These honey-baked chicken thighs are a delicious and flavorful dish that combines the tenderness and juiciness of chicken thighs with a sweet and savory glaze.
Whether you're hosting a dinner party or looking for a simple meal for busy nights, honey baked chicken thighs will satisfy your taste buds and leave you craving more.
This delicious recipe is very simple, something your whole family will enjoy. The mixture of honey, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and sugar is used to marinate the chicken thighs before cooking and glaze them at the end.
And if you skip the marinating time (which is perfectly fine), you will have dinner on the table in less than one hour.
Check out more honey-chicken combinations: Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, Honey Soy Drumsticks, Sticky Honey Lime Thighs, Chicken in Honey Mustard Sauce, and Turmeric Chicken with Honey Glaze.
Recipe ingredients
- Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs: They have a slightly higher fat content than breasts, which helps keep the meat juicy and flavorful during cooking.
- Honey provides sweetness and helps create a caramelized glaze on the meat. Use your favorite brand of honey; just make sure it's the clear, runny sort.
- Brown sugar is used in combination with sweet honey. It contributes a deeper, molasses-like flavor and helps create a rich and caramelized glaze on the chicken thighs.
- Dark soy sauce is a savory and salty ingredient that balances the sweetness of the honey. Dark soy sauce is a thicker and more intensely flavored variety of soy sauce.
- You can replace dark soy sauce with light soy sauce. Use an equal amount but remember that dark soy sauce is typically sweeter and more concentrated. Taste the mixture (before adding the chicken) and adjust the level of sweetness accordingly.
- Fresh garlic cloves add a delicious aroma and a pungent, savory taste to the thighs, complementing the sweetness of the honey.
- Lemon juice brightens the flavors and balances the sweetness of honey and sugar.
- Sesame oil for extra flavor.
- Spices: Fine sea salt or kosher salt and ground black pepper. For a bit of heat, add some red pepper, chili, or cayenne pepper to taste.
How to make honey baked chicken thighs?
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Next, pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or baking dish that will fit the meat snuggly inside.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and add them to the baking dish. Turn them several times in the mixture to coat them well all over (1).
- Optional: Leave the dish on the counter to marinate for 30 minutes. If marinating for longer (up to four hours), cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. You can also use a plastic bag to marinate the pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
- Lift from the marinade using tongs, and place chicken thighs in a roasting tin. Reserve the marinade; you will need it to baste and glaze the chicken.
- Bake chicken thighs for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through, basting every 10 minutes or so with the leftover marinade and the cooking juices.
- Check with a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°F (2).
- Remove the honey-baked chicken thighs from the roasting tin, place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and keep them warm.
- Preheat the broiler while you thicken the glaze.
- Pour the leftover marinade and all the cooking juices from the roasting tin into a small saucepan. Reduce the glaze on medium-high heat until it thickens nicely.
- Brush the bone-in thighs with the sticky sauce and broil them for 2 to 4 minutes. Monitor the sticky chicken to ensure the skin doesn't burn under the broiler.
- Rest for a few minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Never wash poultry! The current guidelines from food safety organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise against washing raw chicken before cooking, as that will only increase the risk of cross-contamination.
- Baste during baking with the reserved glaze or pan drippings. This helps to keep them moist, infuses them with additional flavors, and helps the glaze adhere better to the skin of the tender chicken thighs.
- Finish with high heat: Towards the end of the cooking time, switch to the broil setting for a few minutes to achieve a beautifully caramelized and crispy exterior. Keep a close eye on the chicken to prevent burning.
- Rest: Allow the honey baked chicken thighs to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat, producing a more tender and flavorful final product.
Recipe FAQ
Marinating allows the flavors to penetrate the meat better; even 30 minutes are ok if that’s all the time you have.
However, in the case of this honey-baked chicken recipe, marinating is optional. The glaze has so much flavor, so the chicken thighs will still be amazing, even without marinating.
Yes, but adjust the cooking time accordingly, as boneless thighs may require less time in the oven.
While the recipe is specifically for chicken thighs, you can use chicken breasts if you prefer.
However, remember that breasts are leaner and can dry out more quickly during baking. Monitor the cooking time closely to ensure they don't overcook.
Refrigerate the cooled leftovers in an airtight container for about 3 days and reheat them before serving. Use your judgment and check the chicken thighs' appearance, smell, and texture before consuming them. If they show any signs of spoilage, it's best to discard them to ensure food safety.
Freeze in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge (overnight) and reheat before serving.
Reheat in the preheated oven (350°F/ 180°C) in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (recheck the safe internal temperature). Remove the foil during the last few minutes to allow the skin to crisp up again.
Reheat in the microwave, covered for 2-3 minutes. Check if the meat is heated through; if not, give it another minute and check again. However, while convenient, reheating in the microwave will make the skin floppy.
How to serve them?
Honey baked chicken thighs can be served as a main course with various sides such as roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, or a fresh salad. Here are a few suggestions:
- Starchy side dishes: Your favorite potato dishes, white rice like basmati or jasmine rice, brown rice, Asian-style noodles, or regular pasta.
- Vegetable sides: French Green Beans, Roasted Carrots, Sweetheart Cabbage, or Air Fryer Mushrooms.
- Salads: Green Salad with Yogurt Dressing, White Cabbage Salad, Roast Pumpkin Salad, or Broccoli Pea Salad.
- Leftovers can also be sliced and used in sandwiches or wraps.
More baked sweet and savory chicken dinners
Honey Baked Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Roasting tin
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs large, Notes 1,2
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons soft brown sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce Note 3
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Glaze: Mix all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or baking dish that will fit the chicken thighs snuggly inside. 2 tablespoon honey + 1 ½ tablespoon soft brown sugar + 2 ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce + 3 tablespoon lemon juice + 3 garlic cloves (grated) + 2 teaspoon sesame oil + ½ teaspoon salt + ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and add them to the baking dish. Turn them several times in the mixture to coat them well all over. 4 chicken thighs
- Optional marinating time: 30 minutes on the counter. If marinating for longer (up to four hours), cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
- Assemble the dish: Lift the chicken pieces from the marinade using tongs, and place them in a roasting tin. Reserve the marinade.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through, basting every 10 minutes or so with the leftover marinade and the cooking juices. Check with a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°F.
- Remove the thighs from the roasting tin, place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and keep them warm.
- Preheat the broiler while you thicken the glaze.
- Reduce glaze: Pour the leftover marinade and all the cooking juices from the roasting tin into a small saucepan. Reduce the glaze on medium-high heat until it thickens nicely.
- Broil chicken: Brush the chicken with the glaze. Broil them for 2 to 4 minutes. Keep an eye on the chicken all the time to ensure that the skin doesn't burn under the broiler.
- Rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Servings: Four thighs will serve 2 to 4 people, depending on appetite.
- Chicken thighs: If using boneless skinless chicken thighs, adjust the baking time accordingly; start checking with a meat thermometer after about 25 minutes already. The internal temperature for safely cooked chicken is 165°F/ 74°C. If the chicken is not there yet, give it another few minutes and check again.
- You can replace dark soy sauce with light soy sauce. Use an equal amount but remember that dark soy sauce is typically sweeter and more concentrated. Taste the mixture (before adding the chicken) and adjust the level of sweetness accordingly.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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