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Honey Garlic Chicken

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Chicken thighs that are sticky and tender, with a garlic, soy, and honey sauce. You can make this honey garlic chicken in just 20 minutes. For a quick Friday night fakeaway, serve with rice.

Honey, soy sauce, and garlic make a sticky, sweet sauce that goes well with golden, tender chicken pieces.

I love to make this for dinner and serve it over boiled rice, or as an easy side dish for a homemade Chinese banquet. Take a look at my list further down the page for ideas for your own Chinese banquet!

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs (without skin and bones)
2 tablespoons of cornflour (cornstarch)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tbsp of butter without salt
4 cloves of minced garlic
110 g (1/3 cup) of honey
80 ml (1/3 cup) of chicken stock
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp of chili flakes
boiled rice

Instructions

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the cornflour (cornstarch), salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken in the cornflour until fully coated.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a high heat.
Add the chicken thighs, and cook on one side until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes), then turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the butter to the pan, let it melt, then add the garlic and stir together. Make the sauce after turning the heat down to medium so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Mix the honey, stock, rice vinegar, and light soy sauce together in a bowl to make the sauce.
Add the sauce to the pan. Turn the heat up and bring the sauce to the boil, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens, and the chicken is cooked through (and no longer pink in the middle).
Sprinkle on the chopped parsley and chilli flakes and serve over boiled rice.

Tips and Notes

I don’t always use chicken thighs in recipes because they are harder to work with and usually need more trimming to get rid of the fat than chicken breasts.

But you can leave some of the fat on for this recipe because the chicken is fried over high heat, which will make the fat nice and crispy. The thigh meat is also more tender than the breast meat, and it won’t dry out when it gets a short burst of high heat.

Mmmm, look at the crispy chicken that’s golden brown…

Serve over rice that has been boiled.

Homemade Chinese Banquet Ideas

Special fried rice (full recipe for the masterclass)
Beef with spicy ginger
Sticky Chinese Pork Belly: so soft it melts in your mouth
Cauliflower wings baked in a tasty Asian sauce
Ribs in the oven with crispy onions
Pulled Crispy Duck—tastes real, but is very easy to make

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace the chicken thighs with chicken breast?

Yes, you can do this. Chicken thighs are a little more tender, and stand up well to cooking over a high heat without drying out, but you can replace with chicken breast if you prefer.

I would suggest slicing the chicken breast into thick strips, or flattening the chicken using a rolling pin to ensure it cooks through quickly and evenly in the pan.

Can I make this gluten free?

Yes, replace the soy sauce with tamari and use gluten free chicken stock. Ensure your brand of rice vinegar is gluten free too.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, although the chicken won’t be quite as tender (it’ll still taste great though). Cook, quickly cool and cover the chicken, then freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat in the oven at 180C/350°F on a baking tray. Cover the chicken with foil before placing in the oven to help prevent it drying out.

Cook for 12-15 minutes until piping hot throughout.

Can I make ahead or save leftovers and reheat?

Yes, although the chicken won’t be quite as tender when reheated (it’ll still taste great though). Cook, quickly cool and cover the chicken, then refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 180C/350°F on a baking tray. Cover the chicken with foil before placing in the oven to help prevent it drying out.