Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 smashed clove of garlic. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a pan till very hot. Put in 3 chicken thighs at a time and cook for a minute on each side till the thighs are lightly browned and seared. Remove on a plate and fry all the thighs in a similar way.
Once all the chicken is seared, put them back in the pan or in a slow cooker.
Whisk together the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, chilli paste and honey in a bowl, making sure they are well combined.
Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces and cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes with the lid on. It will take longer in a slow cooker - 60 minutes.
Turn off the heat when the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to a sticky, glaze-like consistency.
Notes
Cooking and prep time does not include marinating time.