Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (Oven Baked!)

Tender honey garlic chicken thighs are so flavorful in this marinade and make amazing chicken. The savory, delicious sauce makes the dish! This is an easy weeknight dinner, you’ll want this honey garlic chicken thighs recipe on repeat!

 

Why We Love Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

• Delicious Savory Flavor– This sauce is so good, perfect for over rice for a dinner packed full of u
• Prep Ahead Dinner– This dinner is really easy to prep ahead, and becomes even more flavorful if you do! Then when it’s close to dinner time, the oven does most of the work. A perfect family favorite recipe to have in rotation, and a great way to stay ahead for busy weeknights.
• Easy To Make- Most of the work is in whisking the marinade together!

Ingredients For Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Ingredients For The Chicken

• 6 chicken thighs bone-in chicken

Ingredients For The Marinade

• ketchup
• soy sauce low sodium
• honey
• garlic minced or use 3/4 tablespoon garlic powder
• ginger grated or use 1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger
• apple cider vinegar – white vinegar can be substituted in a pinch
• olive oil
• lemon – juice only
• green onions thinly sliced, optional garnish

How To Make Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

1. Lightly oil a large casserole dish, a 9×13 inch pan or even a baking sheet. Remove any excess fat from the chicken, then place the chicken thighs in an even layer in the pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and juice from one lemon. With a fork or whisk, mix the sauce ingredients together until combined.
3. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid, then refrigerate the marinated chicken for at least 30 minutes. The chicken thighs can also be marinaded overnight.

4. Remove the pan from the fridge and let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 425°.
5. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check the chicken with a meat thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the chicken without touching a bone. When finished cooking the thermometer will read 165°.
6. Turn the broiler to 500°, let the chicken broil just till browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully as once the chicken starts browning under the broiler it can brown fast and quickly turn from golden brown and become too dark if left too long.
7. Remove the chicken from the oven. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with sliced green onions, or even add a few red pepper flakes at the table. Serve and enjoy!

Can I Use Dried Ginger Instead of Fresh?

You can swap out dried ginger (sometimes called ground ginger) for fresh ginger, switch out 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger for the two teaspoons of fresh ginger.

Dried ginger is more potent than fresh ginger though and can pack a flavor punch, so adjust the amount you add to the marinade accordingly.

Can I Use Garlic Powder Instead Of Minced Garlic?

Swap in garlic powder for minced garlic. Use a little less garlic powder, about 3/4 of a tablespoon of garlic powder instead of the tablespoon of minced.

To swap in fresh garlic for minced garlic– use three minced garlic cloves.

Garlic can be an easy place to adjust the seasonings to your own taste. While you don’t want to go overboard with garlic, you’ll still have a delicious recipe throwing in an extra clove of garlic or reducing by a 1/4 teaspoon of powdered garlic for example to your own liking.

Can I Use Boneless Chicken Thighs?

Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs in this recipe. Bone-in chicken thighs do tend to be more tender when cooked, while boneless chicken thighs tend to be leaner in general.

Boneless chicken thighs also take less time to cook Check your chicken thighs at about 18 minutes and expect they will take between 18-22 minutes to fully cook the bone-in thighs. Regardless of the time, use a meat thermometer to make sure boneless chicken thighs read 165 degrees to know they are fully cooked.

Can I Swap Boneless Chicken Breasts?

Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken legs can also be used with this chicken marinade recipe, but it will affect your cooking final cooking time. Boneless chicken breasts need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees when measured with a meat thermometer. Expect boneless chicken breast will take between 20-30 minutes to cook fully with this marinade.

Can I Use Chicken Legs Or Drumsticks?

Chicken legs or drumsticks tend to taste best when they are cooked to 185 degrees when measured with a meat thermometer and may need a few extra minutes of cooking time.

If you have full quarters you could use them in this recipe too, but you should also try this Slow Cooker Chicken Quarters version. Delicious!

How Long Will Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Last?

Honey garlic chicken thighs will last for up to three days. Store any leftovers in an airtight container covered in the refrigerator. When reheating, make sure to keep any leftover sauce in the pan to add to leftovers.

What Do I Serve Honey Garlic Chicken With?

Honey garlic chicken is best served over steamed rice. The sauce from the chicken soaks into the rice and is really delicious. You can also use cooked cauliflower rice or rice pilaf.

Serve this chicken with a vegetable side such as roasted broccoli, honey glazed carrots, a crispy baked potato, sauteed green beans, or a quick and easy green salad. Add cheesy garlic drop biscuits or some crispy potato pancakes on the side, yum!