Slow Cooker Maple-Soy Chicken Thighs

Maple syrup, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic come together in this simple slow cooker chicken dish with crisped skin and caramelized brussels sprouts.

Active Time: Total Time: Servings:

45 mins 2 hrs 55 mins 4

WHY IT PASSED THE TEST

• Slow-cooking the chicken with garlic, ginger, and maple syrup yields fall-apart tenderness and deep flavor.

• A final skillet sear crisps the skin beautifully, creating a confit-like contrast between the juicy interior and golden exterior.

• The sauce thickens to a glossy glaze, rich but balanced by aromatic scallions and nutty brussels sprouts.

Slow cooker recipes don’t always promise crispness or complexity, but this maple-soy chicken delivers both. The magic lies in a double sear, once before cooking the chicken to render and caramelize the chicken skin before it ever meets the slow cooker, and again after cooking to restore that irresistible crunch. Between those two moments, the slow cooker handles the rest, transforming humble chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, and brussels sprouts into a deeply flavorful meal that tastes like you’ve been tending the stove for hours.

The gently sweet and savory sauce showcases equal parts soy sauce and maple syrup. As the chicken simmers, the vegetables soak up the umami-rich juices, becoming tender and glossy. A quick cornstarch slurry at the end turns the cooking liquid into a shiny glaze that clings to every bite.

The best part? The technique is simple, but the results feel refined. It’s cozy enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough for guests. Serve it over steamed rice, broccoli, or even noodles, with extra sauce spooned over everything. The combination of sticky maple glaze, juicy chicken, and crisp skin makes this one of those dishes that will earn a spot in your regular rotation, and it proves that slow cooking doesn’t mean sacrificing texture or flavor.

Why the double sear?

Browning the chicken before slow cooking adds essential depth of flavor, while the later sear brings back the crisp skin that slow cooking softens. You can skip the second round of searing, but when we did so the test kitchen missed the crispiness of the skin.

Do any other vegetables besides brussels sprouts work?

Yes, any sturdy vegetables that can withstand long cooking, such as root vegetables like onions, carrots, turnips, and winter squash, will work well here. Cut them to approximately the same size as the brussels to ensure even cooking. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Starting the final crisping in a cold pan ensures even heat and perfectly rendered golden skin.

• Don’t skip straining the sauce before thickening as this step keeps the texture smooth.

• Use uniform, large chicken thighs to avoid dryness and ensure consistent cooking.

Suggested pairing

Pair this maple-soy chicken with a medium-bodied off-dry Riesling, like Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett (Mosel, Germany, 2021). Its bright acidity and stone-fruit sweetness balance the soy’s saltiness and the maple’s caramel notes, while its subtle minerality complements the gingery glaze. If beer’s your pick, reach for a crisp Japanese lager such as Sapporo Premium for a smooth, malty, and refreshing finish against the dish’s rich, sweet-savory sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 4 whole scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece ginger)

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons cold water

• Thinly sliced scallions

• Hot cooked rice, broccoli and/or green beans, for serving

Directions

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add chicken in an even layer, skin-side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip; cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned on other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Place Brussels sprouts and scallions in bottom of a 6 qt. slow-cooker and place chicken, skin-side up on top. Set aside.

2. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in skillet, discard remaining drippings. Heat reserved drippings over medium-low, add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth, soy sauce, and maple syrup; bring to a simmer over medium. Pour chicken broth mixture into slow cooker. Cover and cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers at least 175°F, about 2 hours on HIGH or about 3 hours on LOW.

3. Transfer chicken to a plate and rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

4. Clean non-stick skillet. Dry chicken skin well with a paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and add chicken skin-side down to cold skillet. Heat over medium; cook until skin becomes crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter. Do not wipe skillet clean.

5. Strain sauce from slow cooker into skillet; do not discard brussels sprout mixture, set aside. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium. Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve chicken with thickened sauce and garnish with scallions. Serve with rice, broccoli and/or green beans, and reserved brussels sprouts mixture on the side.

Make ahead

Prepare the chicken through Step 3 up to one day ahead. Refrigerate the chicken and sauce together; when ready to serve, re-sear the chicken and finish the sauce as directed.