Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken is the best marriage of sweet and savory. After making this dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to getting that perfect crispy skin. Keep reading for my best tips on how to make this better than takeout dish at home. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Try this with my Easy Sticky Rice and Pair it with my Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry.

What You'll Need for Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Optional: Green onions, chopped
• Optional: Sesame seeds

How to Make Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

1. Step 1: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
2. Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add chicken. Cook until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Stir until well combined. Return chicken to skillet, spooning the honey garlic glaze over the chicken. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the glaze has thickened.

Storing & Reheating Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the glaze and season the chicken up to a day in advance. Cook just before serving.

Freezing Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. The skin may not be as crispy.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For extra flavor, add a pinch of five-spice powder to the seasoning mix.
• Best substitution: Substitute honey with maple syrup for a slightly different flavor.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the glaze and season the chicken up to a day in advance. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the chicken is not cooking through, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the chicken is done.

Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

⏱

Prep

10 mins

🍳

Cook

20 mins

⏳

Total

30 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Optional Toppings

• Green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
2. Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add chicken. Cook until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Stir until well combined. Return chicken to skillet, spooning the honey garlic glaze over the chicken. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the glaze has thickened.

Notes

• Chef tip: For extra flavor, add a pinch of five-spice powder to the seasoning mix.
• Best substitution: Substitute honey with maple syrup for a slightly different flavor.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the glaze and season the chicken up to a day in advance. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the chicken is not cooking through, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the chicken is done.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. The skin may not be as crispy.
• Make ahead: Prepare the glaze and season the chicken up to a day in advance. Cook just before serving.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbs: 22g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Sat. Fat: 3g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Best Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!