Description
Mouthwatering honey garlic chicken promises a flavor explosion that balances sweet and tangy notes perfectly. Home cooks can easily prepare this simple dish with pantry staples, creating a memorable meal in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 4 chicken thighs (skin-on bone-in or boneless skinless)
Seasonings and Spices:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Liquids:
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup, brown sugar, or light corn syrup for honey allergies)
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or potato/tapioca starch)
Instructions
- Carefully remove bones from chicken thighs by positioning them skin-side up and making precise incisions around the bone using a sharp paring knife until completely detached.
- Use paper towels to thoroughly dry chicken pieces, ensuring optimal seasoning adherence and crispy texture.
- Generously coat both sides of chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, allowing seasonings to penetrate the meat.
- Whisk honey garlic sauce ingredients in a small bowl, creating a harmonious blend of flavors for coating the chicken.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium temperature (around 350°F), placing chicken skin-side down to achieve a golden-brown crisp for approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Flip chicken and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, gently pour prepared sauce around chicken, allowing it to caramelize and thicken for 30-45 seconds.
- Briefly flip chicken to absorb sauce, coating each piece with the glossy honey garlic glaze.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board, slice into manageable portions, and garnish with freshly chopped green onions for added freshness and visual appeal.
- Serve immediately while warm, enjoying the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Notes
- Crisp Skin Secret: Pat chicken thoroughly with paper towels before cooking to achieve maximum crispiness and golden-brown exterior.
- Bone Removal Hack: Use a sharp paring knife and work carefully around the bone, making small precise cuts to cleanly remove without tearing meat.
- Sauce Balancing Tip: Adjust honey and garlic proportions to create perfect sweet-savory balance based on personal taste preferences.
- Temperature Control: Use medium heat to prevent burning and ensure even cooking, allowing chicken skin to render fat and become deliciously crispy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 90mg