Sticky Sweet Bacon Glazed Chicken
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I still remember the first time I made this Sticky Sweet Bacon Glazed Chicken — the house filled with a caramelized-sweet aroma and everyone fought for seconds. It’s a hands-off slow-cooker favorite that combines honey, molasses, soy, and crisp bacon for a deeply sticky, savory-sweet finish. If you like glazed chicken with a touch of heat and smoky crunch, this recipe delivers comfort-dinner vibes without fuss. For a close reference I kept on hand while testing, I compared notes with the original slow-cooker notes I’d bookmarked.
Why you’ll love this dish
Sticky Sweet Bacon Glazed Chicken is the kind of recipe that feels fancy but is actually low-effort. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, casual dinner parties, or when you want something kid-friendly yet interesting. The glaze creates a glossy, finger-licking coating while the bacon adds smoky texture — and because it cooks in the slow cooker, you can set it and forget it.
“Sweet, sticky, and smoky — an instant family favorite. The bacon takes the glaze over the top.” — a satisfied weeknight cook
Benefits at a glance:
- Minimal hands-on time: most work is prep; the slow cooker does the rest.
- Big flavor from pantry staples: soy, honey, molasses, and Worcestershire.
- Crowd-pleasing: sweet but balanced with umami and a hint of heat from sriracha.
How this recipe comes together
Step-by-step overview:
- Make a glossy honey-molasses-soy glaze and thicken it slightly with a cornstarch slurry.
- Season and add chicken legs to a lined slow cooker, pour the glaze over, and add a splash of water.
- Cook on high for about 3 hours until the meat is tender and the glaze has infused the chicken.
- Crisp up chopped bacon in a pan separately and crumble it over the finished chicken for smoky crunch.
This workflow keeps the slow-cooker cleanup easy and preserves a crisp bacon topping you can’t get if the bacon cooks inside the crock.
What you’ll need
- 6 large chicken legs (bone-in, skin-on; skin may be removed if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup ginger honey (or regular honey)
- 1/8 cup molasses
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (low-sodium optional)
- 1 tsp sriracha (or to taste)
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- Seasoned salt (or salt + pepper + garlic powder, to taste)
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup honey (extra for finishing, optional)
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Ingredient notes and swaps:
- Honey: ginger honey adds depth, but plain honey works fine.
- Molasses: a little goes a long way — it gives that dark, caramel-y backbone.
- Soy sauce: use low-sodium if you’re watching salt; adjust seasoned salt accordingly.
- Bacon: use thick-cut for extra chew and flavor; turkey bacon will reduce fat and smoke.
If you want a printable version with step photos and scaling tips, see this helpful resource I referenced during testing: printable recipe and notes.
Step-by-step instructions
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir to make a smooth slurry and set aside.
- In a small pot, add ginger honey, molasses, sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger, and sriracha. Stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the pot from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Set aside.
- Line your slow cooker with parchment paper for easier cleanup and to reduce sticking. (This also helps when you want to lift the finished chicken out neatly.)
- In a bowl, season the chicken legs with seasoned salt (or salt, pepper, and garlic powder) to taste. Rub briefly so the seasoning adheres.
- Place the seasoned legs into the slow cooker. Pour the prepared glaze evenly over the chicken. Add 1/2 cup of water to the cooker to keep things moist and prevent scorching.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and is tender. Cooking times may vary with appliance; if you prefer fall-off-the-bone, cook a little longer and check temperature.
- While the chicken cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble.
- When the chicken is done, spoon extra glaze from the slow cooker over the legs. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top and, if desired, brush with a touch more honey for extra shine and sweetness. Serve hot.
For a streamlined visual guide and alternate timings, I cross-checked technique and times here: additional timing tips.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serving suggestions:
- Plate the chicken over steamed jasmine rice or buttery mashed potatoes to soak up the glaze.
- Add a crisp side like roasted broccoli or a simple cucumber salad to cut the richness.
- For a weeknight shortcut, serve with microwaved brown rice and a bagged coleslaw mix tossed in a light vinaigrette.
Presentation tips: - Spoon extra glaze around the plate and scatter crumbled bacon and chopped scallions or sesame seeds for color.
- Serve family-style with extra napkins — this is a saucy, hands-on meal.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Keep the glaze separate if you want to re-crisp skin later.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled chicken in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes, or until warm through. If you want crisp skin, finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes while watching closely. Microwave reheating is fine for convenience but will soften skin and glaze.
Food safety: Always ensure leftover chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on reheating. Discard perishable foods left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Pro chef tips
- Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry: it helps the glaze cling to the chicken rather than slide off into the cooker.
- Line the slow cooker: parchment or a slow-cooker liner makes cleanup fast and prevents the glaze from caramelizing too hard to scrape.
- Crisp bacon separately: cooking bacon in the slow cooker will make it soft; fry it and add it at the end for the best texture contrast.
- Adjust the heat: start with 1 tsp sriracha; add more to the glaze if you want a noticeable kick.
- Watch your salt: because soy and bacon are salty, season the chicken lightly at first and taste the glaze before adding more salt.
Creative twists
- Maple swap: use maple syrup instead of honey for a fall-flavored glaze.
- Citrus brightness: add 1 tbsp of orange juice and a little zest to the glaze to brighten the dish.
- Smoky-sweet BBQ: swap half the soy sauce for a smoky BBQ sauce and skip the molasses for a different but tasty profile.
- Make it low-carb: substitute sugar with a granulated erythritol or a monk-fruit sweetener that measures like sugar.
- Sheet-pan finish: for crispier skin, transfer cooked legs to a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 8–12 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
Your questions answered
Q: Can I use chicken thighs or breasts instead?
A: Yes. Bone-in thighs work best for slow-cooker tenderness. Breasts will cook faster and can dry out; reduce cooking time and check internal temperature to avoid overcooking.
Q: Can I make this without bacon?
A: Absolutely. The bacon is optional but adds smoky texture. Try toasted nuts or fried shallots as a crunchy substitute.
Q: How sticky will the glaze be in the slow cooker?
A: The glaze will be well-coated but less caramelized than a stovetop reduction. Thickening with the cornstarch slurry and finishing under a broiler or in a hot oven can create a stickier, more caramelized exterior.
Q: Is this freezer-friendly?
A: Yes — freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Conclusion
If you want more slow-cooker bacon-glazed chicken inspiration, check out this slow cooker bacon glazed chicken variation for a complementary technique and flavor profile. For a honey-forward glaze with similar ingredients and plating ideas, this honey bacon glazed chicken write-up is a great companion. And if you love the sweet-salty pairing with brown sugar and garlic, this bacon brown sugar garlic chicken article has useful tips you can mix into your next batch.
Sticky Sweet Bacon Glazed Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir to make a smooth slurry and set aside.
- In a small pot, add the ginger honey, molasses, sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger, and sriracha. Stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the pot from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Set aside.
- Line your slow cooker with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- In a bowl, season the chicken legs with seasoned salt (or salt, pepper, and garlic powder) to taste. Rub briefly so the seasoning adheres.
- Place the seasoned legs into the slow cooker and pour the prepared glaze evenly over the chicken.
- Add 1/2 cup of water to the cooker to keep things moist and prevent scorching.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and is tender.
- While the chicken cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon, and cook until crisp.
- Transfer the crisp bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble it.
- When the chicken is done, spoon extra glaze from the slow cooker over the legs.
- Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top and brush with a bit more honey for extra shine and sweetness.
- Serve hot.
