I’m sharing a 20 minute recipe for sticky boneless chicken thighs in a garlic, soy and honey sauce that fits right into honey garlic recipes and uses just a few pantry staples.
I confess I made this Honey Garlic Chicken because I couldn’t stop thinking about how sticky, tender boneless skinless chicken thighs look when coated in a glossy glaze. It hits salty and sweet notes but stays unexpectedly simple, so you can pull something impressive out of nowhere.
I used fresh garlic and the thighs give the dish a rich juiciness that white meat rarely can, and somehow it comes together fast enough for a weeknight. If you like bold quick dinners this belongs in your rotation.
Perfect pick for Honey Garlic Recipes fans who want big flavor with almost no fuss.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: high in protein, stay juicy when cooked, adds savory richness and mouthfeel
- Garlic: pungent, gives sharp aromatic punch, has some antioxidants and immune boosting reputation
- Soy sauce: salty umami backbone, adds sodium and depth, choose low sodium to control salt
- Honey: natural sweetener, provides sticky glaze and caramel flavor, adds simple carbohydrates
- Rice vinegar: bright mild acid, cuts sweetness and balances flavor, small vinegar calories
- Cornstarch slurry: thickens sauce quickly, minimal flavor, mostly carbs so thick glossy coating
- Sesame oil: tiny amount, adds nutty aroma, mostly fat use sparingly for flavor punch
- Green onions: fresh crunch, mild bite, gives color and a little fiber vitamin K
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 6 pieces, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (80 ml)
- 1/4 cup honey (60 ml)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, cut into bite sized pieces and season with salt and black pepper.
2. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, set aside.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers, add the chicken in a single layer (dont crowd the pan or it will steam) and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, then remove chicken to a plate.
4. Lower heat to medium, add the minced garlic to the pan and cook about 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, dont let it burn.
5. Pour in the soy sauce, honey and vinegar, add the sesame oil if using, stir and bring to a gentle simmer so the flavors marry.
6. Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and slowly pour into the simmering sauce while stirring, cook 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce becomes glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, if it gets too thick add a splash of water.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and toss in the sauce for another 1 to 2 minutes so every piece gets sticky and glazed.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds if you like.
9. Serve hot over rice or noodles, and enjoy while its nice and sticky.
Equipment Needed
1. Cutting board — for trimming and chopping the chicken and green onions
2. Chef’s knife, sharp enough to cut bite sized pieces (dont be lazy about this)
3. Paper towels to pat the chicken dry
4. Large skillet or heavy frying pan, about 10 to 12 inch, for cooking the chicken and sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula to move and toss the chicken
6. Small mixing bowl plus a whisk or fork for the cornstarch slurry
7. Measuring spoons and measuring cups for soy sauce, honey, vinegar and cornstarch
8. Plate or bowl to rest the cooked chicken before you finish the sauce
FAQ
Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs: boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut to bite size and watch cooking time so they don’t get dry; firm tofu, press well then pan fry till golden so it soaks the sauce; pork tenderloin, cubed and seared, cooks quickly and stays tender.
- Soy sauce (low sodium): tamari for a gluten free swap and nearly same flavor; coconut aminos if you want lower sodium and a slightly sweeter, milder taste; Bragg liquid aminos works too but taste is a bit different so adjust salt.
- Honey: pure maple syrup, use 1 to 1 and note it’s a tad thinner and earthier; agave nectar 1 to 1 for a milder sweet note; brown sugar dissolved in a little hot water, start with equal sweetness and taste.
- Cornstarch slurry: arrowroot powder 1 to 1 for a glossy finish and quick thickening; tapioca starch 1 to 1 also works well; all purpose flour, use about twice the amount and cook a bit longer to remove raw flour taste, mix into cold water first.
Pro Tips
1) Dry the chicken really well and cut the pieces the same size, dont skip this. A quick light dusting of cornstarch on the pieces before searing gives a nicer crust so the sauce sticks better.
2) Dont crowd the pan, cook in batches if you gotta. Let the oil get hot and leave the chicken alone for the first minute so it browns instead of steaming, then flip.
3) Garlic burns super fast, so lower the heat before you add it or toss it in later if you need to. Whisk the cornstarch slurry right before using and add it slowly while stirring, if the sauce tightens up too much add a splash of water to loosen.
4) Finish off the heat when you add sesame oil or fresh green onions so those flavors stay bright, and let the glazed chicken sit a minute before serving so the sauce clings instead of puddling.
Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
I’m sharing a 20 minute recipe for sticky boneless chicken thighs in a garlic, soy and honey sauce that fits right into honey garlic recipes and uses just a few pantry staples.
3
servings
440
kcal
Equipment: 1. Cutting board — for trimming and chopping the chicken and green onions
2. Chef’s knife, sharp enough to cut bite sized pieces (dont be lazy about this)
3. Paper towels to pat the chicken dry
4. Large skillet or heavy frying pan, about 10 to 12 inch, for cooking the chicken and sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula to move and toss the chicken
6. Small mixing bowl plus a whisk or fork for the cornstarch slurry
7. Measuring spoons and measuring cups for soy sauce, honey, vinegar and cornstarch
8. Plate or bowl to rest the cooked chicken before you finish the sauce
Ingredients
-
1 lb (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 6 pieces, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
-
Salt and black pepper, to taste
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil
-
3 large garlic cloves, minced
-
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (80 ml)
-
1/4 cup honey (60 ml)
-
1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
-
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
-
1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water
-
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
-
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, cut into bite sized pieces and season with salt and black pepper.
- In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers, add the chicken in a single layer (dont crowd the pan or it will steam) and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, then remove chicken to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium, add the minced garlic to the pan and cook about 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, dont let it burn.
- Pour in the soy sauce, honey and vinegar, add the sesame oil if using, stir and bring to a gentle simmer so the flavors marry.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and slowly pour into the simmering sauce while stirring, cook 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce becomes glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, if it gets too thick add a splash of water.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss in the sauce for another 1 to 2 minutes so every piece gets sticky and glazed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds if you like.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles, and enjoy while its nice and sticky.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 200g
- Total number of serves: 3
- Calories: 440kcal
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 3g
- Monounsaturated: 12g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
- Sodium: 700mg
- Potassium: 380mg
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 22g
- Protein: 35g
- Vitamin A: 100IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 1.2mg