Description
These honey garlic chicken thighs deliver the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and umami flavors with juicy meat and crispy golden skin. A sticky honey garlic glaze caramelizes beautifully in the oven, creating restaurant-quality results in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp ground ginger (or fresh grated)
- Optional garnishes: chopped green onions, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Whisk honey, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger into a smooth glaze.
- Pat chicken thighs dry, season with salt and pepper.
- Marinate chicken in honey garlic mixture for 15 minutes (up to 2 hours for best flavor).
- Sear chicken skin-side down in oven-safe skillet for 5–7 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Flip chicken, pour remaining marinade around (not over) the chicken.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake 20–25 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Baste with pan juices halfway through for glossy finish.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
Yields 6 servings. Always pat chicken dry for crispy skin. Don’t overcrowd skillet—sear in batches if needed. Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for juiciest results. Store leftovers up to 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer. Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture. Great with jasmine rice, mashed potatoes, or Asian slaw.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven-Baked + Skillet
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: honey garlic chicken thighs, sticky chicken, oven-baked chicken recipe