Description
A comforting, slow-cooked dinner featuring tender chicken thighs in a sticky honey-garlic glaze with fluffy rice and caramelized roasted carrots. Perfect for busy weeknights with minimal prep and cleanup.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice (rinsed)
- 1½ cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
- Green onions, sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: If thighs are large, cut in half. Pat dry and place in the bottom of a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Make the glaze: Whisk together honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Pour over the chicken and coat evenly.
- Add rice and broth: Rinse rice under cold water until clear. Add to the slow cooker on top of the chicken. Pour in chicken broth. Do not stir yet.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. (Do not cook on HIGH as it will make the rice mushy).
- Roast carrots: About an hour before the chicken is done, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss carrots with butter, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until tender and caramelized.
- Finish and serve: Once the chicken and rice are done, stir everything together. If too wet, let sit with lid off for 10 minutes. Stir in half the parsley. Serve hot, topped with roasted carrots and remaining parsley.
Notes
[‘Rinse rice thoroughly to remove excess starch and prevent mushiness.’, ‘Do not lift the lid during cooking to maintain temperature.’, ‘Roasting carrots separately provides better texture than cooking them in the slow cooker.’, ‘Adjust honey amount based on sweetness preference.’, ‘Leftovers reheat well in the microwave with a splash of broth.’, ‘This recipe does not freeze well due to rice texture changes.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: crockpot chicken, honey garlic chicken, slow cooker dinner, fall recipes, one pot meal, chicken and rice, roasted carrots, easy weeknight dinner