Oven-Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Why this recipe works
- Balanced sticky glaze: Honey gives shine and sweetness, while soy sauce, garlic and rice vinegar keep the glaze savoury, aromatic and lightly tangy.
- Crisp skin, glossy sauce: Keeping the chicken skin-side up and pouring the glaze around the thighs helps the skin brown while the pan juices thicken underneath.
- Sauce made in the tray: The glaze reduces as the chicken bakes, creating a spoonable sauce without a separate reduction step.
Get the most out of this recipe
Texture tips
- Keep the skin exposed: Pour the glaze around the chicken rather than over the skin at the start, so the top can brown instead of steaming.
- Reduce the glaze briefly: If the sauce is still loose once the chicken is cooked, spoon it over the thighs and return the tray to the oven for a few minutes until sticky.
- Use the right cut: Bone-in, skin-on thighs are well suited to high-heat baking because they stay moist while the skin develops colour.
Timing notes
- Use the oven time well: Most of the hands-on work is finished before baking, so the rice and broccoli can be prepared while the chicken cooks.
- Serve while hot: The glaze is at its best when glossy and spoonable, and the chicken skin will soften as it sits.
Ingredient notes
- Why the vinegar matters: Rice vinegar cuts through the honey and soy sauce, preventing the glaze from tasting too sweet or heavy.
- Season with the soy in mind: Soy sauce brings salt as well as umami, so the chicken only needs moderate seasoning before baking.
Make-ahead tips
- Reheat gently: Warm leftovers in a 180°C (355°F) oven until piping hot, adding a little water if the glaze has tightened too much.
- Freezer-friendly: Cooked chicken and sauce can be frozen, then defrosted overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Good for packed meals: Store the chicken with some sauce so it stays moist, then pair with rice and broccoli when reheating.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Chicken and glaze
To serve
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Rub the sesame oil over the chicken thighs and season all over with the black pepper and half the fine sea salt. Arrange the thighs skin-side up on a baking tray.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Finely grate or crush the garlic into the mixture and stir well. Pour the glaze around the chicken, avoiding the skin as much as you can so it stays crisp.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, basting once or twice with the pan juices, until the chicken is deeply golden and cooked through. The sauce should be bubbling and slightly thickened, coating the chicken when spooned over. If needed, bake for 5 minutes more until the glaze looks sticky.
- While the chicken bakes, rinse the long-grain white rice until the water runs mostly clear. Put it in a saucepan with the water and remaining fine sea salt, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and steam for 4 to 6 minutes until bright green and just tender. Serve the chicken with the rice and broccoli, spooning the sticky pan juices over everything.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best colour and texture, keep the chicken skin facing up and try not to pour the glaze directly over it at the start.
- If the sauce looks thin when the chicken is cooked, spoon it over the thighs and return the tray to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes to help it reduce.
- If serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, make sure the chicken is cooked until piping hot throughout with no pink at the bone.
Substitutions
- Replace Rice vinegar with White wine vinegar for a slightly sharper tang.
- Replace Sesame oil with Olive oil for a more neutral flavour.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool completely, then refrigerate the chicken and sauce in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C (355°F) oven for 15 to 20 minutes until piping hot, adding a spoonful of water if the glaze has tightened; freeze for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 50min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Soybeans
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