Honey garlic chicken

Add the chicken thighs, cornflour and salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients together until the chicken thighs are fully coated.

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a high heat, and then add the chicken thighs. Cook until golden brown on one side for around 5 minutes, and then turn over to cook the other side.

Add the butter to the pan and then add the minced garlic. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook gently.

Meanwhile, combine the honey, chicken stock, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl. Once fully combined, add to the pan and turn the heat back up to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring the heat back down again to low to leave the sauce to simmer for around 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken and reduce. Ensure the chicken thighs are fully coated in the sauce.

Serve straight away. Garnish with the fresh chopped parsley over a bed of rice.

Tips & tricks

To make this honey chicken recipe easy, all you need to do is source quality ingredients and then make sure you take the time to let the sauce reduce and thicken for that desired sticky texture.

Chicken thighs are ideal for this recipe as the dark meat is moist and full of flavor that compliments the sweetness of the sauce. If you wanted to make honey garlic chicken wings, however, it’s a simple switch of the thighs for chicken wing meat. You’ll make the honey garlic wing sauce in exactly the same way, but you will need to slightly adapt the cooking time for the meat. Usually, chicken wings will be fully cooked after around 10 minutes in the frying pan.

When it comes to the garlic in the recipe, we’d say more is more. Not only is garlic a tasty component of the dish, when combined with honey, there are some who say it’s a brilliant digestive aid. If you’re interested in finding out more about the powerhouse that is garlic, including other ways to use it in the kitchen, read our guide to the health benefits of garlic.

How to serve it

In the recipe above, we’ve suggested serving with a dash of fresh parsley and a side of freshly cooked rice. This is our favorite way to enjoy honey garlic chicken, and ideal for a Friday night fakeaway with friends in front of a movie. For those who like a spicy kick, you can also sprinkle chili flakes over your chicken thighs before serving. Equally they’re delicious plated up next to an Asian-inspired salad or even cauliflower rice, for a low-carb alternative to plain rice.

Recipe variations

Honey garlic sauce is very versatile, and whilst we love it classically with chicken thighs, if you prefer a seafood option, honey garlic glazed salmon is an ideal alternative. The salmon filets take a little more prep time, but are quick and easy to fry in the pan, similar to the chicken recipe above. If this variation takes your fancy, check out our recipe for honey garlic glazed salmon.

Storage

Any leftover honey garlic chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days, as long as it’s refrigerated swiftly after cooling post-cooking. You can reheat the leftovers in the oven, covered with foil, but they won’t taste quite as tender as when you first dished them up.