Slow cooker brown sugar garlic chicken is a four hour dish of tender chicken thighs simmered in a sweet and savory sauce of brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper, with a cup of vegetables if you like. It takes fifteen minutes to prepare and serves six over rice.
The sauce is mixed in one bowl and poured into the cooker, so there is no browning and no extra pan. Thighs stay moist through the long cook, the brown sugar turns the juices into a glossy glaze, and the garlic makes the whole kitchen smell good, giving a no fuss dinner for busy weeknights.
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Why You Will Love Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Three sauce ingredients and one cooker mean almost no work.
Chicken thighs stay juicy even if the cook runs long.
The sauce makes enough to spoon over rice, noodles, or potatoes.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- The chicken is two pounds of boneless, skinless thighs, and the sauce is half a cup of brown sugar, a quarter cup of soy sauce, four minced garlic cloves, and one teaspoon of black pepper.
- Add one cup of chopped bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli if you want vegetables cooked alongside.
Chicken thighs. They stay tender through the long cook.
Brown sugar. It sweetens and forms a glaze.
Soy sauce. It adds salt and savory depth.
Garlic. It gives a bold aroma.
Vegetables. They add color and bulk.
How to Make Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
1. Mix the sauce. Stir the brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Pour. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker.
3. Add the chicken. Add the thighs and turn them to coat with the sauce.
4. Add vegetables. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken if using.
5. Cook. Cover and cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours, until the chicken reaches 165 F and shreds easily.
Stir the sauce until the sugar dissolves before you pour it in. Undissolved sugar sinks to the bottom and can scorch on the walls of the cooker. A few quick stirs with a whisk make a smooth sauce that coats the chicken evenly from the start.
Do not lift the lid during the cook. Every peek lets out heat and adds fifteen to twenty minutes to the time. If you want a thicker sauce, remove the chicken at the end and stir a spoonful of cornstarch mixed with cold water into the juices, then cook ten minutes on high.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Serve the chicken over steamed rice or noodles with broccoli and a spoonful of the sauce, or shred it for sandwiches and tacos. For more sweet and savory chicken, try brown sugar air fryer chicken thighs, crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs, baked honey garlic chicken, or honey garlic chicken bites.
Making Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken Ahead
Store leftovers in an airtight container with the sauce in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Freeze for up to three months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Tips and Variations for Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Flag the allergens. This dish contains soy and wheat in the soy sauce, so check every label, or use tamari for a gluten free version.
Do not taste raw sauce. Do not taste sauce that touched raw chicken, and wash your hands, board, and tools after handling it.
Check the temperature. Chicken is safe at 165 F, so use a thermometer in the thickest piece.
Use low sodium soy sauce. You can season later.
Add ginger. A spoonful of fresh ginger lifts the sauce.
Use bone in thighs. Cook them an hour longer.
Thicken the sauce. A cornstarch slurry works.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for cooking and holding poultry safely.
For a spicier sauce, add a teaspoon of chili flakes or a spoonful of sriracha. For a tangier one, add a splash of rice vinegar. Both changes keep the same cook time and make the sauce less sweet, which some families prefer with rice.
You can use chicken breasts, but they cook faster and dry out if the time runs long, so check them after two hours on low. Slice or shred them and return them to the sauce for ten minutes, which lets them soak up the flavor before serving.
FAQ About Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
How long should slow cooker brown sugar garlic chicken cook?
Four hours on low or two hours on high.
Can you make slow cooker brown sugar garlic chicken ahead of time?
Yes. It reheats well from the refrigerator.
Can you freeze slow cooker brown sugar garlic chicken?
Yes, for up to three months with the sauce.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, but check them earlier.
Can I use honey in place of sugar?
Yes, in the same amount.
Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Mixing bowl
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli chopped
Instructions
Cooking
- Mix. Stir the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper.
- Pour. Pour the sauce into the cooker.
- Add. Add the chicken and coat it.
- Vegetables. Add the vegetables if using.
- Cook. Cook on low 4 hours to 165 F.
