With just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, this sticky and crispy honey garlic chicken is an easy weeknight dinner recipe for stress-free evenings! Use white meat chicken breasts, thighs, wings, or drumsticks -- or a combination of parts. The tender, juicy, and flavorful meat is delicious served with rice, sesame noodles, steamed broccoli, or ramen noodle salad, and can easily be adjusted to feed only 2 people.
Garlic Honey Chicken
Let's face it: most of us just don't have the time, energy, or desire to spend more than a few minutes pulling together dinner every night -- so that's where this honey garlic chicken comes into play! Since the meal only requires about 5 minutes of hands-on prep time, it's one of those great easy, go-to dinners for busy nights. Plus, the crispy baked chicken is basted in the most dreamy, sticky, sweet-and-savory sauce that gives the meat a gorgeous golden brown, crispy exterior. Mom, dad, and the kids will love it!
What is honey garlic sauce made of?
It doesn't get much easier than this simple sauce, which consists of just honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and a little bit of water.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for this crispy honey garlic chicken recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: I like bone-in, skin-on chicken parts because the skin and bones add flavor and keep the meat nice and moist in the oven. You can obviously pull the skin off after roasting if you prefer, but I highly recommend enjoying the crispy, golden brown exterior! Use whichever parts you like -- chicken wings, drumsticks, thighs, or breasts.
- Garlic: finely minced or pressed fresh garlic cloves or garlic powder are both fine.
- Honey: gives the chicken that sweet, sticky flavor and texture.
- Rice vinegar: an acidic component that brightens up the sauce. I typically use this seasoned rice vinegar, but any variety will work. Apple cider vinegar is also an adequate substitute when you're in a pinch.
- Less-sodium soy sauce: for salty, umami flavor. Tamari will also work!
- Water: to thin the sauce.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
Succulent, juicy, tender and crispy baked chicken thighs, breasts, wings, or drumsticks are such an underrated, affordable way to feed a family. Plus, it doesn't get much easier than this 5-ingredient dish! There's no need to sear the meat in a skillet, thicken the sauce with cornstarch, dice into bite size pieces, or stand at the stove making stir fries. Just pop the tray in the oven and your job is practically done...
- Place the chicken parts skin-side up on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk or stir together the honey, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water.
- Spoon or pour about half of the sauce over the chicken.
- Bake the chicken in a 350°F oven for about 50 - 60 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Baste the meat with the remaining sauce at least once during the cooking process.
What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken
Pair the crispy honey garlic chicken with a side of rice or cauliflower rice. You might also like to offer some steamed broccoli or carrots, oven-roasted sesame broccoli, ramen noodle salad, or a sesame ginger snap pea salad. Don't forget about spring rolls or egg rolls, too (pick up some prepared egg rolls in the frozen section at your grocery store). If you like noodles alongside your meat, try these sesame peanut noodles.
Storage
Store leftover baked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The skin will not be quite as crispy once the meat cools, so you might want to pull it off and use the leftovers without the skin. It's great on salad greens, tucked into wraps, or even used in a chicken salad.
Recipe Variations
- Make the chicken spicy by garnishing the pieces with crushed red pepper flakes, or by adding a dash of hot sauce (like sriracha) to the honey garlic sauce.
- Cooking just for two? You can easily cut the recipe in half. The grocery store often sells bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks in packages that range from 1 ½ - 2 lbs. That's the perfect amount of chicken to cook for two people, and then just cut the sauce ingredients in half as well. Cooking time and temperature will remain the same.
- Add a bit of sesame oil to the sauce for even richer, toasted Asian flavor.
Tips for the Best Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning and basting. Removing the extra moisture will help the skin get nice and crispy in the oven.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. A lot of fat, juices, and sauce will drip off of the chicken as it bakes. The foil-lined sheet catches those drips and makes cleanup easy.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and type of chicken that you use. Smaller wings, drumsticks, and thighs will cook faster than large bone-in chicken breasts, for example. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Bone-in honey garlic chicken thighs are our favorite. The dark thigh meat stays so tender and juicy in the oven!
More Baked Chicken Recipes To Try
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Roasted Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Herbs
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
- Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
- Roasted Chicken Breast with Molasses and Apples
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Crisp and Juicy Dutch Oven Chicken
- Oven BBQ Chicken
- Ranch Oven Fried Chicken
- Whole Roasted Chicken {with super crispy skin}
- Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
- Lemon Chicken
- Crispy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
5-Ingredient Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or a combination)
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: sesame seeds, sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- For easy clean-up, line a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place chicken, skin-side up, on prepared pan. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water.
- Spoon about half of the sauce over the chicken and spread liberally on each piece. Set aside remaining sauce.
- Bake, uncovered, for about 50 minutes - 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through and skin is crispy and golden brown. As the chicken cooks, baste it once or twice with the remaining sauce. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning and basting. Removing the extra moisture will help the skin get nice and crispy in the oven.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. A lot of fat, juices, and sauce will drip off of the chicken as it bakes, so the foil-lined sheet catches those drips and makes cleanup easy.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and type of chicken that you use. Smaller wings, drumsticks, and thighs will cook faster than large bone-in chicken breasts, for example. As a result, it's best to use an instant-read meat thermometer to know exactly when your chicken is done. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- We find that bone-in honey garlic chicken thighs are our favorite, since the dark thigh meat stays so tender and juicy in the oven.
- Make the chicken spicy by garnishing the pieces with crushed red pepper flakes, or by adding a dash of hot sauce (like sriracha) to the honey garlic sauce.
- Cooking just for two? You can easily cut the recipe in half. The grocery store often sells bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks in packages that range from 1 ½ - 2 lbs. That's the perfect amount of chicken to cook for two people, and then just cut the sauce ingredients in half as well. Cooking time and temperature will remain the same.
- Add a bit of sesame oil to the sauce for even richer, toasted Asian flavor.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in August, 2017. The photos were updated in June, 2022.
Melissa Griffiths
Oooh I love sweet, savory, sticky chicken legs! I wish I'd made this for dinner tonight!
Blair
Thanks, Melissa! I hope that you get to try it! 🙂
Darcas
What do you do with the remaining sauce?
Blair
Hi! At the end of the recipe you'll see that I use the remaining sauce to baste the chicken at the end of cooking. 🙂
Lizzy
This looks sooooo delish! Can't wait to try it!
Blair
Thanks, Lizzy! Enjoy! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine
Loving these finger licking delicious chicken drumsticks and thighs. Love the fact that it just has a handful of ingredients and low prep. Sharing, of course!
Blair
Thanks so much, Bobbi! I appreciate the share!
Vivian
If using boneless chicken breasts, what should the cooking time be?
Blair
Hi, Vivian! I would try them at 400 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts. 🙂
Nicole
Can you use other seasonings such as badia before applying the other toppings?
Blair
Hi, Nicole! Yes, you can season the meat with anything that you love before basting with the sauce!
Nicole
Thank you Blair ????
Blair
Of course! 🙂
Renee
Is soy sauce a must?
Blair
Hey, Renee! I think it's a must because I think it adds a great salty, savory flavor to the sauce. I've never tried leaving it out, so I can't say how that would taste. If you don't want to use soy sauce, you can sub with something like liquid aminos. Enjoy! 🙂
Offy
Can i substitute rice vinegar with rice wine?
Blair
Yes, I think that would work well!
Amy Shelton
I just made these. I did do 2 things differently. 1, we like a little zing so I used a fresh dragon cayenne pepper chopped up tiny. 2. I put the thighs in a zip lock bag and stuck them back in the fridge for 45 minutes. I brought them back to room temperature and the patted excess sauce off. At about 30 minutes and 50 minutes I gave them a little baste. My husband ate more chicken than I've ever seen him eat before.
Blair
Love that! So glad that your husband approved, too! 🙂
Emily
Wow these look incredibly delicious, I love the sticky garlic marinade!
Dorothea Carter
Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of rice vinegar
Blair
Hi, Dorothea! Yes, you can definitely substitute with balsamic vinegar -- the dish will just have a slightly different taste. 🙂
Dorothea Carter
Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of rice vinegar
Samantha
Making this as I type this. Smells amazing. Hopefully the kids eat it all.
Blair
Hi, Samantha! I hope that kids approved! 🙂
Patty Davenport
This sounds good. Can I leave out the rice vinegar?
Blair
Yes, you can! It will obviously have a slightly different taste without the vinegar, but it will work fine. You can thin with additional water, if necessary. Also, if you would like a substitute for the vinegar, you can use a different type such as apple cider vinegar.
Patty Davenport
Thanks so much. Trying thus tonight.
Blair
Awesome! Enjoy, Patty!
Debbie
Can I use just regular vinegar, the plain old white or whatever I have stashed away??
Blair
Hi, Debbie! Yes -- it's just a matter of taste preference. Rice vinegar has a really mild, slightly sweet flavor, so a good substitute would be champagne vinegar or even apple cider vinegar. The recipe will "work" with any vinegar, but something like plain distilled white vinegar that has a stronger, harsher flavor will change the taste of the sauce (which is totally fine if you don't mind that). Enjoy!
Letty
I’m actually gonna try to make this for dinner tonight...
Blair
Excellent! Enjoy, Letty!
Letty Alvarez
This dish came out so good!!! My husband and children loved it!!! I think Marinate the chicken in the sauce!!! I would make this dish again!!! Thank you
Blair
Awesome! Thanks, Letty! 🙂
Sarah G
I have now made this several times but left out the vinegar and put a small amount of lemon juice in the sauce. The whole family has said that it needs to be a staple in our house! Thank you so much!!!!
Blair
Thanks, Sarah! I'm so glad that your family enjoys it! 🙂
Betty
This sounds so great. My problem is leaving the skin on the chicken. I'm on two very restrictive diets and chicken skin is not on the list. What will happen if I remove the skin?
Blair
Hi, Betty! I think that would be fine. It won't have the same flavor and it won't be as crispy on the outside, but it will still be tasty! 🙂
Betty
Thank you very much for replying so quickly.
Caroline Foley
Trying tonight with my own kick ???? thanks! Can’t wait!
Blair
Excellent! Enjoy, Caroline!
Cecilia Ta
Ooh! Air fryer for your birthday present. ????You stated that you used the air fryer to roast the vegetables, have you use it to cook either chicken or beef or pork or fish yet? I am curious to see what the food tastes like cooking in an air fryer. Please let me know.
Pictures are beautiful.
Blair
Hi, Cecilia! Yes! We actually tried chicken wings in the air fryer over the weekend. Following the instructions in one of the recipe books that came with the air fryer, the chicken wings honestly turned out AMAZINGLY well. We were shocked, because we were pretty skeptical, but the wings were crispy and tasted like they had been deep fried. Keith is hooked, and we're baffled as to how this actually works! Hah! I'm not a huge fan of chicken wings, so I'm looking forward to trying fried chicken thighs or breasts in there. Will report back on those!
Mary Hitt
I made this for supper tonight. It was delicious. I will be making this a lot . Thank you for this recipe.
Mary
Blair
That's great -- thanks, Mary! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Akayla
simple and very tasty, thanks! I used leg quarters
Blair
Thanks, Akayla!
kelly
Making this for dinner tonight with you honey cornbread and peach cobbler ( not counting calories or points tonight 🙂 )
everything smells delish and can not wait till dinner time!
Blair
That's amazing, Kelly! I hope you enjoy the meal. It sounds delicious!
Ann Marie
Have not been able to find chicken breasts with skin on. Can it be used with just the meat? It sounds so good, I’d like to try it! We are breast people, but could try thighs if need the skin!
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Anne Marie! Yes, you can definitely use this sauce with the skinless chicken breasts. The exterior won't get crispy like the skin does, but it will still have nice flavor. If you're really going for that crispy skin, I'd opt for the chicken thighs. Your choice, though! 🙂