1. Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the honey, Dijon mustard, and ¼ cup of water. Whisk together until well combined. This is your honey mustard sauce base. Whisking ensures that the ingredients are fully incorporated and prevents any lumps.

2. Add Chicken and Sauce to Slow Cooker: Pour the honey mustard sauce mixture into a large slow cooker. Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker and toss them with the sauce to coat them evenly. Make sure the chicken is submerged in the sauce as much as possible. This will help the chicken to absorb all the delicious flavors of the honey mustard sauce.

3. Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-4½ hours. Cooking on low allows the chicken to become incredibly tender and absorb all the delicious flavors of the honey mustard sauce. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking, as this can release heat and prolong the cooking time. Resist the temptation to peek!

4. Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of water and cornstarch to create a slurry. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. This slurry will thicken the sauce at the end of cooking. It’s important to make a slurry to prevent the cornstarch from clumping.

5. Shred the Chicken: Once the chicken is cooked through, it should be very tender and easy to shred. Use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker. Shredding the chicken makes it perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or serving over rice.

6. Add Cornstarch Slurry: Add the cornstarch slurry to the slow cooker and stir it into the shredded chicken and sauce. Stirring ensures that the slurry is evenly distributed and prevents lumps from forming.

7. Cook and Thicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. The cornstarch will help to thicken the sauce into a nice, glossy consistency.

8. Season to Taste: Season the shredded chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Taste the chicken and adjust the seasoning as needed. Don’t be afraid to season generously.

The Slaw:

1. Combine Slaw Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix all the slaw ingredients: red cabbage, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, honey, and sugar. Toss the ingredients together until the cabbage is coated in the dressing.

2. Refrigerate: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the slaw overnight for best results. Refrigerating the slaw allows the flavors to meld together and the cabbage to soften slightly. If you’re short on time, you can refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it will become.