Honey Garlic Chicken
Juicy chicken thighs with a crisp, seared skin are smothered in the most incredible honey-garlic sauce for an easy at-home entrée.
Yield: chicken thighs
Equipment
- Oven
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
- Large cast-iron skillet or other large, heavy, oven-safe skillet
- stovetop
- Tongs
- pot holder or silicone hot handle cover for skillet
- internal meat thermometer
- Large plate
Ingredients
For the Honey-Garlic Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic approximately 4 cloves
For the Chicken
- 6 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs approximately 6-8 ounces each
- salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Position oven racks as needed so that skillet will sit in center of oven.
- Add ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons water, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic to medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together until completely incorporated then set bowl aside.
- Place 6 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs on cutting board. Pat chicken thighs completely dry on all sides with paper towels, then liberally season all sides of chicken thighs with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
- Place large cast-iron skillet on stovetop over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, place chicken thighs in skillet skin-side down. Sear chicken 7 to 8 minutes or until skin is golden and easily releases from pan when chicken is moved. If skin sticks to pan, continue searing until skin releases easily.
- Once skin is ready, flip chicken thighs over, then remove skillet from heat. Immediately pour prepared honey-garlic sauce into skillet, covering each chicken thigh, then place skillet in preheated oven. Note: skillet will be very hot. Always use pot holder or handle cover from this point forward.
- Roast chicken thighs 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, insert internal meat thermometer into thickest areas of chicken to check doneness. Return skillet to oven and continue roasting chicken 3 to 5 minutes or as needed until thermometer indicates internal temperature of 162° to 163° Fahrenheit.
- When chicken thighs reach desired internal temperature, carefully remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken thighs to large plate and set aside to rest 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, return skillet to stovetop. Simmer sauce in skillet over medium heat until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Stir sauce as needed to prevent sticking or burning.
- When sauce has thickened, remove skillet from heat. Return chicken thighs to skillet. Spoon sauce in skillet onto tops of chicken thighs, covering chicken thighs completely, then transfer chicken thighs to serving plates. Serve honey garlic chicken immediately with additional honey-garlic sauce and preferred sides.
Notes
- Chicken Thighs: Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. You'll just need to adjust the times on the stove and in the oven to accommodate your chicken of choice. Go by the internal temperature to determine if the chicken is fully cooked rather than relying on time recommendations.
- Make it Paleo: For strict paleo, use raw, unfiltered honey. Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or our homemade soy sauce substitute.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with honey-garlic sauce | Calories: 413cal | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 362mg | Total Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 23g | Net Carbs: 25g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg