Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken

This slow cooker honey chipotle chicken simmers in a sweet, smoky honey, chipotle and lime sauce, then shreds into enough saucy chicken for tacos, bowls and wraps all week.

an overhead image of honey chipotle chicken shredded in a slow cooker

If your meal prep chicken tastes the same every single week, the fix isn’t a new cooking method, it’s a better sauce. I mean come on, who doesn’t love a good sauce?

This slow cooker honey chipotle chicken uses six pantry ingredients whisked together in the bottom of a slow cooker, so there’s no need to sear, marinate and no extra pans. After 3 to 4 hours on low, you shred the chicken, add a quick corn starch slurry to thicken things up, then toss the chicken back into the sauce. One batch can make amazing tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas and salads. This shortcut method of batching one protein can provide multiple meals to make life easier.

reasons you’ll love this slow cooker chicken

6 Ingredients: Whisk the sauce right into the slow cooker, add the chicken, close the lid. No special ingredients or fancy cooking techniques required.
One Protein, Endless Options: A single batch can make multiple meals and pairs well with tons of different vegetables.
No Boring Chicken Here: Honey, chipotle in adobo, zesty lime and garlic gives this chicken amazing flavor.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast: boneless, skinless so it shred easily. You can also use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer.
Honey: for a spicier version you can use half regular and half hot honey.
Chipotles in Adobo: this is where the smoke and heat comes from. As written I suggest the adobo sauce and the chipotle peppers, if you need to tone down the spice skip the peppers and just use the adobo.
Lime juice: you will need two fresh limes, it perfectly balances and cuts the honey.
Soy Sauce: a savory, salty edge to the sauce.
Chicken Stock: adds depth while helping to keep the sauce loose. Low sodium is a nice option as well.
Cornstarch + Water: we just use this to make a quick slurry to thicken the sauce.

honey chipotle sauce in the base of a slow cooker

uncooked chicken in a slow cooker for honey chipotle chicken

How to Make Honey Chipotle Chicken

Build the sauce in the slow cooker: no extra dirty dishes here! Add the honey, chipotles in adobo, lime juice, soy sauce and chicken stock straight to the slow cooker and mix until smooth.
Coat the chicken: add the chicken to the slow cooker, and turn to coat.
Cook: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low 3-4 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Shred and Toss: Remove the chicken and shred. While the chicken is out of the slow cooker add the cornstarch slurry and toss to coat. Turn the slow cooker on high so the sauce thickens.

cooked chicken in a slow cooker in honey chipotle sauce

shredded chicken in a slow cooker after being tossed in honey chipotle sauce

Storage

Fridge: store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
Freezer: store already cooked chicken in a freezer bag with sauce up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before gently reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Freezer Meal Prep: store uncooked chicken with the sauce (everything except the cornstarch slurry) in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Place the ingredients directly in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Once the chicken is cooked through finish the remaining steps before serving.

overhead image of 4 honey chipotle chicken bowls in clear meal prep containers

Serving

Salad – Serve this shredded chicken over a salad. I love this paired with my Harvest Lentil Salad. The combination of butternut squash, tangy goat cheese and honey chipotle chicken is unbeatable.
Meal Prep Bowls – Pair with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans and a quick chipotle crema for a bold, filling lunch.
Sandwich – Swap out the honey lime chicken for this spicy version.
Burrito Bowls – pair with your favorite burrito fixings like beans, salsa, sour cream, rice, and avocado.

Recipe FAQ

How spicy is this?

I find this to be more smoky rather than spicy. Chipotles tend to have a medium spice level with a rich, smoky flavor rather than a sharp burn like jalapeño seed might. If you want to reduce the spice level use only the adobo sauce from the pan rather than the peppers.

Can I use a different protein?

Yes, this works well with chuck roast or pork sirloin roast. Rely on your food thermometer to know when it is done.

an overhead shot of shredded honey chipotle chicken in a slow cooker

Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken

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This honey chipotle chicken is a dump and go slow cooker recipe that shreds into tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas and salads. Easy shredded chicken meal prep with a sweet and smoky sauce, ready for the fridge or freezer.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Servings

Calories 228kcal

Author Annie Holmes

Equipment

1 6 Quart Slow Cooker

Ingredients

½ cup honey
¼ cup chicken stock
¼ cup chipotles in adobo sauce see notes
2 limes juiced
6 cloves garlic finely minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

After Cooking

¼ cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Instructions

Whisk together honey, chicken stock, chipotle and adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic and soy sauce in the bottom of a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat in the sauce.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and transfer to a bowl. Shred with two forks or an electric hand mixer.
While the chicken is out of the slow cooker you can strain it with a mesh strainer if you want to remove the seeds and peppers from the sauce (totally optional).
Next, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker.
Return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss with cooking liquid. Allow it to cook on high for 30 minutes so the sauce thickens nicely.

Notes

Chipotles in adobo come in a small can in the international aisle.
Chop the peppers and include the clingy adobo sauce. Use less for a milder batch.
Store leftover chipotles in adobo in the freezer, either in a small container or spooned into an ice cube tray.
Use tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce for a gluten free version.
Store the chicken in its cooking liquid so it stays juicy in the fridge.

Nutrition

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