Description
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are a savory and sweet dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked to crispy perfection and coated in a glossy honey garlic sauce. Served over steamed rice and Asian greens, this dish is quick, flavorful, and perfect for weeknight dinners or casual meals. The balance of honey’s sweetness, garlic’s pungency, and tangy tamari-soy sauce makes it irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 boneless chicken thighs (skin on or off, can substitute with chicken breast)
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 3 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce (use tamari for gluten free)
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tbsp water
To Serve
- Steamed rice
- Steamed Chinese broccoli (gai lan) or any Asian greens
- Finely sliced spring onion (scallion)
- Chilli oil (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry using a paper towel. Season both sides evenly with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Heat the oil: In a large, deep pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium–high heat until shimmering to ensure the chicken will crisp nicely.
- Cook the chicken: Place the chicken thighs skin-side down (or smooth side if skinless) in the hot pan. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. If using skin-on, press down gently with a spatula to achieve maximum crispness. Flip the thighs and cook another 4–5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. If desired, spoon out excess fat but leave about 2 tablespoons in the pan for added flavor.
- Prepare the honey garlic sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari or soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, minced garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornflour, and water until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Reduce the pan heat to medium. Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce into the pan and let it bubble and simmer for 2–3 minutes until thickened and glossy. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and turn them to coat thoroughly in the sauce. Adjust thickness of the sauce if needed by referring to notes.
- Serve: Optionally slice the chicken thighs into strips. Serve the chicken over steamed rice with steamed Chinese broccoli or other Asian greens on the side. Spoon any extra sauce over the chicken and garnish with finely sliced spring onion and a drizzle of chilli oil if desired for a little heat.
Notes
- Chicken choice: Using chicken thighs ensures juiciness and flavor, but chicken breasts can be substituted for a leaner option.
- Gluten considerations: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure rice vinegar and cornflour are gluten-free if needed.
- Sauce thickness: If sauce is too thin, simmer longer to reduce; if too thick, add a little water to loosen.
- Pressing skin down while cooking helps achieve crispiness when using skin-on chicken thighs.
