Honey Garlic Chicken
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and coated in a sticky sweet garlic sauce that you’ll want to put on everything, this honey garlic chicken is the kind of 20-minute dinner that feels way more impressive than the effort it takes.
- 2 lb chicken thighs (about 4 thighs, skin-on, bone removed)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- oil (for pan frying)
- 8 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- green onion (thinly sliced)
- Pound the chicken: Pound thighs to an even thickness all around using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Season: Combine chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oyster sauce, and grated ginger. Mix well to coat.
- Coat in cornstarch: Press each thigh into cornstarch coating both sides evenly. Shake off excess.
- Pan fry: Heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken skin side down first until golden and crispy, then flip and cook until the other side is golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: Melt butter in the pan. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly golden. Add soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. Simmer and reduce slightly until thickened.
- Glaze: Add chicken back to the pan and coat both sides in the honey garlic sauce.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and green onion. Serve over hot rice.
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and coated in a sticky sweet garlic sauce that you’ll want to put on everything, this honey garlic chicken is the kind of 20-minute dinner that feels way more impressive than the effort it takes. It needs minimal cleanup and is absolutely craveable served over a bowl of hot rice.
Honey Garlic Chicken: Your New Weeknight Obsession
This is the recipe I make when I want something that feels indulgent but comes together in no time. Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs get pounded thin, seasoned, coated in cornstarch, and pan-fried until deeply golden and crispy. Then they get glazed in the most addictive honey garlic butter sauce. It’s the kind of dinner that makes you look forward to Monday nights.
The Chicken
Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are the move here, the skin crisps up beautifully and the meat stays incredibly juicy. Ask your butcher to remove the bone, or do it yourself at home with kitchen shears. The key step before anything else is pounding the thighs to an even thickness so they cook evenly all the way through without the edges drying out before the center is done. The oyster sauce and ginger in the marinade add a subtle depth that takes this from good to really good.
The Cornstarch Coating
Don’t skip the cornstarch, this is what gives you that signature crispy golden crust without deep frying. Coat both sides evenly and shake off any excess before it goes in the pan. Too much cornstarch can make the coating thick and starchy rather than light and crispy, so a light, even coat is all you need.
The Honey Garlic Sauce
Eight cloves of garlic might sound like a lot but trust the process, cooking the garlic in butter until golden and toasted mellows out the sharpness and gives you this deep, nutty, fragrant base that the honey and soy sauce build on beautifully. The rice vinegar cuts through the sweetness just enough to keep the sauce balanced and not cloying. Let it simmer and reduce slightly before adding the chicken back in so it coats everything in that glossy, sticky glaze.
How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken
Pound the chicken: Place chicken thighs between plastic wrap or in a zip lock bag and pound to an even thickness all around using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Season: In a bowl, combine chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oyster sauce, and grated ginger. Mix well to coat evenly.
Coat in cornstarch: Add cornstarch to a tray. Press each chicken thigh into the cornstarch, coating both sides evenly. Shake off any excess.
Pan fry the chicken: Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin side down first. Cook until golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook the other side until equally golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly golden, stirring often so it doesn’t burn. Add soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer and reduce slightly until it thickens.
Glaze the chicken: Add the chicken thighs back into the pan. Spoon the sauce over both sides, coating each piece in that sticky honey garlic glaze.
Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and sliced green onion. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Customization Ideas
Spicy version, add a squeeze of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for heat.
Extra garlicky, toast the garlic a little longer for a deeper, nuttier flavor throughout the sauce.
Swap the protein, this sauce works beautifully on salmon, shrimp, or tofu if you want to mix it up.
Add vegetables, toss in broccoli, snap peas, or bok choy into the sauce at the end for a complete one-pan meal.
Storage & Reheating
Storage: Store leftover honey garlic chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce and chicken together so the meat stays moist and flavorful.
Reheating: Pan (best method): Reheat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until warmed through and the skin crisps back up Air fryer: Reheat at 375°F for 5-6 minutes for a crispy result Microwave: Works in a pinch, heat for 60-90 seconds covered but the skin will soften.
Make Ahead Tips Season the chicken up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate, the flavor gets even better overnight Sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently on the stove before glazing Coat in cornstarch and fry just before serving for the crispiest results.
