Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

These honey garlic chicken thighs are a family favorite for a reason! Tender chicken is pan-seared until golden, then finished in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Ready in just 25 minutes, this easy dinner deserves a spot in your weeknight rotation.

This honey garlic chicken recipe turns simple chicken thighs into an irresistible dinner; one that gets you excited for dinner. The honey garlic sauce adds a bit of sweet and savory flavor with a slightly crisp exterior without the need for frying!

Best of all, you only need simple ingredients and comes together in the same pan, making this an easy weeknight go-to recipe. Serve the chicken over rice with a side of broccoli, and spoon on plenty of honey garlic sauce so every bite gets in on the flavor. No marinade, no long ingredient list, just an easy weeknight dinner that goes from prep to table in 25 minutes.

Tell Me About This Honey Garlic Chicken

• Crispy without frying. The cornstarch coating gets wonderfully crispy when seared.
• Quick and easy. The recipe start to finish takes 25 minutes.
• Minimal ingredients. There's only 8 ingredients, including salt and pepper, nothing complicated.
• So many ways to serve it. Pair it with vegetables and rice for dinner, or slice it over a salad.

Ingredients You Need

• Chicken: You could make this dish with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but I use chicken thighs because they not only cook faster, the fattier meat adds more flavor. The same reason why I use them in this skillet apple cider chicken recipe. If you opt to use chicken breasts, I recommend pounding them to an even thickness before cooking, to ensure they cook evenly.
• Cornstarch: The cornstarch has 2 jobs—helps crisp up the chicken and thickens the sauce. You won't be adding it to the sauce, rather you'll coat the chicken in it before you add it the skillet.
• Garlic: You'll need to mince 5 fresh garlic cloves. Yes, I said 5! This is honey garlic sauce.
• Honey: For sweetness.
• Sesame Oil: Used to pan-sear the chicken. You could also use olive oil however, it'll have less flavor.
• Vinegar: Cuts the sweetness.
• Soy Sauce: You can use reduced-sodium or regular soy sauce here. You could also use tamari instead, for a gluten-free option, if needed.
• Salt & Pepper: For flavor. Reduce the salt if using regular soy sauce.

Overview: How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Start with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper and coated on both sides with cornstarch. My favorite shortcut is to add the chicken, salt, and pepper to a large zip-top bag and give it a good shake. Then add the cornstarch and shake again until every piece is evenly coated.

Sear the chicken in a 12-inch skillet until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, then add the sauce ingredients to the skillet and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, flipping the chicken to coat both sides in the honey garlic sauce.

How to Get Honey Garlic to Stick to Chicken?

To get honey garlic sauce to stick to the chicken, you need to dredge the chicken in cornstarch to create a crust. After searing the chicken in the skillet, the bits will help thicken the sauce while it reduces to make a thicker sauce.