Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Baked honey garlic chicken thighs with an oven-caramelized sticky honey-garlic glaze. Bone-in, skin-on thighs bake until golden, then get a final broil for extra sheen and flavor.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

marinating 30

Total Time 1 15

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 430

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs; increase marinade and baking time only if adding more than 6.

Honey garlic glaze

0.33 cup honey
6 garlic, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Adjust to taste; use less for mild heat.
0.25 tsp black pepper

Garnish

1 fresh thyme Fresh thyme sprigs add fragrance right before serving.
1 sesame seeds Sprinkle lightly for a toasty finish.

Equipment

1 sheet pan

Method

Make the honey garlic marinade

Whisk honey, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together until smooth and evenly combined.

Marinate

Place chicken thighs in a dish and marinate at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, turning once if possible.

Bake and glaze

Preheat oven to 425F and arrange chicken skin-side up in a baking dish; spoon the marinade over the top.
Bake 25 minutes, then baste with the pan juices to deepen the glaze on the skin.
Bake 10 more minutes until golden and caramelized, then broil 2 minutes for an extra-gloss glaze.

Finish and serve

Garnish with fresh thyme and sesame seeds right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the thighs skin-side up throughout baking so the glaze caramelizes and the skin stays crisp. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the skin can soften after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce in the marinade (use it 1:1).