We do a honey-and-garlic situation at least once a week in our house. It's such a go-to for us because everyone loves that combination; you can't go wrong here. Sticky, garlicky, but caramelized, it just works, and somehow it still tastes like you knew what you were doing, even though it's coming together at the last minute with no real plan.
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These recipes are also fabulous because you can pair them with fluffy jasmine rice, mashed potato- actually, just about anything goes with these. And if you throw in something Korean, it changes the whole dish. This is a very versatile combination.
Five simple dinners. One grocery list.
No recipe hunting, no messy shopping notes, no complicated chef projects. Just family dinners that fit real weeks.
1) Sticky Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs (family weeknight staple)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat thighs dry and season lightly with pepper.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, oil, mustard, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
- Sear thighs skin-side down in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Pour most of the sauce over the thighs, reserve 2 tbsp for glazing; transfer skillet to oven and bake 18–22 minutes until internal temp is 165°F.
- Warm reserved sauce in a small pan, stir in cornstarch slurry, simmer until thickened; brush over finished thighs and garnish.
The sticky honey garlic chicken is pretty much our Monday night dinner, every single Monday night. I take chicken out of the freezer in the morning, come back, and it's defrosted, and I already know what I'm doing from there. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, oil, and mustard, and I like to add some red pepper flakes too, all in a bowl.
Brush it over your chicken after you've browned the skin side down, then bake it in the oven. Make sure you reserve some of that glaze, because you'll want to come back later, when your chicken's half-done, and brush a little more over it. Be careful, because the glaze does caramelize and can burn from all the sugar. Make sure you keep some glaze aside to pour over your chicken when it's resting, too. This is super delicious with some fluffy jasmine rice and tenderstem broccoli.
2) Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with foil for easier cleanup.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic, vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Toss potatoes and vegetables with a little oil, salt, and pepper; spread on the sheet pan. Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up among the veggies.
- Brush or pour half the honey-garlic sauce over chicken and veggies. Roast 30–35 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and veggies are tender.
- Broil 2–3 minutes if you want extra crispy skin, watching closely. Drizzle remaining sauce over everything before serving and sprinkle parsley.
Literally, this is a last-minute honey garlic chicken dish that I do when I'm panicking and have nothing delicious to say for dinner. I typically always have honey garlic in my fridge, so it's just your chicken pieces, which are definitely thighs because breasts go really dry here. Thighs just have more fat and stay juicy at a high heat.
If you're doing vegetables like potatoes and carrots, pop those in first, because the rest, like zucchini and peppers, cook a lot faster, and you don't want it to taste like it's not all cooked evenly. Don't overcrowd the pan here, because you don't want steaming; you want roasting.
These are delicious with homemade potato wedges. You can just throw those into an air fryer, and they're all done, and everything gets served looking like I've spent hours on it.
3) Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (set-and-forget)
Ingredients
Method
- Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the slow cooker.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, ketchup, ginger, and red pepper flakes; pour over chicken.
- Cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours, until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken; skim fat if needed. Whisk cornstarch into water and stir into slow cooker.
- Turn slow cooker to HIGH and thicken sauce 10–15 minutes, then return chicken to coat.
- Garnish with green onions and serve over rice or noodles.
This is such an easy dish to make, and I tend to do this when my mom and dad are in town, and all we want to do is catch up. This is literally a set-and-forget dinner, and it makes me wonder every single time why I don't do slow cooker more often. Place your chicken thighs in the slow cooker, then pour the delicious honey garlic sauce over them.
I like to add a little bit of ketchup for balance, and then you literally set it on for about three to four hours. This is low and slow, guys. I know it'll be hard, but don't lift that lid repeatedly because it releases all the heat, which is quite a lot; think like 30 minutes lost per peek. Then I like to serve these with some crispy baby potatoes from the oven. It really is always a winner.
4) Honey Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (crispy skin shortcut)
Ingredients
Method
- Pat thighs very dry with paper towels; rub skin with cooking spray or 1 tsp oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp for glazing.
- Brush thighs with most of the sauce, saving some for later. Let sit 10 minutes if you have it.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Place thighs skin-side down and cook 10 minutes.
- Flip, brush with reserved sauce, and cook 8–10 more minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F and skin is crisp.
- Rest 5 minutes, garnish with green onions, and serve.
What makes this such a great dish is that sometimes my son is so specific about wanting this honey garlic air fryer chicken thighs, while my husband and I are having a completely different meal. I just throw two thigh-sized pieces into the air fryer, and it doesn't feel like I'm wasting a whole oven for it, and it takes literally twenty to twenty-five minutes.
He loves the honey garlic flavor, which is fine with me, so I don't mind making it from scratch. I normally serve this with some oven chips and carrots, and that's his meal done.
5) One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Rice
Ingredients
Method
- Season thighs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown thighs skin-side down 5–7 minutes until golden; flip and cook 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat, add garlic and thyme; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in honey, soy sauce, vinegar and chicken broth.
- Add rinsed rice, stir once, nestle thighs back on top skin-side up.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a 375°F oven for 25–30 minutes until rice is tender and thighs reach 165°F.
- Rest 5 minutes, garnish, and serve.
There's something really delicious about a one-pan dish, and this one never fails. That rice absorbs all of that liquid from the chicken. Try to get a balance here, so make sure that when you make that glaze you don't have too much honey, because that's what's going to cause the burning.
Try glazing it with some soy or stock; I normally have stock in the freezer, which I use. Also make sure the rest of the liquid ratio is correct. A big pro here is to pat the chicken dry before searing. If you don't, you just won't get that delicious brown chicken skin.
6) Honey Garlic Soy-Glazed Chicken Thighs with Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high and brown thighs skin-side down, 5–6 minutes. Flip and cook 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium; add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha into the skillet. Simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens. Return chicken, spoon glaze over thighs, cover and simmer 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions before serving.
You can serve honey garlic soy chicken thighs by itself, and then if you just add some toasted sesame seeds, it changes up the whole dish; it's quite amazing. I like to serve this with some coriander, spring onion, and a nice big salad on the side. Unfortunately, you can't use chicken breast for this one unless it's been brined, because it just becomes super dry.
7) Honey Garlic Dijon Chicken Thighs (tangy twist)
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Whisk honey, Dijon, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and oil in a bowl.
- Heat oven-safe skillet over medium-high, sear thighs skin-side down 5–7 minutes until golden.
- Flip thighs, pour sauce over, then transfer skillet to 375°F oven for 20–25 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Spoon sauce over chicken once or twice while baking for stickier glaze.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish, and serve.
Dijon mustard and honey garlic are like a marriage made in heaven, with a delicious tangy twist. I always find my chicken is so crispy and juicy when I make this. Marinate this for 30 minutes, but be careful not to marinate for too long, which I've learned the hard way, because it actually over-marinates and then the texture becomes super mushy, and that's not really what you're after here.
I would definitely stick to Dijon mustard, as you can taste a big difference. Cook this with some fresh thyme from the garden, or even rosemary, and that all infuses and makes it really super delicious. Serve this with whatever you've got in the freezer or fridge.
8) Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs (bright & easy)
Ingredients
Method
- Pat thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, and let sit 10 minutes while you preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, zest, garlic, oil, and thyme in a bowl.
- Sear thighs skin-side down in a hot ovenproof skillet 4–5 minutes until golden; flip and pour sauce over.
- Transfer skillet to oven and roast 20–25 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C), basting once.
- Rest 5 minutes, spoon pan sauce over thighs, and garnish with parsley.
Honey garlic chicken thighs with lemon just somehow finish off this whole dish, make it super bright, and cut through that richness. I like to use lemon because I feel like it just gives more of a punch. Pat your thighs dry before searing them, because you want that Maillard reaction here; you want to go nice and brown and get all of that delicious flavoring, not steaming.
When you're using honey, make sure you don't add it over high heat, because that can burn it and give you a bitter result. So add it toward the end or over very low heat. This is super delicious with some rice and, honestly, so quick and easy to make.
9) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss potatoes and carrots with 1 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper; spread in a large roasting pan.
- Pat chicken dry, rub with remaining oil, salt, pepper, and thyme; nestle thighs skin-side up among vegetables.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, and Dijon; brush half over chicken and veggies.
- Roast 35–40 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and vegetables are tender, basting with remaining sauce halfway through.
- Broil 2–3 minutes if you want extra-crispy skin; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
This combination is always a winner and a half. Carrots and potatoes just cook so nicely with chicken, especially when it's cooking in that honey garlic glaze. When I make this dish, I actually parboil the carrots and potatoes, just because it goes much faster and I like to try and keep them all the same size.
A one-pan method is so easy, and it's also one of those meals where you just put it all in the oven and forget about it, and boom, it's done.
10) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken 4–5 minutes per side.
- Push chicken to the side, add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in honey, soy sauce, and vinegar; simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Add broccoli, cover and steam 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens and coats everything. Finish with sesame oil and red pepper flakes if using.
This is a great way to get my son eating broccoli. I think it's because it's fried together and it picks up that delicious umami soy garlic flavor, which he absolutely loves. If you prefer to cook your broccoli from raw, it needs about 5 minutes, and it does give that extra crunch, and I do sometimes do it that way, cutting it quite thinly and then frying it.
Or you could do it the other way: blanch it first, let it cook through, then stir it all together and fry it up. Sometimes I like to add it to egg noodles, and then it becomes a full-on stir-fry that we have instead of ordering in, which is obviously so much healthier.
11) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Pineapple (kid-approved)
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear thighs skin-side down until golden, 6–8 minutes, then flip and cook 4 minutes more. Remove to a plate.
- Add garlic and ginger to skillet, cook 30 seconds, then stir in soy sauce, honey, and vinegar.
- Return chicken and add pineapple chunks. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken, skim fat if needed, and stir cornstarch slurry into sauce to thicken. Return chicken to coat and garnish.
Some people love pineapple with savory food, while others cannot stand it. I unfortunately cannot stand it, but my husband and my son absolutely love it. If they can get pineapple on a pizza, or pineapple with chicken, they are happy as Larry. So ask this one out.
A few tips here: chicken thighs have a higher fat content than breasts, so they stay juicy even if slightly overcooked, super forgiving for home cooks. Breasts just go really dry, so skip those out on this one. Be careful, because the glaze can burn due to its high sugar content. This is always enjoyed with some fluffy basmati rice.
Thighs have enough fat to braise themselves over six to eight hours without drying out. Breasts are leaner and need watching, which is why most of my rotation leans on thighs for weeknights.
12) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Bacon and Maple
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Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season thighs with salt and pepper.
- Cook bacon in oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove and drain on paper towel, keep drippings in pan.
- Sear chicken, skin-side down, in bacon fat until golden, about 5–7 minutes; flip and brown 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat, add butter and garlic; stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk honey, maple, soy sauce, and vinegar; pour over chicken, sprinkle bacon back on top.
- Transfer skillet to oven and roast 18–22 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Baste once with pan juices, rest 5 minutes, garnish and serve.
I don't know anybody who doesn't love this combination of garlic, bacon, and maple, but I do find that this needs to be balanced with a splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon, because it's pretty sugar-laden. So just bear in mind when you're making this one.
I actually like to sear the chicken in that bacon fat, so I cook the bacon fat first, then add the chicken skin-side down, and this also just creates that Maillard reaction, and then I make my glaze from that. My husband loves to eat this dish with Parmesan mashed potatoes.
13) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Garlic Butter Mushrooms
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken skin-side down 6–8 minutes until golden; flip and cook 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add 1 tbsp butter and mushrooms; cook 4–5 minutes until browned.
- Stir in 2 cloves garlic, thyme, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar; simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Return chicken to pan, nestle into mushrooms, skin up. Dot with remaining butter and cover.
- Cook 12–15 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F, spooning sauce over chicken once.
- Finish with parsley and remaining minced garlic if desired; serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
I always have mushrooms in my fridge, and I'm always very happy to eat them with garlic and chicken. Mushrooms need a really high heat in a dry pan to brown. They release a ton of water, so if you end up doing it in a pan that isn't hot, with mushrooms in and too much butter, they actually steam, turn gray, and go gross.
This is delicious with butter, garlic, and fresh thyme from the garden. There's something about that combination that always just works. I actually just like to have this as it is, mushrooms and chicken, and I'm happy to go with that.
14) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs over Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Season thighs with salt and pepper. Brown in a large skillet with olive oil, skin side down, 5–7 minutes; flip and cook 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat, add garlic to skillet and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in honey, soy sauce, vinegar and butter.
- Return thighs to skillet, spoon sauce over, cover and simmer 18–22 minutes until cooked through. Remove thighs and keep warm.
- Whisk cornstarch slurry into sauce, simmer 1–2 minutes until thickened. Return thighs to coat.
- Boil potatoes until tender, drain, mash with milk and butter, season with salt. Plate mashed potatoes and spoon chicken and sauce over top. Garnish if desired.
Of course, this is one of my husband's favorites, as he loves mash, and he's pretty fussy about making it as well, so I always leave him to make the mash. Once the potatoes are soft, he pushes them through a ricer, then he adds tons of butter and cream. Never add the cream cold, because sometimes it can make it go gluey, and you really don't want that after all the effort.
I like to make this meal when I find boneless chicken thighs, and it all comes together in about 25 minutes. There's something about that sticky-sweet sauce that goes so well with a beautiful, creamy mashed potato.
15) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Quinoa and Spinach
Ingredients
Method
- Season thighs with salt, pepper, and thyme. Sear skin-side down in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden, 6–8 minutes; flip and brown 3 minutes.
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar. Pour over chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil, add quinoa, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until fluffy. Stir in spinach off heat so it wilts.
- Remove chicken, spoon sauce over, and serve thighs atop quinoa. Garnish if desired.
When my boys are having honey garlic chicken thighs with mashed potato and heavy stuff, this is what I haven't said: honey garlic thighs but with quinoa and spinach. Quinoa on its own is actually a complete protein.
It has nine essential amino acids, which is a super interesting fact. Make sure you rinse it before cooking to remove that bitter saponin coating, and don't overcrowd the pan again, guys, because your chicken ends up steaming instead of going nice and brown.
“The dinner that makes itself while I make everything else work.”
16) Honey Garlic Sticky Chicken Thighs with Sriracha Kick
Ingredients
Method
- Pat thighs dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear thighs skin-side down 6–8 minutes until golden; flip and cook 4 minutes more. Remove and drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp.
- Lower heat to medium; add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in honey, soy, sriracha, and vinegar.
- Return thighs to pan skin-side up. Spoon sauce over thighs and simmer 8–12 minutes until internal temp hits 165°F and sauce is sticky.
- If sauce needs thickening, remove thighs, stir in cornstarch slurry, simmer until glossy, then return thighs to coat. Garnish and serve.
I'm quite ridiculous when it comes to sriracha; I have it on everything, so it makes complete sense to have it on my honey-garlic sticky chicken thighs. We'll make this one when my son is having something else to eat, since it adds delicious heat. That can be substituted with anything, like gochujang, which is deeper and earthier, or even a sambal if you've got that variation.
Be careful not to add too much honey here, as it burns easily; get the ratio right. Chicken thighs are much preferred over breasts because they have a higher fat content and they stay really nice and moist under that high heat. This is delicious served with sticky rice.
17) Honey Garlic Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (simple pantry friendly)
Ingredients
Method
- Season thighs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden; remove and set aside.
- Add garlic and ginger to skillet; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and brown sugar; simmer 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet, cover, and cook 10–12 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken, whisk cornstarch slurry into sauce; simmer until thickened.
- Toss chicken in sauce, sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions, then serve over rice.
This recipe comes together super quickly with all of those pantry staples you've got: soy, honey, garlic, and teriyaki. It saves that extra trip to the grocery store when you change what you're craving. I like to add fresh ginger because it just lifts the whole meal into a different dimension.
What's awesome is that as the honey caramelizes and the garlic develops that sweet, sticky coating, it covers every piece of the chicken, giving it a sticky finish. Top it with some fresh spring onion, a ton of coriander, and sesame seeds.
18) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Green Beans Almondine
Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear thighs skin-side down 6–8 minutes until golden; flip and cook 4 minutes. Remove excess fat.
- Stir garlic into pan 30 seconds, then add honey, soy sauce, and vinegar. Reduce heat and spoon glaze over thighs; simmer 6–8 minutes until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, blanch or steam green beans 3–4 minutes until bright and tender-crisp.
- Melt butter in a separate pan, toss beans with butter and almonds, season with salt, and finish with a squeeze of lemon if using.
- Serve thighs with green beans almondine spooned with extra glaze from the skillet.
Honey-garlic thighs with green beans à la mande make a great pair. My green beans almondine comes from a French classic, which is basically just blanched green beans tossed in some brown butter that's been melted, with some toasted slivered almonds sprinkled over the top.
This works so well because you get the richness of the chicken in the honey-garlic sauce, and it just pairs so well with those nutty almondine beans.
19) Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken Thighs (just a splash)
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, balsamic, garlic, Dijon, and olive oil in a bowl; season lightly.
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, then coat with half the marinade; reserve the rest.
- Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; sear thighs skin-side down 5–6 minutes until golden.
- Flip, spoon reserved marinade over thighs, then transfer skillet to a 400°F (200°C) oven for 18–22 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Rest 5 minutes, spoon pan juices over chicken, and sprinkle parsley.
I really like using a really well-aged balsamic that I would cook with or make salad dressing with for this one. You only need a splash; otherwise, it can be way too overwhelming. I'd say one to two tablespoons per thigh is the typical sweet spot here. I also like to cook this with fresh rosemary and serve it with whatever seasonal veggies I've got in my garden or fridge.
Almost every recipe in this list freezes well. I double-batch on a slower Saturday, freeze half in flat zip-top bags, and pull them out on the kind of weeknight where dinner needs to happen yesterday.
20) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Hoisin and Scallions
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry, season lightly with pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
- Sear thighs skin-side down 6–7 minutes until golden; flip and cook 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in honey, hoisin, soy sauce, and vinegar; simmer 1–2 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, cover and simmer 10–12 minutes until cooked through (internal 165°F).
- Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds before serving.
Hoisin sauce and scallions are another great combination here, especially with honey garlic chicken thighs. The hoisin adds a different kind of sweet, savory, umami glaze, and it's really garlicky, soy-y, and spicy. Watch out for that sauce, because the honey caramelizes really quickly over high heat.
Cook this over reduced medium heat, then finish it in the oven for about 15 minutes. I like to make sure I cut those scallions super fine, sprinkle that dash over, and then serve this with some egg fried rice on the side. It feels like we've just had our favorite Chinese takeout.
21) Honey Garlic Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs (tenderized)
Ingredients
Method
- Pat thighs dry and gently score or tenderize with a fork for better marinade penetration.
- Whisk yogurt, honey, garlic, lemon, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth.
- Coat chicken thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate 2–12 hours; overnight gives best tenderness.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange thighs on a foil-lined sheet, brush with olive oil, sprinkle paprika.
- Roast 25–30 minutes until internal temp reads 165°F and skin is golden; broil 1–2 minutes if needed.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Garlic yogurt marinated chicken is always super tender, and it's that yogurt marinade that does the trick. It contains lactic acid and enzymes that are designed to gently break down the protein without turning the chicken meat mushy, like most acidic marinades do, for example, lemon or lime ones.
I like to marinate the chicken in this recipe for about four to six hours; I think that's the perfect time. Another thing to watch out for here is not to wipe all that marinade off before cooking; leave it on for a crust. I like to serve this with some delicious roasted potatoes in the oven and a touch of herbs.
22) Glazed Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Crispy Shallots
Ingredients
Method
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
- Sear thighs skin-side down 6–8 minutes until golden; flip and cook 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add 2 tbsp butter to pan, sauté garlic 30 seconds, then stir in honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and sriracha. Simmer 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon glaze over, reduce heat, cover, and cook 10–12 minutes until internal temp 165°F.
- While chicken cooks, toss shallots in flour and shallow-fry in remaining 2 tbsp butter until crisp and brown; drain on paper towel.
- Uncover, spoon glaze to thicken 1–2 minutes, top with crispy shallots and parsley before serving.
When I feel like being a bit fancy, I'll crisp some shallots. Thin-slice them and then fry them in a low-moisture oil at about 350°F. Don't overcrowd the pan, because it ends up steaming instead of crisping up.
You can get away with using regular onions, but shallots are milder, slightly sweeter, and just better looking and more delicate. Great with whatever green vegetable you've got, and that crispy shallot just goes so well with fluffy jasmine rice. This is always a showstopper.
23) Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Tacos with Pickled Red Onion
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, oil, rice vinegar, and pepper in a bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp for glaze.
- Toss thighs with remaining marinade and let sit 15–30 minutes if time allows.
- Make quick pickled onions: heat vinegar, sugar, salt until dissolved, pour over sliced onion, cool 10 minutes.
- Pan-sear thighs over medium-high heat 5–6 minutes per side until internal temp 165°F; brush with reserved glaze in last minute.
- Rest 5 minutes, slice thinly. Warm tortillas, fill with chicken, pickled onion, cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Don't be put off by pickled red onions. They're so easy to make. Literally just slice up some red onions and put them in a glass jar with some vinegar, sugar, and salt for about 30 minutes, and that's pretty much it, you've got pickled red onions.
Then there's this honey-garlic chicken thigh, and the pickled onions sit snugly and deliciously inside the taco, topped with tons of fixings. This is definitely one we make on the grill outside, and we normally have this on a Friday evening.
The Whole Point
I think a lot of us always overcomplicate dinner, but overthinking about it doesn't help. I normally find that some of my favorite meals actually come from using whatever I have in the fridge and pantry. I also like to make extra when I hit a stride, which is a whole factor in my house. There's nothing better than having a homemade meal waiting for you in the freezer.
I hope this whole collection gives you inspiration for cooking with a chicken thigh you pulled out of the freezer in the morning and haven't known what to do with. Happy cooking out there.
, Sara