Description
Succulent slow cooker bacon brown sugar garlic chicken delivers a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors. Minimal ingredients and simple preparation make this dish an effortless crowd-pleaser you’ll want to serve again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (about 2.2 lbs / 1 kg)
- 6 bacon slices
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar, packed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsps water
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Seasoning: Generously rub chicken breasts with a harmonious blend of salt, ground black pepper, and smoky paprika, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Bacon Wrapping: Meticulously envelop each seasoned chicken breast with bacon strips, securing with toothpicks to create a succulent exterior that promises crispy texture.
- Glaze Preparation: Whisk together minced garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and fragrant thyme in a bowl until a luxurious, glossy sauce emerges with balanced consistency.
- Slow Cooking Setup: Arrange bacon-wrapped chicken in the slow cooker, positioning pieces to allow even heat distribution and prevent overcrowding.
- Sauce Application: Lavishly drench the chicken with the prepared garlic-brown sugar glaze, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated and infused with complex flavors.
- Cooking Process: Cover and set slow cooker to low heat, allowing chicken to simmer and tenderize for 4-6 hours until meat becomes fork-tender and bacon develops a caramelized, crisp edge.
- Finishing Touch: Carefully transfer chicken from slow cooker, letting it rest briefly to redistribute internal juices, then optionally drizzle remaining sauce over the dish for an extra flavor boost.
Notes
- Select High-Quality Bacon: Choose thick-cut bacon for better texture and crispness, ensuring it wraps around chicken securely without falling apart during slow cooking.
- Prevent Overcooking: Monitor chicken closely after 4 hours to avoid drying out; chicken breasts can quickly become tough when exposed to prolonged heat.
- Sauce Consistency Tip: If sauce appears too thin after cooking, transfer to a saucepan and reduce over medium heat for a more concentrated, glossy glaze that clings perfectly to chicken.
- Diet Modification Option: For low-carb variations, replace brown sugar with sugar-free maple syrup or monk fruit sweetener while maintaining the recipe’s rich, caramelized flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg