30-Minute Honey-Garlic Chicken

updated Feb 4, 2020
Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman

This juicy seared chicken coated in a sweet and sour honey-garlic glaze is an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

Serves2 to 4

Prep5 minutes

Cook23 minutes to 42 minutes

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Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman

Here’s a weeknight dinner that will please everyone in the family. Skillet-seared chicken breasts or thighs are cooked until the skin crisps and caramelizes, then finished in the oven with a sticky sweet-and-sour sauce. As it cooks, you’ll spoon the sauce over the chicken to glaze the meat, yielding the glossiest chicken imaginable. Serve with veggies, or a bowl of rice.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

Bone-in Chicken Is the Best Bang for Your Buck

It’s no secret that boneless, skinless breasts are among the most expensive chicken cuts available. And the lean, quick-cooking portion of poultry is also usually lackluster in flavor. Bone-in, skin-on breasts still have a mild chicken flavor, but are easier to cook and remain moist, thanks to the intact bone and skin. Plus, because less legwork is required from your butcher, they’re less expensive.

If white meat chicken isn’t for you, pick up a pack of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. More commonly available than the thigh meat alone, bone-in, skin-on thighs are also cheaper and easier to cook. Smaller thigh pieces will cook more quickly, so monitor their progress with a thermometer.

The Sauce That Keeps You Coming Back for More

Honey-garlic sauce is more than just a candy-sweet chicken coating. Tangy apple cider vinegar and salty soy sauce balance the honey’s heavy floral sweetness. Get that garlicky punch with a heaping scoop of minced garlic or substitute garlic powder for a smooth sauce. Spoon the sauce over the browned chicken as it roasts, and it will thicken to a rich caramel coating.

Honey Garlic Chicken

This juicy seared chicken coated in a sweet and sour honey-garlic glaze is an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 23 minutes to 42 minutes

Serves 2 to 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves

    garlic

  • 1/4 cup

    honey

  • 2 tablespoons

    apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon

    low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

  • 2 pounds

    bone-sin, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs (about 2 breasts or 4 thighs)

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • Sliced scallions, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

  2. Finely chop 4 cloves garlic and place in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari or soy sauce, and whisk to combine.

  3. Season 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

  4. Heat a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, skin-side down (work in batches if needed to not overcrowd the pan) and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is golden-brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

  5. Flip the chicken so that it is skin-side up (return all the chicken to the pan if seared in batches). Pour the honey-garlic sauce over the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the sauce from the pan back over the chicken. Continue roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, 15 to 17 minutes more for breasts and 5 to 7 minutes more for thighs. Serve drizzled with the pan sauce and garnish with sliced scallions, if using.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The honey-garlic sauce can be made up to 4 days in advance. The chicken can be seasoned up to 2 days in advance.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.