Honey Glazed Chicken
Crisp-skinned chicken thighs lacquered in a sticky honey glaze that hits sweet, salty, and tangy in every bite. The trick is searing the skin in a hot skillet first, then finishing in the oven and brushing on a reduced honey-soy glaze in layers so it caramelizes without burning. A final minute under the broiler turns the surface glossy and deeply bronzed.
Pat 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs very dry, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and sear skin-side down in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes until deeply golden. Meanwhile, simmer honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan for 4-5 minutes until it coats a spoon. Flip the thighs, brush with a thin layer of glaze, and roast at 205°C (400°F), basting once halfway, until the thickest part reads 79°C (175°F), about 30-35 minutes total. Broil 1-2 minutes for a lacquered finish, then rest 5 minutes and brush with the remaining glaze before serving.
- Dry the skin thoroughly and start it in a hot skillet — moisture is the enemy of crisp, and the rendered fat becomes flavor for the pan sauce.
- Reduce the glaze separately and apply it in thin layers late in cooking; honey brushed on too early scorches before the chicken cooks through.
- Pull thighs at 79°C (175°F), not 74°C (165°F) — the extra few degrees melt connective tissue so the meat is silky instead of chewy.
Equipment
- 12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless)
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups and spoons
Nguyên liệu
Chicken
- 1.6 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin
- 6 g kosher salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- 2 g smoked paprika, sweet paprika works too
- 15 ml neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
Honey glaze
- 115 g honey
- 45 ml soy sauce, use tamari for gluten-free
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- garlic cloves, minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 g red pepper flakes, optional
- scallions, thinly sliced, for serving
Cách làm
- BƯỚC01
Heat the oven to 205°C (400°F) with a rack in the middle. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — dry skin is what crisps. Season all over with the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, working some seasoning under the skin where you can.
- BƯỚC02
Combine the honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until slightly syrupy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes. It will thicken more as it cools. Set aside.
- BƯỚC03
Heat the oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the thighs skin-side down and cook undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan, about 7 minutes. If the fat pools heavily, spoon off all but a thin film.
- BƯỚC04
Flip the thighs skin-side up and brush each with a thin coat of glaze. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- BƯỚC05
Brush the thighs with another layer of glaze, spooning up any juices from the pan as you go. Return to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (avoiding bone) reads 79°C (175°F), 10-15 minutes more.
- BƯỚC06
Switch the oven to broil. Brush the thighs once more with glaze and broil until the surface is bubbling, glossy, and bronzed in spots, 1-2 minutes. Honey scorches fast under a broiler, so stay by the oven and pull the pan the moment it looks lacquered.
- BƯỚC07
Rest the chicken in the skillet for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the glaze sets. Brush or drizzle with any remaining glaze, spoon over the pan juices, and scatter with sliced scallions before serving.
Make ahead
The glaze can be simmered up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated; rewarm it gently to loosen before brushing. You can also season the chicken up to 24 hours in advance and leave it uncovered on a rack in the fridge — this dry-brine step seasons the meat deeply and dries the skin for even better crisping.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 175°C (350°F) oven with a splash of water for 12-15 minutes so the glaze loosens without drying the meat; a skillet over medium-low also works. Freeze cooked, cooled thighs with their glaze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating — the skin won't stay crisp, but the flavor holds up well.
Variations
Gluten-free honey garlic
Swap the soy sauce for an equal amount of tamari or coconut aminos (add a small pinch of salt if using coconut aminos, which are milder). The glaze reduces exactly the same way and the dish becomes fully gluten-free.
Hot honey glaze
Stir 1-2 tsp sriracha or 1/4 tsp cayenne into the glaze along with the red pepper flakes, or substitute store-bought hot honey for half the honey. The heat balances the sweetness and makes the pan juices especially good over rice.
Honey mustard version
Whisk 2 tbsp whole-grain or Dijon mustard into the finished glaze off the heat. The mustard's sharpness cuts the sugar and steers the dish toward a classic American honey-mustard flavor that's excellent with roasted potatoes.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Can I make honey glazed chicken with boneless breasts or thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs need about 6 minutes of searing and 12-15 minutes in the oven; breasts should be pulled at 74°C (165°F), usually 15-20 minutes after searing, so they stay juicy. Because there's no skin to protect the meat, brush the glaze on a little earlier and baste twice — the glaze does more of the flavor work.
Why did my glaze burn before the chicken was cooked?
Honey begins to scorch around 150°C (300°F) surface temperature, so a full coat applied at the start will blacken long before the meat is done. This recipe avoids that by reducing the glaze separately, brushing it on in thin layers during the second half of roasting, and saving the broiler blast for the final 1-2 minutes.
How do I know when honey glazed chicken is done?
Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. Thighs are safe at 74°C (165°F) but taste noticeably better at 79°C (175°F), when more collagen has melted. If you're cooking breasts instead, stop at 74°C (165°F).
Can I cook this on the grill instead of the oven?
Absolutely — honey glazed chicken takes well to a two-zone grill. Sear the thighs skin-side down over direct medium heat for 4-5 minutes, then move them to the indirect side, cover, and cook to temperature, brushing with glaze only in the last 8-10 minutes so the sugars caramelize instead of charring.
Can I substitute maple syrup or brown sugar for the honey?
Pure maple syrup swaps in 1:1 and gives a slightly deeper, less floral sweetness. For brown sugar, use 70 g (1/3 cup packed) dissolved with 2 tbsp water before simmering. Both reduce a bit faster than honey, so watch the glaze closely at the 3-4 minute mark.
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