Honey Garlic Chicken (SO CRISPY!) in 20 Minutes (VIDEO)

Ingredients

Everything you need to make this irresistible Honey Garlic Chicken is probably already in your pantry!

• chicken thighs, boneless, skin-on; see note below on using chicken breasts for this recipe.
  • I don’t recommending using skinless chicken for this recipe because the skin is essential to creating a crispy crust! However, if you do not care about the crispy crust, you can still make this with skinless chicken and enjoy the sweet and sticky honey garlic glaze!
  • If you want a vegetarian option, try my Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu!
• kosher salt 
• black pepper 
• garlic powder 
• cornstarch – you can also use potato starch
• avocado oil – I recommend avocado oil as my go-to neutral oil. You can also use canola or vegetable oil.
• garlic
  • Love garlic? Make my Garlic Noodles (or Garlic Noodles with Crab)!
• honey 
  • I love cooking with honey, like in my Honey Walnut Shrimp, Honey Sriracha Wings, and Honey Butter Fried Chicken!
• sambal chili paste – this is the perfect amount of heat for me (not overwhelming but complementary to the flavors). Adjust to your taste!
  • If you don’t have sambal chili paste, you can substitute with sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar 
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon water

Want a traditional breaded chicken instead? Make my super easy Fried Chicken!

Can I use Chicken Breasts Instead?

Yes, you can definitely use chicken breasts instead. However, keep in mind that chicken breasts are usually thicker than boneless chicken thighs – this means they will take longer to cook. Therefore, if you want to use chicken breasts, I recommend butterflying them or pounding them thinner with a meat tenderizer to a 1/2″ thickness before coating them in cornstarch. Try to pound them to even thickness so they cook evenly.

Recipe Instructions

1. Season the Chicken

Note: if you are using chicken breasts, first butterfly or pound your chicken.

Begin by seasoning the skin side of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Flip the chicken over and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Let the chicken rest while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Coat the Chicken

Season the cornstarch (or potato starch) in a small bowl. Dredge the seasoned chicken thighs in the dry batter until evenly coated on both sides. Shake off any excess cornstarch before cooking,

3. Sauté the Chicken

Take a medium or large pan and drizzle avocado oil over medium high heat. If you have an infrared thermometer, confirm the oil is 325F to 350F – you want to avoid anything higher as the cornstarch can burn. Place the chicken skin side down and sauté for about 3 minutes – you should see the chicken skin turn golden brown.

Flip the chicken over and cook for another 3 minutes. We are going for a deep brown curst, so continue cooking skin side down until the skin looks like the chicken in the photo.

Use a thermometer and remove chicken from the pan once the internal temperature reaches slightly below 165F. You want to pull it off before it hits 165F because the chicken will continue to cook as it rests and will eventually hit the desired temperature of 165F. Set chicken aside.

I recommend resting the chicken on a wire rack once cooked, especially if you are cooking the chicken in batches. This will allow for the fat to drain and keep the exterior crispy!

Wipe off any excess oil in the pan.

4. Make the Honey Garlic Sauce and Coat Chicken

Add the honey garlic sauce ingredients to the pan and mix to combine. Cook over medium high heat until the sauce is bubbling and thickened.

Coat the chicken in the sauce – if you want to preserve the crispy skin, you can also brush it on.

Optional: Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions Slice the chicken and serve – I like mine with freshly steamed rice.

Storage and Reheating

You can store any leftover Honey Garlic Chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The skin will no longer be crispy but the chicken coated in the sticky honey garlic glaze will still taste delicious!

You can reheat the Honey Garlic Chicken in the air fryer or oven. If using the air fryer, reheat at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and crispy. In the oven, place on a sheet tray and bake in a 375°F oven for 12-15 minutes until heated through and crispy.

What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken makes the perfect dinner – I would serve it with some kind of carb (a simple Egg Fried Rice or Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles and vegetables. Some of my favorite simple vegetable sides are: Garlic Bok Choy, Sesame Snap Peas , or Smashed Cucumber Salad. You can’t forget about my viral copycat Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad or Din Tai Fung Green Beans!

If you liked this easy one-pan Honey Garlic Chicken, you should also try my one-pan Chicken Teriyaki!

If you tried this Honey Garlic Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

5 from 27 votes

Honey Garlic Chicken (SUPER CRISPY!)

By: Chris Joe

Servings: 4

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

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An easy one-pan crispy honey garlic chicken with a delicious honey garlic glaze that the whole family will love!

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 pieces chicken thigh, boneless, skin-on
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 g
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, .5 g
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 g
• ▢ 1/2 cup cornstarch, 4 g or potato starch
• ▢ 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 45 ml

Easy Honey Garlic Glaze

• ▢ 10 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey, 30 ml
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon sambal chili paste, 7 ml or to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 26 g
• ▢ 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 45 ml
• ▢ 1 tablespoon water

Instructions 

• Season the skin side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Turn the chicken over and season the meat side with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• In a bowl, add the cornstarch along with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and mix well. Coat the chicken with a thin layer of cornstarch on both sides, dusting off any excess.
• In a pan, drizzle in the avocado oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add in the chicken, skin side facing down.
• Pan-fry the chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown, flipping as needed. Remove and set aside.
• Wipe out any excess oil in the pan. Add garlic, honey, chili paste, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Mix to combine and cook over medium high heat until bubbling and thickened.
• Add back the chicken and coat in the glaze, or brush it on. Serve with freshly steamed rice and enjoy!

Notes

Pro tips: Managing the heat is very important when cooking this chicken! Start with a medium high heat with the skin side down in a non stick pan, checking to make sure the skin is not burning. Adjust the heat if needed to allow the skin to achieve a nice golden brown color and the chicken is able to cook through (flip multiple times if needed).

 

Storage and Reheating

You can store any leftover Honey Garlic Chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The skin will no longer be crispy but the chicken coated in the sticky honey garlic glaze will still taste delicious!

You can reheat the Honey Garlic Chicken in the air fryer or oven. If using the air fryer, reheat at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and crispy. In the oven, place on a sheet tray and bake in a 375°F oven for 12-15 minutes until heated through and crispy.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1050mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!