Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken with Foolproof Rice

by Barbara on February 21, 2012

Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken
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An easy, delicious crockpot meal made with inexpensive chicken thighs and a simple Asian style sauce. I spiced it up with a little garlic chili sauce and served it with foolproof rice.

I adapted this recipe from the Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe on Taste and Tell, which was featured on Kalyn’s Kitchen delicious new site Slow Cooker from Scratch. A great new site for slow cooker recipes. This is a wonderful weekend night meal that comes together quickly.

I doubled Deborah’s recipe, adapted from More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow, so I would have leftovers to freeze for another day. Doubling the sauce wasn’t necessary so I decreased it to one and a half in my adapted recipe below.

I never had trouble cooking rice until I got a new stove. It’s harder to keep a pot at a gentle simmer and lately I’ve been frustrated with undercooked or overcooked, mushy rice. This foolproof method from America’s Test Kitchen cooks the rice the same way you would pasta. Just boil it in a lot of water until it’s tender and drain it.

You end up with perfectly cooked, fluffy rice and an added bonus is that it cooks in less time than the traditional pilaf style. It’s such great idea. If you have trouble cooking rice, this is the method for you.

Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken
slightly adapted from Taste and Tell

serves 8

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup honey

Place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. Pour over the chicken and cover.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the remaining sauce to a saucepan and reduce down over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.  Serve over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil.

Serve over rice.

Foolproof Rice
America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

1 cup rice*
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

In a large pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in the rice and salt. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender.

*Use any type of rice you’d like. White rice will take approximately 10 – 20 minutes, Brown Rice 22 – 40 minutes. I used Lundberg short grain brown rice and at my altitude it took about 40 minutes to cook.

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{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }

Rosa February 21, 2012 at 6:53 am

A delicious chicken dish! I love the flavors.

Cheers,

Rosa

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Cassie February 21, 2012 at 6:59 am

This is my kind of slow cooker meal. The flavors sound perfect and it looks so simple!
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Blog is the New Black February 21, 2012 at 7:03 am

Sounds fab!

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Deborah February 21, 2012 at 7:25 am

So glad you tried the chicken, and I need to try your rice recipe. I have the hardest time making rice!
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Kalyn February 21, 2012 at 7:52 am

How fun that you tried this recipe and liked it as much as Deborah did! And thanks for the mention of the new blog; I really appreciate it.
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kelley February 21, 2012 at 8:02 am

I love this, Barbara! I could eat some form of meat with rice every night and be a happy girl! If you want to know a secret, I have a hard time cooking rice too. I’d like to think it’s the altitude but who knows………. :)
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Shannon February 21, 2012 at 8:09 am

I’m definitely trying this one! I need more slow cooker recipes in my life!
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Lynda February 21, 2012 at 8:39 am

This looks so good Barbara. I’ve been wanting some more crock pot meals, so this asian meal will be perfect for us!
Thanks for the rice tip. A new stove can be really hard to get used too. We went from gas to electric a few years ago, and it seemed I burned everything for awhile! :)
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cindy February 21, 2012 at 9:22 am

I’m always looking for good crock pot recipes. This is dinner tonight!
Thanks Barbara!
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Lindsey Johnson (Cafe Johnsonia) February 21, 2012 at 9:23 am

My family would love this.

I (ahem) have always had a problem making rice. I never get it right! I’m going to try this instead of my rice cooker next time I make rice.
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Jamie February 21, 2012 at 9:36 am

The flavors I love and the kind of dish we all love to eat. Sadly, no slow cooker; I would so be tempted to try this in the oven. Gorgeous!
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Barbara February 21, 2012 at 9:55 am

I think this would be great slowly braised in the oven as well.
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vianney February 21, 2012 at 10:53 am

I love seeing a recipe on one blog, then finding it on another blog.. food bloggers are so supportive. great dish!!
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Natalie A. February 21, 2012 at 11:20 am

Thanks for sharing this slow cooker meal! The chicken looks super easy to make and I bet it tastes extremely tasty too!
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My Inner Chick February 21, 2012 at 1:28 pm

DeLISH.

Barbara, I’m on my way over…

How far are you from Minnesota? X
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Anne February 21, 2012 at 2:37 pm

So I have to ask… would this method of cooking rice eliminate the inevitable “foamy boilover” that always happens? I don’t know why cooking rice has to be so tricky, but I have a hard time even with a rice cooker. It always burns the bottom layer – no matter which brand I try. I’m looking forward to trying this! Great post!
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Barbara February 21, 2012 at 2:40 pm

My rice cooker always burns the bottom layer too. Yes, no more “foamy boilover.” lol
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Joanne February 21, 2012 at 3:17 pm

Hip hip hooray for chicken thighs! I love how simple this is. Great recipe, Barbara!
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Claire @ Claire K Creations February 21, 2012 at 3:27 pm

Thanks for the new rice cooking method I’ll give that a go. Never heard of cooking it that way but I love the sound of fool-proof!
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Deloris February 21, 2012 at 4:15 pm

I’ve been cooking rice that way all my married life and thought I was making a terrible mistake when I compared how I do it with the way others do it!

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Tracey February 21, 2012 at 9:39 pm

I just love the simplicity of this recipe! Chicken thighs are one of my favorite inexpensive cuts of meat so this is perfect.
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baker in disguise February 21, 2012 at 10:29 pm

so simple!!! i couldnt agree more with you about the foolproof method of cooking rice!!!
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Jo February 21, 2012 at 10:42 pm

I’ve seen this way of cooking rice also called the french method, apparently this is the most common way they cook rice! I haven’t tried it out myself yet, will ahve to give it a go.
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Valérie ( France ) February 22, 2012 at 1:12 am

je suis fan des assiette sucrées-salées, le poulet, l’ail et le miel sont une délicieuse association
Je te souhaite une agréable journée
Valérie.
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Amy February 22, 2012 at 1:43 am

Yum, what a simple and scrumptious creation. I can eat this everyday! :P Your brown rice looks perfect. I always preferred brown over white for more fiber and nutty flavor. I love your recipe.
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Melanie February 22, 2012 at 6:30 am

This dish looks good and simple, which is a plus. I’ll have to give it a try. I tried one from Kalyn’s site too. We had the turkey white bean pumpkin chili. It was excellent with some added chipotle chili powder & topped w/ sour cream & Mont Jack cheese. Interesting way to do rice. I like to do mine in the oven, with different seasonings and/or fresh herbs added.
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Alison @ Ingredients, Inc February 22, 2012 at 7:37 am

perfect for dinnertime!
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JG February 22, 2012 at 9:30 am

This looks like a wonderful slow cooker recipe!
~Judy
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Angie@Angie's Recipes February 22, 2012 at 12:52 pm

A flavourful garlic chicken. Would be nice to serve with pasta too.
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Rocky Mountain Woman February 22, 2012 at 3:28 pm

I think the altitude messes with my rice sometimes! This looks so good, I love the garlic and barbecue combo….
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Asmita February 22, 2012 at 4:49 pm

Looks superb!!! Perfectly cooked rice or pasta can make a big difference to any dish. I will have to try this recipe.
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beti February 22, 2012 at 7:33 pm

I’m not a fan of slow cooker food but I would love to try new recipes, this chicken sounds great with honey and garlic
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Juliana February 22, 2012 at 9:32 pm

Barbara, I sure need to use better my slow cooker…this chicken looks delicious, sweet and spicy and perfect with rice.
Hope you are having a fabulous week :)

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Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella February 22, 2012 at 10:19 pm

Rice really is hard to cook, I agree! My parents use a rice cooker. I think I have finally figured it out but I really want to try your method now! xxx
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Katie {Epicurean Mom} February 22, 2012 at 11:29 pm

I love the addition of the spice to the chicken! Sweet and spicy is very my style! Looks delicious!
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Daniela February 23, 2012 at 2:46 am

Delizioso il pollo preparato a questo modo. Un abbraccio Daniela.
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rachael February 23, 2012 at 8:07 am

I want to make this for dinner tonight. looks delicious! I’ve never cooked rice this way. Is it really 4 qts of water? Do you cook it like pasta and drain the remaining water? Sounds great to me since I always use too little water in my rice cooker and it burns. thanks!

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Barbara February 23, 2012 at 8:29 am

Yes, just boil it like pasta and then drain it when it’s tender. I always burn rice in my rice cooker too. Enjoy!
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teresa February 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm

oh this has my mouth just watering! i love this dish!
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Maria February 24, 2012 at 6:19 am

Thanks for the rice tips!
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Catalina @ Cake with Love February 24, 2012 at 6:35 am

Great dinner, thanks for the rice tips!
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Cooking on a Dime February 26, 2012 at 4:44 pm

I have never tried chicken thighs in a slow cooker. Now I will add it to the “must try” list!

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kristy February 28, 2012 at 9:21 pm

Salivating! What else you think! haha….
Kristy
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Becki's Whole Life March 7, 2012 at 5:32 am

The chicken sounds wonderful…but what I really love is the foolproof rice. I have a problem cooking rice on my gas stove. I have always wondered why you can’t just boil it…trying this!
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