This sweet and savory honey soy chicken is a healthy, easy dump-and-bake dinner that the entire family will love! Serve it in lettuce wraps, over rice, on a salad, or in tortillas.
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If you love dump-and-bake recipes, be sure to try our kung pao chicken recipe, salsa chicken, chicken parmesan casserole, and this chicken vegetable casserole, too!
We all need plenty of quick and easy chicken recipes for dinner since they tend to be the healthiest, most affordable options that everyone at the table can enjoy. This baked honey soy sauce chicken takes advantage of chicken breasts or thighs, so pick your favorite, toss them with a simple marinade, and pop them in the oven (or Crock Pot). It’s made with pantry staples, it’s perfect for meal prep, and it’s packed with flavor. Best of all, dinner will be ready with just 10 minutes of prep!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- I prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe; however, boneless, skinless chicken thighs also work well.
- For a shortcut, use pre-cut frozen onions (no need to thaw them ahead of time)! However, if you’re using frozen chicken, I do recommend completely thawing the chicken before baking to ensure even cooking throughout.
- Hoisin sauce is sweet and thick — like an Asian barbecue sauce. It combines with honey to create the sweet component in this sauce, which balances the salty, savory, umami flavors in the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.
- If you want your honey soy sauce to be a bit sweeter, add a tablespoon of brown sugar. If you’d like the sauce to have a little bit of a kick, add ¼ – ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- For more flavor, season the chicken with black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder before adding the sauce. To control the salt in the dish, use low-sodium soy sauce.
How to Make Honey Soy Chicken
This delicious recipe calls for only 10 minutes of prep and hands-off cooking. I can’t think of anything better on a busy weeknight – can you?! Here’s how to make one of my family’s favorite chicken recipes:
- Place the chopped onions and the chicken in a baking dish.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl or measuring cup.
- Pour the honey soy sauce over the chicken and onions.
- Bake, covered, at 375°F for 45-55 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast is the best way to determine doneness for safety. The total cooking time will vary depending on the thickness (and cut) of your chicken.
- Shred the tender chicken with two forks, stir it back into the sauce, and serve. Garnish with sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, toasted sesame seeds, or chopped peanuts.
Serving Suggestions
Honey soy chicken with garlic and ginger is delicious on white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice; wrapped in tortillas or lettuce leaves; over a salad, such as this Chinese chicken salad with cashews; or with noodles (like these cold peanut sesame noodles). On the side, try this Chinese ramen noodle coleslaw, egg rolls, a steamed vegetable stir-fry medley, or this easy garlic roasted broccoli recipe.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead! To get a head start on dinner, assemble the dish and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to cook, let the dish sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes before it goes in the oven.
- How to Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Warm the chicken and sauce in a skillet or saucepan over low heat. Alternatively, you can microwave individual servings for about 1-2 minutes, or just until heated through.
- Make It a Freezer Meal! Combine the raw chicken, onion, and sauce in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken and sauce in the refrigerator overnight, then bake according to the recipe instructions.
Did you make this recipe?
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Dump-and-Bake Honey Soy Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or sub with boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup less sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (about 6 large cloves)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons of minced fresh ginger root)
- Optional garnish: crushed red pepper flakes; sliced green onion; chopped peanuts
- For serving: rice, noodles, tortillas, salad, or lettuce wraps
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the onions in the bottom of the prepared dish and top with the chicken.
- In a separate bowl or in a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger.½ cup less sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. While the chicken is still in the dish (or on a separate cutting board), use two forks to shred the meat. Stir the chicken back into the sauce.
- Serve the shredded chicken and sauce over rice, noodles, in tortillas or lettuce wraps, or on salad. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, chopped peanuts, and sliced green onion, if desired.Optional garnish: crushed red pepper flakes; sliced green onion; chopped peanuts, For serving: rice, noodles, tortillas, salad, or lettuce wraps
Notes
Nutrition
Honey Soy Chicken Recipe Variations
- If you prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces like drumsticks and wings, try this 5-ingredient baked sticky honey garlic chicken.
- Slow Cooker Option: Instead of baking the chicken in the oven, let it simmer in the Crock Pot. To do so, place the chicken and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the honey soy sauce over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir to combine with the sauce. TIP: chicken thighs stay more moist and tender in the slow cooker than chicken breasts. Feel free to use 2 lbs. of chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts called for in the recipe.
- Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and use a smaller dish. The baking instructions remain the same.
More Dump-and-Bake Chicken Recipes
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Cranberry Chicken
55 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Healthy General Tso Chicken
40 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in July, 2019. It was updated in February, 2025.
This looks so wholesome and delicious.
Yum this sounds so good!! Will definitely be giving it a try soon. 🙂 Thanks for all your recipes.
Awesome! Thanks, Tess! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
I halved the recipe for two and it was great. Still alot left. Putting in tortillas next!
I’m so glad to hear that, Cathy. Thank you!
What could I use to add a bit more liquid.It’s in the crock pot now.
Hi, Judy! You can add some chicken broth or water, but be careful not to water it down too much. You might want to wait until the end, since the chicken releases a good amount of liquid as it cooks. You can also add a little bit more soy sauce, but just taste as you go so that it’s not too salty.