Huckerby struck in the 51st minute, but this match was effectively decided by the controversial dismissal of Ipswich's Spanish right-back Sito Castro just 18 minutes into the contest.
Town enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, Darren Currie dragging a 20-yard volley wide, before Sam Parkin forced a good save out of Robert Green when he glanced on a Jay McEveley cross.
Controversy erupted after 18 minutes when referee Lee Mason dismissed Sito Castro for an alleged professional foul, although replays appeared to show Kevin Lisbie tumbled with little or no contact - certainly it wasn't a deliberate trip.
Lisbie was through again soon after, only to be denied by a superb last-ditch tackle, and Owen Garvan did similar when Andy Hughes raced onto a Lisbie downward header.
Dean Marney's far post header forced a tip-over from Town goalkeeper Lewis Price, before Lisbie wastefully glanced a header wide from a good position.
Hughes was fortunate to stay on when his raised foot caught Price well after the Town keeper had caught a cross, then Youssef Safri wasted a great chance when he blasted straight at Price after dancing through the home defence.
Green back-pedalled to hold a Currie free-kick as half-time approached, and with tempers boiling, four players were cautioned by the break - three for Norwich and one for Ipswich.
The crucial goal arrived soon after the break when Gary Doherty's long ball saw Price and McEveley get into a tangle, allowing Huckerby the chance to curl home from 20 yards out.
The goal brought Ipswich to life and immediately Currie had a long-range drive deflected wide, and from his corner Jason De Vos got a flick on which Safri cleared from close to the far post.
Huckerby then found Ashton on a quick break, but the highly-rated striker, who played poorly throughout, tamely fired straight at Price.
Currie had a header deflected wide from a Dean Bowditch cross, then his corner found Parkin who got plenty of power on his header, but couldn't keep it under the bar.
Jim Magilton completely missed his kick after a Currie corner dropped loose in the box, and then Currie almost found Parkin with a clever chip which Green read well to come out and claim.
Calum Davenport wasted a good chance for City when he headed over from a Huckerby free-kick when unmarked at the far post, before Green did well to turn a McEveley 30-yard screamer away.
Kevin Horlock fired over for an impressive Ipswich side who then saw sub Jaime Peters denied twice in quick succession, as he had a shot blocked before heading over from a Matt Richards cross.
Town had a penalty shout in the 81st minute when Doherty appeared to nudge over De Vos, before Huckerby produced a contender for miss of the season, mis-hitting a three-yard shot over after he was picked out at the far post by Safri.
Green comfortably held a Horlock 35-yarder, then Richard Naylor glanced a header wide from a Magilton ball into the box as Norwich held on against the Ipswich onslaught.
Town will take plenty out of the game, having forced the pace for long spells with only ten men, but it was Norwich who claimed the points, ending a winless away run stretching back to May 2004.