Honey Garlic Baked Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken thighs baked with a flavorful honey garlic glaze for a comforting dish.

# Ingredient list:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, approximately 1.5 to 2 pounds
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Honey Garlic Sauce

04 - 1/3 cup honey
05 - 1/4 cup soy sauce, gluten-free variety recommended
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, optional for heat

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional

# Cooking steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking dish or large ovenproof skillet with foil for convenient cleanup.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Position chicken thighs skin-side up in the prepared dish, maintaining adequate spacing between each piece.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, and chili flakes until well combined.
05 - Pour sauce evenly over chicken thighs, using a brush to coat all surfaces thoroughly.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, basting once at the midpoint, until skin is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
07 - For enhanced skin crispness, broil on high setting for 2 to 3 minutes at recipe completion, monitoring closely to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before service.
09 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with desired accompaniments.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while their skin gets crackling crispy, no dry white meat drama here.
  • The honey garlic glaze tastes like you fussed for hours, but you'll have it ready in under ten minutes.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes your whole family quiet at the dinner table because they're too busy eating.
02 -
  • Bone-in skin-on thighs are more forgiving than breasts, but that doesn't mean you can skip the basting halfway through, which is when the sauce really locks in.
  • The internal temperature matters more than the color, so trust your meat thermometer over what your eyes tell you about doneness.
03 -
  • Never skip patting the chicken dry because moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, and crispy skin is what makes this dish unforgettable.
  • Baste halfway through baking, which takes thirty seconds and makes the difference between good chicken and the kind people ask you to make again.
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