Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken

6 Servings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours

Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken recipe is tender, juicy chicken with a sweet and savory sauce made with a few ingredients. Try today!

Orange and Honey Garlic Chicken is the perfect make-ahead main dish for busy weekdays! Just prep your ingredients and marinate the chicken the night before, then pop it in the crock pot in the morning and let it cook as you go about your day. When you get home, you’ll have a delicious whole chicken full of amazing flavor. For slow cooker Chicken Recipes with similar flavors that use chicken pieces instead of an entire chicken, check out my Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken recipes.

4x3 Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken in crock pot

Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken Recipe

This is sure to become your go-to slow cooker recipe for the most flavorful and juicy chicken. This skin-on, bone-in whole chicken is easily cooked in a crock pot with a finger-licking good sticky sauce. The orange, honey, and garlic flavors soak into the chicken so you get that amazing flavor throughout. This recipe makes a perfect dinner because it’s easy, only uses a few simple ingredients, and you get a delicious, juicy chicken without any basting. Next time you want a main dish you can set and forget, try this recipe out!

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Chicken : I used a whole chicken, about 4-5 lbs for this recipe. It should rest snugly in your slow cooker with the ability for the lid to fit properly. If you want to substitute other cuts of chicken, check out my Variations section
  • 6 Cloves Garlic: I use a lot of minced fresh garlic so it’s packed with garlicky flavor! You can also use 3 teaspoons of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.
  • ¼ Cup Honey: I like to use an orange blossom or wildflower honey to go with the orange flavor but you can use any flavor. Just make sure it’s real honey!
  • ¼ Cup Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed juice tastes the best, but store-bought works too. Again, make sure to use the real stuff, 100% orange juice.
  • ¼ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds some salt and umami to balance out the sweet and tangy flavors and gives the chicken a beautiful golden brown color.
  • Cornstarch Slurry: Mix 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch with 1 Tablespoon Water to create a slurry that thickens the glaze without clumping.

How to Make

Time needed: 7 hours.

  1. Marinate the Chicken

    Mix the garlic, honey, orange juice, and soy sauce, cover the chicken with the marinade, and place in a large ziplock bag or bowl. Seal and marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least an hour if you’re short on time.

  2. Prepare the Foil Coils

    Take two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, roll each one lengthwise into a long tube, then shape them into flattened S curves. These are used as a rack to help keep the chicken elevated.

  3. Set Up and Cook

    Place the marinated chicken breast side down on top of the foil coils. Pour any leftover marinade over the chicken. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for about six hours.

  4. Thicken the Glaze

    Remove the chicken from the slow cooker carefully and transfer the cooking liquid into a saucepan on the stovetop. Mix the cornstarch with the water then stir the slurry into the liquid. Whisk until it has a nice and glossy glaze.

  5. Finish and Serve

    Pour the thickened glaze over the chicken. Carve, garnish with optional sesame seeds and chopped green onion, and serve with white rice or brown rice.

Recipe Card

Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken recipe is tender, juicy chicken with a sweet and savory sauce made with a few ingredients. Try today!
Yield 6 Servings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds , fully defrosted
  • 6 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a large ziplock bag or in a large bowl and marinate overnight (or a minimum of 1 hour).
  • Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, cut two 18-inch pieces.
  • Roll each piece the long way, loosely, so the foil tube is as long as possible, then curve it like an oven heating coil, like a flattened S.
  • Place the chicken on top of the foil, breast side down, and add any remaining marinade over the chicken.
  • Cook on low for 6 hours.
  • Remove chicken from the slow cooker gently.
  • Add leftover liquid to a saucepan.
  • Mix cornstarch and water until well combined then pour into saucepan and boil until glaze is thickened, stirring well.
  • Pour glaze over chicken to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Chef’s Note: Making It Juicy & Flavorful

To make sure my chicken comes out as tender as possible, I put it breast-side down in the crockpot. It may look strange, but it helps to keep the breast meat moist. Since the breast is easier to dry out it’s important to keep it down in the crockpot, where it won’t dry out and will remain succulent, and helps ensure it doesn’t overcook. Also, to get all the delicious flavor out of this recipe it’s important to give the chicken time to marinate before putting it in the slow cooker. For the best results, add all your ingredients to a large freezer bag and let it marinate for the full night in the fridge. If you forgot to set up your ingredients last night, make sure to at least let the chicken marinate for an hour before cooking it in the slow cooker.

Can This Be Made Ahead?

Crock Pot Honey Garlic chicken is also a great recipe to prep further in advance. Just put all the ingredients in a freezer bag like you usually would. Instead of leaving the chicken to marinate in the fridge, store it in the freezer until the next time you’re ready for a slow cooker dinner. Let the Chicken defrost for a full 24 hours before prepping it in the crockpot. Once it’s thawed you can cook it in the crockpot as usual, and enjoy!

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 333 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 444mg19%
Potassium 299mg9%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 198IU4%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What to Pair with Honey Orange Garlic Chicken

Cook up some Sautéed Green Beans and white rice for an easy side, and enjoy the perfect slow cooker chicken dinner!

How to Store

  • Store: Don’t leave Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you want to keep it out longer, keep your chicken in the crock pot on low so it stays warm. Let the chicken cool before storing it. To make storing easier cut the chicken into smaller pieces and keep it in a ziplock bag or other airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: To freeze the chicken, store it in an airtight container and keep it for up to 6 months. Let it defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating it.

Alternative Cooking Methods

  • Instant Pot Honey Orange Chicken: Using a smaller chicken, turn the saute function on and sear the chicken on all sides. Use the insert to keep the chicken off the bottom, pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do the quick release. Remove the chicken. Add the slurry and stir until thickened. Pour the glaze over the chicken when ready to serve.
  • Oven-Baked Honey Orange Chicken: Set the oven to 300 degrees. Place the marinated chicken in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 2-3 hours. For a crispy finish, remove the tin foil during the last 20 minutes and increase the temperature to 400 degrees.

Frequent Questions

Can I make this gluten-free?

A lot of soy sauce is made with wheat. You can substitute with tamari sauce which is similar but is not made with wheat.

Can I use chicken wings instead of a whole chicken?

Yes, you can use chicken wings. The cooking time will be shorter around 4 hours on low. Be sure to check to make sure they’re fully cooked before serving.

Do I need to use fresh orange juice, or can I use bottled juice?

Either fresh or bottled orange juice can be used. Fresh juice will give a slightly brighter flavor, but bottled juice works well if it’s more convenient.

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Variations

  • Chicken Thighs: You can prepare the same recipe using chicken thighs. Still, allow the chicken to marinate in the sauce for extra flavor. Cook 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a crock pot on low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3-4. 
  • Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts cook faster than chicken thighs or a whole chicken would. First, allow the chicken breast to marinate as usual. Then pour all the ingredients into your crockpot. Decrease the cooking time to 3-4 hours on low for 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
  • Add-ins: There are lots of flavor variations you can try in your Slow Cooker Chicken recipe. Try whisking in some hoisin or teriyaki sauce into your honey garlic sauce. You can even add some spice with red pepper flakes.

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

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Photos used in previous versions of this post.

Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken in crock pot
Slow Cooker Honey Orange Garlic Chicken in crock pot before cooking

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Hi Sabrina! I am trying this recipe tonight. To clarify, do I use fresh squeezed orange juice or bottled orange juice? Thank you!

  2. Hi there, I was wondering if you can make this in the oven? I was thinking maybe covered slow & kinda low then a quick broil for a little crispness. What do you think? Ty

  3. Sabrina,
    I would love to make the Slow cooker honey garlic chicken but want to use boneless,skinless
    Chicken breast Can I and how long should I cook it for? Thank you for all your great recipes it’s greatly appreciated!!

    1. Hello Betsy, thank you for your comment. I’m sure you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast. However, I’m not sure how long it will take to cook to get the same result.

  4. My family enjoyed this recipe. It was very tasty and juicy! I served it last night with mashed potatoes and it was a perfect combo! Thank you and please keep on sharing awesome recipes like this!

  5. Hi, Sabrina! I love your recipes! Yours is the only recipe blog I subscribe to!

    You should know, however, that this Honey Orange Chicken recipe IS NOT GLUTEN FREE, even though it says so in your 4th paragraph.

    Most soy sauce that we can buy in the United States has wheat as an ingredient which makes it NOT gluten-free. But I substituted about 1/2 cup Tamari Sauce (milder than soy with no wheat) and it worked GREAT! I added more tamari than soy because the tamari is milder

  6. I sautee the chicken for 4 hrs, it could have used more time. I ran late so I cooked the chicken on high for 3.5 hrs for a 4 lbs chicken, it was well cooked. For the gravy, I added more OJ, soy sauce and honey to add more flavor. Next time I will sautee the chicken overnight.

  7. Hi, I was just wondering if you need to do the “foil” thing even with just the chicken thighs or breasts?

    1. If you’re not worried about getting the skin crispy, you don’t need to worry about the foil. You could always pop them under the broiler at the end too. Enjoy!