Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in a brown sugar and garlic glaze, slow-cooked until juicy—perfect for weeknights or meal prep.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100 g)
03 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

08 - Chopped fresh parsley
09 - Sliced green onions

# Directions:

01 - Place the chicken breasts in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken breasts, ensuring each piece is fully covered.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is fork-tender.
05 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred using two forks or slice into portions. Spoon the accumulated sauce over the top.
06 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions. Serve hot alongside steamed rice, quinoa, or roasted vegetables.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce practically makes itself while you go about your day, and it tastes like something you would pay good money for at a restaurant.
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry right now, which means no last minute grocery runs.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid during cooking to check on it because every peek adds roughly 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time as the heat escapes.
  • If the sauce seems too thin at the end, remove the chicken and let the sauce simmer on high for 15 minutes with the lid off until it thickens into a glossy glaze.
03 -
  • Spray the slow cooker insert with nonstick spray before adding anything to make cleanup significantly easier since the sugar can caramelise and stick.
  • Let the finished dish rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving so the sauce has time to settle and thicken slightly on the chicken.

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