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Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

Chicken thighs that are soft and sticky, with a sauce made of garlic, soy, and honey

You can make this honey garlic chicken in only 20 minutes. For a simple Friday night fakeaway, serve with rice.

A classic mix of honey, soy sauce, and garlic makes a sticky, sweet sauce that coats pieces of golden, delicate chicken.

I love to make this for dinner and serve it over boiled rice, or as a quick side dish for a handmade Chinese buffet.Look at the list I produced farther down the page for ideas to add to your handmade Chinese banquet!

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs (without skin and bones)
2 tablespoons of cornstarch (cornstarch)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of butter without salt
4 cloves of garlic, minced
110 g (1/3 cup) honey
80 ml (1/3 cup) chicken stock
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon of chili flakes
rice that has been cooked

Preparation Instructions

Put the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the salt, pepper, and cornflour (cornstarch). Put the cornflour on the chicken and shake it until it is well covered.
8 chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons of cornflour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Put the oil in a big frying pan (skillet) and turn the heat up high.
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Put in the chicken thighs and cook them on one side for about 4–5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Then flip them over and cook them for another 2 minutes.

Put the butter in the pan and let it melt. Then, add the garlic and mix it all together. Make the sauce while the garlic is cooking on medium heat so it doesn’t burn.
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 4 cloves of chopped garlic
Put the honey, stock, rice vinegar, and light soy sauce in a basin and mix them together to make the sauce.
1/3 cup (110 g) honey, 1/3 cup (80 ml) chicken stock, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 tbsp light soy sauce
Put the sauce in the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 4–5 minutes, or until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through (and no longer pink in the middle).
Add the chopped parsley and chili flakes on top and serve over rice that has been boiled.
1/2 tsp of chili flakes, 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh parsley, and boiling rice

Tips & Notes

I don’t always use chicken thighs in recipes because they are harder to work with and usually need more cutting to get rid of the fat than chicken breasts.

You can leave some of the fat on for this dish, though, because the chicken is fried at high heat, which makes the fat crisp up wonderfully. The thigh meat is also softer than the breast flesh, and it won’t dry out when it gets a quick burst of high heat.

Look at the crispy chicken that is golden brown…

Include in a homemade Chinese banquet

Why not include this in a homemade Chinese banquet? Here are some ideas:

Full masterclass recipe for special fried rice
Beef with Spicy Ginger
Sticky Chinese Pork Belly—so soft it melts in your mouth
Cauliflower wings baked in a tasty Asian sauce
Ribs cooked in the oven with crispy onions
Pulled Crispy Duck: Tastes real, yet is really simple to prepare

FAQ

Is it possible to switch out the chicken thighs for chicken breast?

Yes, you can do this. You can use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs if you want. Chicken thighs are a little more tender and don’t dry out when cooked over high heat.

To make sure the chicken cooks quickly and evenly in the pan, I would suggest cutting the chicken breast into thick strips or flattening it with a rolling pin.

Is it possible for me to make this gluten-free?

Yes, use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free chicken stock. Make sure that the rice vinegar you use is also gluten-free.

Can I put it in the freezer?

Yes, but the chicken won’t be as tender. It will still taste excellent, though. Cook the chicken, let it cool down fast, cover it, and then freeze it. Put it in the fridge overnight to thaw, then put it on a baking pan and heat it up in the oven at 180C/350F. Put foil over the chicken before putting it in the oven to help keep it from drying out.

Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it’s quite heated all the way through.

Can I make it ahead of time or save leftovers and heat them up?

Yes, but the chicken won’t be as tender when it’s reheated (although it will still taste excellent). Cook the chicken, let it cool fast, cover it, and put it in the fridge. Put it on a baking sheet and reheat it in the oven at 180C/350F. Before putting the chicken in the oven, cover it with foil to keep it from drying out.

Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the whole thing is sizzling hot.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar with 1/4 tsp of sugar instead of rice vinegar.
You can use 3/4 tablespoon of dark soy sauce instead of light soy sauce.
You can use any neutral-tasting oil that can be fried at high temperatures instead of vegetable oil. Examples include rapeseed, sunflower, and ghee.

Nutritional Information (per dish, not including rice)