Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
These honey garlic chicken thighs feature juicy, bone-in chicken with a sticky, sweet-savory glaze that caramelizes beautifully in just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this easy recipe uses pantry staples and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari/coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 4–5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down (in batches if needed). Sear for 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 2 minutes.
- While chicken sears, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, vinegar, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Drain excess fat from the skillet, leaving a thin layer for flavor.
- Arrange all chicken thighs skin-side up in the skillet. Pour the honey garlic sauce evenly over the chicken.
- Transfer skillet to the oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and sauce is bubbling and thickened.
- Switch oven to broil on high for 2-3 minutes for caramelized, sticky edges. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Remove from oven and let chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
- Serve hot, spooning extra sauce over each thigh. Enjoy with your favorite sides.
Notes
For gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos. Pat chicken dry for crispy skin. Watch the broiler closely to avoid burning. Marinate chicken in sauce for up to 4 hours for extra flavor. Leftovers keep well and sauce thickens overnight. Serve with rice or veggies and drizzle extra sauce over sides.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 305
- Sugar: 11
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Protein: 19
Keywords: honey garlic chicken, chicken thighs, easy dinner, bone-in chicken, weeknight meal, Asian chicken, gluten-free option, sticky chicken, skillet chicken, quick chicken recipe