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Free Recipe

Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs bake until the skin turns deeply caramelized under a sticky honey garlic glaze. It is a five-ingredient sauce that turns into something that tastes like it took much longer.

10mPrep
40mCook
50mTotal
4 servingsServings
EasyDifficulty
★ 4.4Rating

Why You'll Love This

  • Sticky, caramelized glaze from just a handful of pantry staples
  • Mostly hands-off oven time
  • Great for meal prep since it reheats well
Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

460Calories
32.0gProtein
24.0gFat
28.0gCarbs
0.5gFiber
780mgSodium

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides with the salt and pepper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes to make the glaze.
  4. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up on the prepared baking sheet, then brush about half of the glaze evenly over the tops.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze.
  6. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is deeply caramelized and the internal temperature reads at least 165 degrees F at the thickest part near the bone.
  7. If the glaze is browning too quickly before the chicken is fully cooked, tent the pan loosely with foil for the remaining bake time.
  8. For extra caramelization, switch the oven to broil for the final 2 minutes, watching constantly so the honey does not burn.
  9. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes; the glaze will thicken slightly as it cools.
  10. Spoon any glaze left on the baking sheet back over the thighs before serving.
  11. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions just before serving.

Tips

Patting the chicken completely dry before seasoning is what lets the skin crisp instead of steaming under the glaze.
Brushing the glaze on in two stages keeps it from burning before the chicken finishes cooking through.

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