Enjoy!
Hello I just wanted to see if I can substitute maple syrup for brown sugar ?
Sure 🙂
What else is in this other than the dry ingredients?
All ingredients are listed in the recipe card. 🙂
Hi Sabrina,
Can I substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar?
Sure 🙂
Wondering about the bacon mentioned in some of the comments. Don’t see bacon listed in the ingredients or instructions for the Brown sugar garlic chicken. If I add one for chicken thigh would I need to adjust the amount of ingredients?
If you’d like to add bacon, you can follow this recipe:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-bacon-brown-sugar-garlic-chicken/
Hi, this looks really good but I don’t have thighs or bacon for breasts so…. If I put in oven, how long please?
Thank you so much!! ?
I would suggest 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I hope you enjoy it!
I would like to know if I can double the recipe to 10 chicken thighs. Would it still work? I have a large family.
I would suggest using 2 slow cookers for that many pieces. You don’t want to layer the chicken but rather have them all laying flat on the bottom of the slow cooker.
This was an instant hit with my family and it’s seriously the easiest meal I’ve ever made. It turns out fantastic every time, the chicken stays so juicy and tender. Also very easy on the wallet.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
I made this recipe tonight and it was amazing. I followed the recipe, however I used boneless/skinless chicken breast. I laid the bacon over the chicken and then used the rest of the ingredients as stated. This chicken came out so moist that I did not need knife. I will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Sabrina : ) Any recommendation on the low for 8 hrs vs high for 4hrs? Thanks so much!!!
I prefer low and slow when it comes to the slow cooker but if you need it done quicker, go ahead and set it on high for 4 hours. Enjoy!
Mine never looks this crispy, but we’re living without a stove right now and we’ve had to start trying new stuff! It’s delicious! Make sure not to add more sugar because it’ll be too sweet! I also like to put a pineapple ring over each thigh while cooking!
I made this last night and we all loved it! Soo much flavor!!!
Hi, Sabrina,
I’m currently living in Panama and have a slow cooker as we have propane gas canister stoves and as it’s always hot here didn’t want to heat up my kitchen.
As I only had two skinless chicken breasts I added 250 mL of water along with a chicken bullion cube and coated the bottom of my slow cooker with olive oil and sriracha sauce on top of the chicken.
Cooking on low for 8 hours and hoping the chicken stays moist!
I will let you know how it turns out!
Tony
Hi, Sabrina,
It turned out quite well! The chicken, being boneless and skinless, was definitely helped by my adding the water, though I probably could’ve gotten away with 7 hours of cooking and not 8, as the chicken was just beginning to get dry a bit. Otherwise, wonderful! And I had enough leftover liquid/juice to use for spaghetti noodles.
Thanks for the recipe!
Tony from Panama
Do you add olive or water to the pot while cooking for some moisture?
No need to add in anything extra. 🙂