This Honey Garlic Chicken takes some of my favorite ingredients and combines them into an incredible dish! Juicy chicken thighs drizzled with a honey garlic and soy sauce that is to die for and ready in only 20 minutes!
Sweet, sticky, garlicky, tender chicken that’s ready in only 20 minutes is what this dish is all about. This chicken is perfect for a quick weeknight dish! The sauce is as easy as it can get with only 5 INGREDIENTS that you likely already have in your pantry.
If you’ve been following my blogs, this one and Jo Cooks, you will know this much about me. I love my quick and easy recipes, especially the ones that are done in one pot. I hate washing dishes as much as anybody. So I try and come up with uncomplicated, simplistic, yet still loaded with flavor, recipes! This honey garlic chicken recipe encompasses all of that.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this chicken. Keep on scrolling down for the full recipe:
- Chicken thighs – I used boneless skinless thighs because they cook faster. You can use thighs with bone in and skin on but you’ll have to watch the cooking time as they take a little longer. Chicken breast will also work, however, I would cut them in half horizontally to speed up the cooking process.
- Olive oil and butter – I love adding a little bit of butter to the skillet when I fry chicken because not only does it smell incredible it does give the chicken a great flavor.
- Garlic – What is honey garlic chicken without the garlic and who am I to tell you how much garlic to use. Go nuts and use as much as you want!
- Honey – This is the other most important ingredient in this dish. The honey is what makes this chicken sweet and sticky!
- Soy sauce – I always go for a low sodium soy sauce for obvious reasons.
- Salt and pepper – Not a lot of salt is needed since there’s soy sauce already in the sauce, but I still like to season my chicken with a bit of salt and pepper.
How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken
- Add butter and olive oil to a skillet: You’ll need a fairly large skillet if you want to fit all chicken thighs. I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Heat the oil and butter until the butter is melted, over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken thighs: Add the chicken thighs to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until golden and crispy. Do not try and flip the chicken before, when the chicken is done it will release easily from the pan. Flip the thighs over and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. It should be golden and crispy all around. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Make honey garlic sauce: Reduce the heat to a medium. Drain about half of the oil from the skillet. There should still be a couple tbsp of fat left. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the honey and soy sauce. Turn off the heat.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet: Add the chicken back to the skillet smooth side down, move it around a bit so that it gets covered in the sauce then flip it over and repeat.
- Garnish and serve: I love to garnish with fresh parsley but feel free to use your favorite fresh herbs.
Can You Use Chicken Breast Or Drumsticks?
Absolutely! If using drumsticks they will take a bit longer to cook through. Best way is to cover them with a lid while they cook. They should take about 20 to 25 minutes, turning them every 5 or 10 minutes.
For chicken breast, cut it in half horizontally to cook faster. Chicken breast should cook a bit faster, 4 to 5 min per side, obviously depending on thickness.
You can also use thighs with bone in and skin on but you’ll have to watch the cooking time as they will take a couple minutes longer.
How to serve
I love to serve this honey garlic chicken over cooked rice such as basmati or jasmine rice. Here are some other sides this chicken is great with:
Leftovers
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months!
Why This Honey Garlic Chicken Rocks:
- 5 Min Prep Time – can’t really beat that! ✅
- Boneless and skinless thighs which means super fast cooking and healthier! ✅
- Less than 15 min cook time! ✅
- Amazing sweet and garlicky flavor that can be customized to your taste! ✅
- This recipe uses staple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! ✅
Other Chicken Recipes To Try
- Crispy Honey Chili Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Garlic Soy Chicken
- Harissa Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Craving More? Follow Along:
Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 9 chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil: Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet and heat until the butter has melted, over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken thighs: Add the chicken thighs to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until golden and crispy. Do not try and flip the chicken before, when the chicken is done it will release easily from the pan. Flip the thighs over and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. It should be golden and crispy all around. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Make honey garlic sauce: Reduce the heat to a medium. Drain about half of the oil from the skillet. There should still be a couple tbsp of fat left. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the honey and soy sauce. Turn off the heat.
- Add chicken back to skillet: Add the chicken back to the skillet smooth side down, move it around a bit so that it gets covered in the sauce then flip it over and repeat.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with chopped parsley or any other fresh herb you like and serve over cooked rice.
Video
Tips & Notes:
- Leftovers: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months!
I like how you called it “the smooth side.” I thought that was cute. And a good description.
I’m going to start borrowing that phrase.
Thank you, and thanks for the delicious sounding recipe.
I found your site when searching for an easy, Asian-style ground beef noodle bowl.
I was impressed and grateful for how simple you made it, just 4(?) steps! I love quick and simple.
I’ve now been on your site for hours, looking through your many delicious sounding recipes.
I’ll share what I call one of my “lazy” oven chicken recipes.
This was as Asian chicken recipe my mother found. It’s intensely flavored and delicious. It only requires 5 minutes of hands-on time.
I usually boil some brown rice to go with it, steaming some broccoli or asparagus in a steamer pot over the rice. I use a Revereware stainless 3-quart pot with their steamer basket with a handle, over the pot. Very convenient way to steam veggies over rice.
Asian Chicken
4 skin on, bone-in thighs, placed in an 8″x8″ or larger baking pan
Bake at 350° 30 min. Pour off grease. Remove skin with fork. Then pour sauce over.
Sauce:
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
3/8 c red wine vinegar
1 T dried onion flakes
1/4 t garlic powder
Stir sauce ingredients in a 1-cup measuring cup.
Pour over chicken.
Bake 350° ~15 min. more, or til no longer pink inside at the bone when slashed with a knife.
Serve with brown rice and a green steamed veg. Spoon a little sauce over the rice.
The flavor is so intense and delicious, this recipe works well just using dried onion and garlic, making it quick to prepare.
We used chicken tenders and it was amazing. I did season the tenders and dusted them in cornstarch before frying to give them a crunchy bits coating. It took an extra tablespoon of oil, however.
I love this chicken. It is always my go to when I’m wanting some other way to cook chicken. I highly recommend this. It’s easy and Delicious.
I’m so glad you like it!
Can you use chicken breast in place of thighs. My husband doesn’t like dark meat AT ALL. Made your Cassoulet and it was marvelous. Thanks
You can, there are instructions in the post for how to do that. 🙂
I like this recipe and I want to taste it ! thank’s for sharing
Hope you try it!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m inexperienced and I’m not sure what is the “smooth” side of the thighs? In other words, is the smooth side the side with or without the skin? Thank you to any reader or the author of the recipe.
So you’re using boneless skinless chicken thighs, the smooth side of the thigh is the side where the skin usually is. 🙂 Hope you like this!