These honey garlic chicken thighs are juicy, tender, and smothered in a sticky, sweet, and savory honey garlic sauce. Made with simple ingredients, this quick and easy recipe delivers restaurant style flavors that are perfect for any night of the week! And the addictively delicious sauce will have you reaching for seconds!
This honey garlic chicken recipe has become one of my favorite "go-to" recipes for weeknight dinners. While I still make many tried and true dinner recipes throughout the week like this brown sugar garlic chicken, my one pan garlic baked chicken with mozzarella, and this easy sesame chicken, we're loving every single bite of this new recipe!
These easy homemade chicken thighs are coated in a honey, garlic, and lemon sauce, with a touch of saltiness from the soy sauce. Both sweet and savory, you'll taste the layers of each flavor in every bite! Absolutely delicious - I love serving this over rice I make in the Instant Pot, my homemade rice pilaf, or with these savory crock pot garlic potatoes.
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Why This Recipe Works
- With layers of flavor in every bite, this honey garlic chicken is the perfect meal for any night of the week.
- It's the perfect recipe for meal prep!
- A guiltless pleasure, this recipe is healthy!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Thighs: use boneless, skinless thighs.
- Olive Oil: a healthy fat used in the sauce. You can also use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Soy Sauce: adds a salty flavor to the sauce mixture.
- Lemon Juice: use freshly squeezed juice from a lemon for the freshest flavor.
- Lemon Zest: used to top the chicken after it's done baking for a zesty citrus flavor.
- Oregano: dried oregano is used as a balancing ingredient in the sauce. It adds a warm, earthy flavor that balances the sweetness of the honey, the sharpness of the garlic, and the tanginess of the lemon.
- Garlic Powder: adds a hint of garlic in the sauce.
- Salt: an optional ingredient, if you choose to soak the chicken thighs in a water bath, salt is used as a tenderizer.
- Pepper: adds a subtle kick to the sauce and helps highlight the different layers of flavor.
- Honey: used to pour over the baked honey garlic chicken and then broiled on high to produce a light honey glaze.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the chicken in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate medium size bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Step 2: Pour the marinade into the large bowl ensuring you cover the chicken. Using a fork, turn each piece over several times until it is fully covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl of chicken in the soy sauce marinade in the the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove each piece from the bowl of marinade and put each piece in a skillet or baking dish. Discard the marinade.
- Step 4: Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Step 5: Once done, remove each piece of chicken from the skillet. Slowly pour ½ cup of honey onto each piece and use a basting brush to evenly spread.
- Step 6: Set the oven to broil on high. Broil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from the oven. Top with lemon zest and chopped parsley and serve immediately.
You're going to love this honey garlic chicken recipe! Try serving it with these roasted green beans, steamed cabbage and okra, or these crock pot pinto beans!
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQS
No! You can substitute the chicken thighs and use wings, breasts, drumsticks, or tenderloins.
If you have the time, consider soaking the chicken thighs in a salt bath, This will help tenderize the meat, making it juicier and more flavorful. This technique also helps the chicken retain moisture during cooking. To do this, add 2 teaspoons of salt in 4 cups of cold water. Then, put the raw thighs in the salt water, ensuring they're fully covered. Refrigerate the meat in the brine for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After brining, rinse each piece thoroughly with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels before cooking. For extra flavor, you can even add herbs, garlic, or lemon slices!
Expert Tips
- Fresh Garlic - if you really love a good garlic flavor, try substituting 4 cloves of freshly minced garlic (skip the jar version) instead of using garlic powder.
- Flavored Olive Oil - if you have a flavored olive oil, use it! It will add more flavor.
- Storage - place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating - I don't recommend reheating in the microwave. It's best to reheat the meat in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Baste on additional honey to ensure it stays moist, and cook until warmed through.
🥘 More Chicken Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried this delicious honey garlic chicken or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 oven safe baking dish (pyrex dish, cast iron skillet or dutch oven)
- 1 medium size mixing bowl
- 1 large size mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup honey
- lemon zest, optional
- fresh chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Put the chicken in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate medium size bowl, add the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Pour the marinade into the large bowl ensuring you cover the chicken. Using a fork, turn each piece over several times until it is fully covered.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl of chicken in the soy sauce marinade in the the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Remove each piece from the bowl of marinade and put the thighs in a skillet. Discard the marinade.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet. Slowly pour ½ cup of honey onto each piece and use a basting brush to evenly spread.
- Set the oven to broil on high. Broil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Top with lemon zest and chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
-
- Fresh Garlic - if you really love a good garlic flavor, try substituting 4 cloves of freshly minced garlic (skip the jar version) instead of using garlic powder.
-
- Flavored Olive Oil - if you have a flavored olive oil, use it! It will add more flavor.
-
- Storage - place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
-
- Reheating - I don't recommend reheating in the microwave. It's best to reheat in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Baste on additional honey to ensure it stays moist, and cook until warmed through.
Giangi Townsend
I've tried a lot of lemon garlic chicken and this one is one of the best recipes. The flavors are well- balanced. Love it!
Amanda Mason
So glad to hear you loved it and that it's on of the best you've had!! Let me know what other recipes of mine you try!
Juyali
Loved all the flavors in this recipe. I mean, I love anything lemon-garlic! 😉 🤤 Delicious recipe!
Amanda Mason
So glad you loved it!!