Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are the perfect weeknight dinner! Sweet honey, tangy garlic, and spicy red pepper flakes dress up ordinary chicken in this easy dish. Just toss the ingredients together and bake! This is a staple recipe our family makes again and again.

What’s in Garlic Honey Chicken Thighs?

Liven up your chicken dinners in the easiest possible way! The honey garlic sauce adds such a wonderful flavor, and the chicken thighs are perfect! You’ll be making this recipe more than once!

Chicken Thighs: This recipe uses boneless chicken thighs. Bone-in thighs will require a slightly longer cooking time and breasts will take less time to cook through.
All-Purpose Flour: Helps keep the chicken moist and thickens the sauce as it cooks.
Paprika: This ground spice adds an earthy sweetness to the sauce and helps brighten up the color of the dish too.
Salt + Pepper: Enhances the flavor of the chicken.
Honey: For a sweet and sticky sauce. You can also use agave nectar.
Soy Sauce: This adds a salty and umami flavor.
Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. In a pinch, you can use a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Red Pepper Flakes: These are optional, but I like to add a bit of spice!

Pro Tip: For super easy clean up, line your baking dish with foil before adding the chicken.

Variations on Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs

This honey garlic chicken is perfectly balanced as is, but you can make minor adjustments to better suit your personal tastes.

Try using smoked paprika for a slightly smokier flavor. Playing off of the smokiness, you can also mix the honey-garlic sauce with some barbecue sauce to create a spicy, smokey, and slightly acidic dish. For a citrusy twist, try adding a few tablespoons of orange marmalade to the sauce. Yum!

step by step photos for xhow to make honey garlic chicken thighs

What’s the best cut of chicken to use?

I love making this dish with tender chicken thighs. They’re so moist and juicy, and super affordable which is always a plus. But if you don’t have any thighs on hand, this sauce is delicious over chicken breasts, wings, or boneless tenders. Just be aware that the cooking times may need to be adjusted. Chicken thighs will almost always be juicier and easier to cook without drying. But it truly is whatever you love best!

Is honey garlic chicken gluten-free?

Most of the ingredients in this amazing dish are totally gluten free. However, check the labels on your soy sauce! Most soy sauce contains gluten. There are a few great gluten-free options at your grocery store, like Tamari. So read labels and opt for a GF version.

How spicy is the sauce?

The honey garlic sauce itself is not spicy at all. Before baking I like to add a few chili flakes for a bit of a kick, but you can easily omit these if you are sensitive to heat or if your kids don’t like spicy foods?

Can you use maple syrup instead of honey?

Sure! Maple syrup will give it a more woodsy and earthy sweetness, but it will work great in this recipe!

How long to bake chicken in the oven?

We are cooking this honey garlic chicken for 45 minutes in the oven. The key is making sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F to keep chicken safe to eat. The sauce coating the chicken will keep it nice and juicy!

up close honey garlic chicken thigh with rice on plate

How to Store and Reheat

These chicken thighs are best served as soon as they are cooked so that the meat is tender and juicy. If you do have leftovers, they will keep well, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 360°F – add a couple of tablespoons of water to the baking dish and cover with foil so that they don’t fry out.

How to Freeze

Freeze honey garlic chicken thighs in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

The beauty of this easy recipe is that there’s no muss or fuss; just wholesome ingredients that create a delightful dish. Serve up a garden salad and some simple sides and you’ve got yourself a feast!

Try Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Shoestring Fries, One Pot Macaroni and Cheese, Spicy Cheesy Broccoli, Garlic Cheese Bread Roll-ups, Sauteed Green Beans with Molasses, Cheesy Garlic Herb Scalloped Potatoes, or Creamy Green Pea Salad with Bacon.

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken is cooked in the ultimate sticky and spicy glaze, creating chicken thighs simply bursting with flavor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings chicken thighs

Calories 205kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Equipment

9×13 Baking Pan

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup honey or agave nectar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour and paprika.

¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground paprika
Coat each chicken thigh in the flour mixture and place in a greased or foil lined dish.

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sprinkle each thigh with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish

½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
In a separate bowl, mix the honey, soy sauce, and garlic.

¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 4 cloves garlic
Pour evenly over the chicken. You may need to flip them over once or twice to make sure they're coated completely in the sauce. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes to taste (if you don't like spicy, you can totally leave this off).

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
Serve with rice or vegetables, with extra sauce on the side if desired.

Video

Notes

This recipe uses boneless chicken thighs. Bone-in thighs will require a slightly longer cooking time and breasts will take less time to cook through.
Some readers noted that they recommend doubling the sauce!
For super easy clean up, line your baking dish with foil before adding the chicken.
The chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The thighs should be an opaque white color when cut into.
Once cooked, let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This will make sure that the thighs are extra juicy and flavorful!

Storage: Store honey garlic chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.