Baked Honey Chicken Thighs

Baked honey chicken thighs are an easy dinner with just 5 minutes of prep. Bone-in chicken thighs bake in a honey, soy, and garlic sauce that turns into a flavorful glaze as the chicken cooks.

The chicken stays juicy while the skin gets a quick finish under the broiler for a bit of crispness.

Easy Baked Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are one of my favorites for an easy weeknight dinner. They have plenty of flavor, stay juicy while baking, and don't require much hands-on time.

For this recipe, the chicken bakes right in the honey garlic sauce. I baste the thighs a couple of times while they cook, then finish them briefly under the broiler to help crisp the skin.

Key ingredients for honey chicken

• Chicken thighs - Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. They stay juicy during baking, and the skin crisps under the broiler.
• Honey - Adds sweetness and helps create the glaze as the chicken bakes.
• Soy Sauce - I prefer to use a low-sodium soy sauce. Otherwise, the sauce tends to become too salty once it reduces in the oven.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds the perfect balance of acidity. You could also use rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Sesame Oil - Adds a deep nutty flavor. If you don't have any on hand, you can omit.
• Garlic - Fresh, chopped garlic adds a ton of flavor.
• Red Pepper Flakes - Add as much or as little as you prefer.

Making baked honey chicken

1. Trim any excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken
3. Place chicken in a lightly greased baking dish.
4. Combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and sesame oil together. Stir until the honey is dissolved.
5. Spoon sauce over chicken thighs and sprinkle red pepper flakes over chicken.
6. Place chicken uncovered in a preheated 400°F oven and bake for 20 minutes. Baste chicken with glaze from the bottom of the pan.
7. Cook for about 10 more minutes until the chicken reaches 185°F.
8. Place chicken under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Keep a close eye on your chicken because it can burn in no time at all.
9. Remove from the oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot.

Recipe tips

• Pat the chicken thighs dry before adding them to the baking dish.
• Baste the chicken a couple of times while it bakes to help build the honey glaze.
• Chicken thighs are best when cooked beyond 165°F. I prefer them around 185°F, when the meat is tender and juicy.
• Keep a close eye on the chicken while it's under the broiler. The honey in the glaze can burn quickly.
• Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestions

These honey chicken thighs pair well with a simple vegetable, rice, or potatoes. A few of my favorite sides to serve with them are:

• Green Beans
• Roasted Broccoli
• Mashed Potatoes
• Homemade Rice-a-Roni
• Farro Salad
• Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

More delicious chicken recipes

• Salsa Verde Chicken
• Oven Baked Chicken Legs
• Baked Greek Chicken
• Chicken Fajita Casserole
• Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• Turkey Sloppy Joes
• Baked Chicken Wings

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Check out all my delicious main dishes!

Baked Honey Chicken Thighs

Kathy Berget

Easy baked chicken thighs with a sweet and savory honey garlic glaze. Just 5 minutes of prep makes these a great option for an easy dinner.

4.98 from 38 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 thighs

Calories 305 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Baking Dish - 8 x 8 inch
• ▢
  Measuring Spoons
• ▢
  Digital Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 chicken thighs (bone-in and skin-on)
• ▢ salt
• ▢ pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (use the amount to your liking)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Trim any excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
  4 chicken thighs
• Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken
  salt, pepper
• Place chicken in a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish.
• Combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and sesame oil together. Stir until the honey is dissolved.
  3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• Spoon sauce over chicken thighs and sprinkle red pepper flakes over chicken.
  ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Bake uncovered at 400°F for 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with the glaze from the bottom of the pan, then continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 185°F.
• Place the chicken under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to crisp the skin. Watch closely because the honey glaze can burn quickly.
• Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve hot.

Notes

• • Pat the chicken thighs dry before adding them to the baking dish.
  • If the honey won't combine easily, microwave the sauce ingredients for 20–30 seconds and stir again.
  • Baste the chicken a couple of times while it bakes to help build the honey glaze.
  • Chicken thighs are best when cooked beyond 165°F. I prefer them around 185°F, when the meat is tender and juicy.
  • Keep a close eye on the chicken while it's under the broiler. The honey in the glaze can burn quickly.
  • Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1thighCalories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 256mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 107IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

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