Chicken Thighs with Honey are the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavors. Honey, soy sauce, and garlic come together to make a delicious sticky glaze. Add red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce for a hot honey chicken thigh recipe, and create a blend of sweet and spicy.
This dish is incredibly easy to make anytime of the year and can be ready in under 30 minutes. As this is an entirely stove top meal, you won’t overheat the kitchen on those warmer fall days. You will, however, fill your home with the aroma of pure joy. I love making this dish when I haven’t planned something elaborate for dinner.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Chicken Thighs with Honey Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Chicken Thighs with Honey
- More Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store Chicken Thighs with Honey
- What to Serve with Chicken Thighs with Honey
- Top Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Thighs with Honey
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Chicken Thighs with Honey Recipe
Why You Will Love This Chicken Thighs with Honey Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is so quick and easy, it makes the perfect staple to your meal in a pinch.
- Balanced Flavors: The sweetness of honey paired with the soy sauce makes the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
- Pairs Well: You are likely to already have something in your kitchen to serve with this dish.
Ingredients
Take note of each ingredient listed in the recipe as we provide helpful tips on how to maximize their potential for the most delicious outcome.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Honey: I always try to buy local honey, but whatever you have access to works great!
- Soy Sauce: Since I haven't added any extra salt to this recipe, we typically do not use a reduced salt version, but if you are watching your sodium choose what works best for you.
- Garlic Cloves: - Freshly chopped garlic is a staple in our house, but if you have "jar"lic, you can use that in a pinch.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Using these versus a bone-in thigh makes the recipe much quicker, if you choose to sub just ensure to check with a thermometer for proper doneness.
- Vegetable or Chicken Stock: I recommend low sodium to be able to control the salt more, but if you prefer dishes on the saltier side you can pick your preference.
For this chicken thigh recipe, you'll want to have on hand a large enamelled cast iron skillet, tongs, a small bowl and whisk.
Substitutions and Variations
Love this recipe but want to make it your own? Here are some helpful ideas for you to change these Baked Honey Chicken Thighs.
- Soy Sauce: Make sure that the bottle is clearly marked Certified Gluten Free or use Tamari to make this dish gluten free.
- Chicken Breast: We recommend pounding the breasts thin if using in replace of thighs.
- Maple Syrup: You can use this instead of honey for a different flavour, but note it will not get as thick unless you cook it down more.
- Vegetarian: Consider using firm tofu in place of the chicken.
- Spicy: Add chili pepper flakes or hot sauce while cooking to give it a little heat.
- Thicker Glaze: For a thick glaze, you may want to remove 1-1 ½ cups of stock during the simmering stage.
How to Make Chicken Thighs with Honey
With just a few simple steps, you will love how quick and easy it is to make these Chicken Thighs with Honey. Check below for more details.
In a small bowl mix together your sauce ingredients. In a large skillet or saucepan heat up stock on medium heat. Once the stock starts to bubble add in chicken thighs and cook for about 5 minutes per side.
Drizzle all but ¼ cup of the sauce and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until desired thickness. Serve with your favorite sides, and garnish with green onions or fresh parsley. Use the reserved sauce to glaze over or for dipping.
Hint: for a very thick glaze, remove 1-1 ½ cups of stock during the simmering stage.
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How to Store Chicken Thighs with Honey
We all have leftovers sometimes, so here are some ways to store and reheat this dish.
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and foil to prevent freezer burn and they can last up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Microwave with a little bit of water in a bowl or dish in 2 minute increments.
What to Serve with Chicken Thighs with Honey
- Rice: The leftover sauce can be drizzled over a simple rice to add extra flavor, or served along side a risotto.
- Mashed Potatoes: Who doesn't love a good chicken and potato combo?! Our Idahoan Mashed Potatoes makes the perfect pairing.
- Steamed Vegetables: The chicken has such a great flavor that a simple steamed veg works well with this dish.
- Mac and Cheese: We love how the honey flavor compliments our Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese recipe!
- Soup: The subtle sweetness of the honey goes well with so many soup varieties! We love pairing it with our Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup.
Top Tip
Once you have removed all the ingredients for the pan, consider deglazing the pan with some white wine. Allow the alcohol to cook out and then use a spatula to gather up all the flavor bits in the pan and drizzle over your side of choice. This ensures that you aren’t leaving any flavor behind and makes for much easier cleaning of the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Thighs with Honey
No. If you do not have boneless, skinless chicken thighs or if you just do not prefer them, this recipe still tastes just as delicious with chicken breasts (check out our substitutions above for our recommendation).
These tasty chicken thighs go great with most sides you would pair with chicken dishes. Some popular options are rice, mashed or baked potato, roasted vegetables like broccoli, glazed baby carrots, corn on the cob, or asparagus.
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Chicken Thighs with Honey Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet with Deep Sides
- Tongs
- Small Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce any type
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Chicken:
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs approx. 2 pounds
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock low sodium
Garnishes:
- chopped green onions
- freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together your sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large skillet or saucepan heat up stock on medium heat. Note: If working in batches divide stock accordingly.
- Once the stock starts to bubble, add chicken thighs and cook for about 5 minutes per side. If working in batches, cook all chicken before moving onto the next step.
- When all the chicken is cooked and returned to the pan, drizzle all but ¼ cup of the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness.
- Serve with your favorite sides, and garnish with green onions or fresh parsley. Use the reserved sauce to drizzle over chicken or for dipping.
Notes
- To have a very thick glaze, you may want to remove 1-1 ½ cups of stock during the simmering stage; for a thinner glaze/sauce you can pour it over rice when plated to give your rice more flavor.
- Once you have removed all the ingredients for the pan, consider deglazing the pan with some white wine. Allow the alcohol to cook out and then use a spatula to gather up all the flavor bits in the pan and drizzle over your side of choice. This ensures that you aren’t leaving any flavor behind and makes for much easier cleaning of the pan.
- Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs versus a bone-in thigh makes the recipe much quicker, but you can also substitute chicken breasts.
- Chicken thighs can become dry if cooked too long. Be sure to monitor the internal temperature until it reaches doneness at 165F to result in tender and juicy chicken.
Nutrition
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Sophie says
Tried it out turned out amazing. Will be making again!
Eva Filer says
We are so glad you liked this recipe, Sophie!
Abi says
Amazing Recipe!
Eva Filer says
Thanks so much for the kind words Abi! Glad you liked it.