Baked honey garlic chicken thighs are easily made with boneless skinless chicken thighs baked with a delicious honey garlic sauce resulting in a perfectly glazed outer crust and a tender and juicy bite!
There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy piece of baked honey garlic chicken and getting that delicious sweet and yummy sauce all over our hands. So, you can bet the kids love this easy baked chicken as much as adults do!
Honey has so many uses in glazes, sauces, and dressings because not only does it strike a balance between sweet and savory, sweet and spicy, or sweet and sour, it also just plain tastes incredible! It’s why honey mustard chicken thighs and honey soy chicken thighs are two other family favorites around here.
For this recipe, we start by searing the chicken to get a nice outer crust, then we make the delicious silky smooth honey garlic sauce, combine the two, and pop it in the oven to bake. This simple recipe is even more convenient if you have an oven-safe skillet. It then becomes a one-pan meal!
It’s a great 35-minute recipe for a quick weeknight dinner when you’re wondering what to make that your family will love but it’s also an impressive crowd-pleaser when serving guests too!
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken thighs - You’ll need about 5-6 boneless chicken thighs. If you use bone-in, just make sure to account for the added cooking time.
- Butter - Some will be used to brown the chicken and some will be used to sauté the garlic for the sauce.
- Honey - Adds all the sweet and sticky this sauce needs!
- Dried herbs - Oregano, basil, and thyme works perfectly in my opinion, but you can use whatever combination of herbs that you prefer.
- Garlic - Loads of garlic in this sauce add a delicious pungent garlicky flavor that pairs well with not only the honey but the amazing herbs.
- Salt & pepper - To taste.
- Fresh parsley - Finishing it off with a sprinkling of fresh parsley takes it over the top!
How to Bake Chicken Thighs with a Honey Garlic Glaze
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse your chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. If you notice any areas of a lot of excess fat, trim them off.
Step 2: Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Since we’re taking the chicken from the stovetop to the oven, if you have an oven-safe skillet, use it! Melt butter over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Sear chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until evenly browned. Transfer to a plate to set aside, cover with foil.
Step 5: Add remaining butter to the same skillet and cook the garlic until fragrant. This is about a minute. Keep an eye on it as garlic tends to burn quickly. Then, remove it from the heat.
Step 6: Stir in honey and herbs and stir well to combine. Return the chicken to the skillet and coat the chicken on both sides.
Step 7: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Flip halfway through.
Ways to Serve Baked Honey Garlic Chicken
It pairs well with anything from rice, to pasta, to a simple side salad. My family loves it with loaded mashed potatoes and the best caesar salad!
While I do love the classic sides there are times when I like to switch it up, especially when I’m having company over.
Cheesy mashed potatoes with caramelized onion with a side of Green beans with bacon and shallots are a way to dress up your everyday mashed potatoes and green beans.
A cabbage salad on the side with a basket of soft dinner rolls would also be nice!
How Do I Know When chicken is Done?
The most accurate way is to use an instant-read thermometer. When inserted into the chicken it should read 165 degrees F.
If you don’t have one, poke the chicken at the thickest part of the meat. If the juices run clear, it’s done. If not, leave it in for a couple more minutes.
How Long Should I Bake the Chicken?
You’ll want to keep it in for at least 20 minutes. Check it, and if it needs a few extra minutes, keep it in for 25 minutes.
Can I Use Bone-in Chicken Thighs?
Certainly, you can. You’ll just want to make sure to increase the bake time to 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
To reheat, pop them back in the oven to bake at 300 degrees F until warmed through.
Check Out More DELICIOUS Dinner Recipes
- Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe
- New York Strip Steak Grill Recipe
- Cheesy Hot Beef Sandwich Recipe
- Easy Chili Recipe
- Beef Barley Soup Recipe
- Easy Baked Beef Chimichanga Recipe
- Cheese Steak Chimichangas Recipe
Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 5-6 boneless chicken thighs if you prefer bone-in chicken thighs use that make sure to adjust cooking time
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 5 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- parsley finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
- First, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Next, rinse and pat dry chicken thighs then season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, to taste.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, and sear until brown, sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken, cover and set plate to the side.
- After, melt remaining butter in the same skillet (1 tablespoon). Add 5 cloves of finely minced garlic and cook stirring until fragrant, this will take about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in honey, oregano, thyme, and basil until well combined. Return chicken to the skillet. Coat it in sauce on both sides.
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs Inside the Oven
- Bake seared chicken thighs in the preheated oven, until chicken is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear, about 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thru. The instant-read thermometer when inserted inside the chicken should read 165F degrees. Flip chicken on the other side once during baking time. Garnish with parsley. Serve with Loaded Mashed Potatoes and Best Caesar Salad. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This post was updated January 11, 2022, the recipe is still the same!
Made this and it was delicious! I put a little bit of red pepper flake for something extra. Will definitely make this again!
Thank you Shannon, love how you added red pepper flakes, sounds perfect!
I just tried this tonight. It was so good. Everyone in my family loved it. It was really easy to follow, I will definitely be making again. Thanks!
Thank you, Janessa! I am so happy you and your family loved it! 😀