Shredded sweet but spicy chicken is paired with oven roasted sweet potatoes and a pickled slaw for a craveable bowl meal. 

As far as I’m concerned, whoever thought of the concept of hot honey is a genius. It’s the perfect combo of spicy and sweet.

While hot honey is readily available at most grocery stores now, I knew I wanted to play with creating this drool-worthy flavor profile in my own kitchen. Thus, this Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Bowl recipe was born!  

While this may seem like a lengthy recipe at first glance, it’s really a three-in-one situation. 

We’ve got the shredded chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, AND a delectable slaw — three components equally delicious on their own but even better when paired together for a bowl meal. 

For the chicken, we’re relying on the slow cooker to do the work for us.

While the chicken cooks, you can get a tray of roasted sweet potatoes ready. This is one veggie that’s great to make ahead of time as well for meal prep. Make a tray or two and have them all week long for easy meal assembly. 

Talking about easy, the slaw takes less than 5-minutes to make and is definitely worth the minimal effort! 

This coleslaw recipe proves that pickles are more than sandwich toppers. This bright six-ingredient coleslaw recipe relies on the salty, tangy pickle juice as the dressing.

So go ahead and grab a big fork because you’re going to want to dive right in and get a big forkful of everything in one bite. Enjoy! 

Key Ingredients for Hot Honey Pulled Chicken Bowls

As I said, this recipe really is three recipes in one. You can make just one or make them all. Whatever you decide, here are the key ingredients you’ll need to get it done. 

Hot Honey Chicken

• Chicken: I used about 2 ½ pounds or 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Chicken thighs would work well too. Note, the cooking time may vary based on how large your chicken is. Check around 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes for doneness. 
• Spices: To amp up the honey and make it hot honey, a blend of crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and coconut sugar is added to the crock pot. 
• Honey: I try to buy local, raw honey whenever possible. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar: A touch of acid helps tenderize the chicken as it cooks. 
• Serving Suggestions: Mixed greens and cooked white rice are always a good base for a bowl meal. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

• Sweet Potatoes: You’ll need two large potatoes, cut into about ¼ inch rounds. Any type of potato will work here. 

Dill Pickle Coleslaw

• Mayo: Either avocado or regular mayonnaise works. I haven’t tried it with greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt, but either should be fine as well. 
• Dill Pickles: Go ahead and use your favorite brand. We’re using both the juice and the pickle spears here. 
• Red Onion: Dice small to avoid an overly oniony bite.
• Cabbage: You’ll need a total of 6 cups of shredded cabbage. I prefer to buy a 14-ounce bag of pre-shredded coleslaw and supplement with a bit more shredded red cabbage. 

How to Make Crockpot Hot Honey Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Slaw

Let’s get cooking! 

Make the Chicken

To make the chicken, spray the bottom of your slow cooker with non-stick spray, such as avocado oil spray. Add the chicken breasts. 

In a small mixing bowl, mix the red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Season the chicken on all sides with the spice mixture.

Sprinkle the chicken with the spice mixture, ensuring it’s evenly coated. Sprinkle the coconut sugar over the chicken.

Pour the honey over the chicken along with the apple cider vinegar and avocado oil. 

Cover and cook on high for 2 – 2 ½ hours. The cooking time will vary based on your slow cooker. For me, it takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. You want the chicken to be golden brown and easily shreddable.  

When the chicken is ready, turn the slow cooker to “WARM” setting.

Shred the Chicken

Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Shred with 2 forks, tongs, or whip out your stand mixer or hand held mixer and let it do the work for you. A quick spin and your chicken will be shredded in a minute. 

You can also let the chicken cool a bit and then use clean or gloved hands to shred it. Regardless of which method you choose, I suggest shredding it in a bowl and not the slow cooker. The sauce can splash up if you’re not careful! 

Remove around 1 cup of the sauce before transferring the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker.

Set extra sauce aside. This can be added to the bowls if someone prefers a saucier version. After adding the chicken, stir to completely coat the chicken in the sauce.

The chicken can remain on the WARM setting for quite a while as you get your other bowl components ready. 

Make the Sweet Potatoes

To make the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the sweet potato rounds to a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes to a sheet pan in a single layer and roast in your preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. 

Make the Slaw

To make the slaw, whisk together the mayo, pickle juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Add the shredded cabbage mix, chopped dill pickles, and diced red onion to the dressing.

Toss to thoroughly combine. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving. 

Assemble the Bowls

To assemble the bowls, pile some mixed greens into the bottom of the serving bowl.

Add a scoop of cooked white rice, some roasted sweet potatoes, a good portion of the slaw, and the shredded chicken.

Pour the additional hot honey sauce over the bowls. Grab a fork and enjoy!

Other Chicken Bowls You’ll Love:

• Loaded Greek Chicken Bowl with Dairy-Free Tzatziki
• Saucy Simple Pineapple Chicken
• Sticky Glazed Ginger Chicken Meatballs