Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (20 Minutes)

Sticky, garlicky, and insanely juicy. Boneless skinless chicken thighs sear until golden, then get tossed in a quick honey-garlic-soy pan sauce. Weeknight-easy, takeout-style.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 1½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper
• 1½ tbsp cornstarch (light crust)
• 1½ tbsp neutral oil
  Sauce
• ⅓ cup honey
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or lime juice)
• 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger (optional but great)
• ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ cup water + 1 tsp cornstarch (slurry)

Instructions

1. Season & dust thighs with salt, pepper, and cornstarch.
2. Sear in hot oil (12-inch skillet) over med-high, 3–4 min/side until deep golden and 170–175°F. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sauce: lower heat; add honey, soy, vinegar, garlic, ginger, flakes. Bubble 30 sec. Stir in slurry; simmer 30–60 sec until glossy.
4. Coat: return chicken, toss 1–2 min to lacquer. Rest 2 min. Spoon sauce over rice.

Air Fryer / Oven

• Air fryer: 400°F, 12–14 min, flip at 8; toss in hot sauce.
• Oven: 425°F, 18–22 min; broil 1–2 min; toss in warmed sauce.

Make it “healthy dinner”

Use low-sodium tamari, serve with steamed broccoli/cauliflower rice, and skip extra sugar—honey provides all sweetness.

Pro Tips

• Pat thighs very dry → best sear.
• Don’t over-reduce honey; it thickens more off heat.
• Prefer breasts? Butterfly and cook to 160°F, rest 5 min.

Serve With

Rice or noodles, roasted broccoli, snap peas, or a cucumber salad.

Storage

Fridge 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Freeze up to 2 months.

FAQs

Can I meal-prep? Yes—sauce keeps the meat juicy.
Swap honey? Maple works; flavor is slightly deeper.
Gluten-free? Use tamari or coconut aminos.

Sarah

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (Sticky, 20 Minutes)

Juicy boneless chicken thighs seared until golden, then tossed in a quick honey–garlic–soy pan sauce. One pan, weeknight fast, and totally family-friendly.

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Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Calories: 365

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
• 1.5 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or canola)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or lime juice)
• 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional)
• 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp cornstarch (for slurry)
• cooked rice or noodles, for serving (optional)
• steamed broccoli or snap peas, for serving (optional)

Equipment

• 12-inch skillet
• tongs
• small bowl For slurry
• whisk For sauce

Method

• Season & dust – In a bowl, toss chicken with salt, pepper, and cornstarch until lightly coated.
• Sear – Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through (170–175°F for thighs). Transfer to a plate; keep warm.
• Make sauce – Lower heat to medium. In the skillet add honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bubble 30 seconds, scraping browned bits. Whisk water with 1 tsp cornstarch, then stir into the pan; simmer 30–60 seconds until glossy.
• Coat & serve – Return chicken and toss 1–2 minutes to lacquer. Rest 2 minutes. Spoon over rice with extra sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 35gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 420mgSugar: 22gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1.2mg

Notes

Air Fryer: 400°F (205°C) for 12–14 min, flipping at 8 min. Toss hot chicken in cooked sauce.
Oven: 425°F (220°C) for 18–22 min; broil 1–2 min. Warm sauce separately; toss to coat.
Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos.
Breasts option: Butterfly thick breasts; cook to 160°F, rest 5 min, then sauce.
Meal prep: Cools and reheats well; add a splash of water when reheating to loosen sauce.
Make it lighter: Serve with steamed veg/cauliflower rice; use low-sodium tamari.

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