Free recipe American

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Name: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, 6 to 8 thighs; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1/3 cup honey; 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Crispy-skinned chicken thighs baked and glazed in a sticky, buttery honey garlic sauce with a hint of soy and chile. Simple, glossy and addictive.

By Priya Hollis, Head of Shop & Product Published March 11, 2025

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Prep: 10 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

These thighs are the kind of dinner that gets requested again the very next week. Starting them skin side down in a cold-to-hot skillet renders the fat slowly for shatteringly crisp skin, and a turn in the oven cooks them through without drying them out.

The glaze is pantry magic: honey, lots of garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar and butter, simmered in the same pan so it picks up all the savory chicken drippings. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds just enough warmth to balance the sweetness.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken but keep it off the skin until the very end so it stays crisp. Serve with steamed rice and roasted broccoli to soak up the extra glaze.

Crackling crisp skin
Sticky pantry glaze
Kid-approved weeknight dinner

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
Mix the salt, pepper and smoked paprika and season the chicken on both sides.
Add the oil to a 12-inch oven-safe skillet and place the thighs skin side down in the cold pan.
Set the skillet over medium heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes without moving the chicken, until the fat renders and the skin is deep golden and crisp.
Flip the thighs skin side up and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 18 to 22 minutes, until the chicken registers 175 degrees F near the bone.
Meanwhile, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat from the skillet, being careful of the hot handle.
Set the skillet over medium heat, add the butter and garlic, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
Pour in the honey mixture and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the glaze is thick, bubbly and syrupy.
Return the chicken to the skillet skin side up, spoon the glaze around and lightly over the thighs, then sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds and serve.

Test-kitchen tips

Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated; reheat skin side up at 375 degrees F to keep the skin from going soft.
Watch the glaze closely at the end; honey goes from syrupy to scorched quickly, so lower the heat if it foams hard.
Use boneless skinless thighs for a faster version: sear 4 to 5 minutes per side on the stovetop and skip the oven.