Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with a Sticky Broiled Glaze

My baked honey garlic chicken thighs are roasted in the oven until the skin turns golden. Then I dip them in a quick five-ingredient sauce and broil them until sticky on every side. Holding the sauce back until the end is what keeps the honey from burning and the glaze glossy and dark.

These honey garlic chicken thighs get their sauce in the last ten minutes, and that timing is my trick. Lightly seasoned bone-in, skin-on thighs roast on their own first so the skin can render and turn deep golden. In my testing, the honey, brown sugar, and molasses scorched long before that happened when I added the sauce at the start.

While the chicken roasts, I boil the sauce for two minutes so it thickens enough to cling. Each thigh gets dipped into the pan of sauce, then it goes under the broiler skin-side down to caramelize the bottom. Then I flip them skin-side up, brush them with the remaining sauce, and broil until deeply golden. That dip gives every surface a glossy, sticky coat instead of sauce pooling on the sheet pan. Grating the garlic and onion on a microplane lets them melt right into the glaze.

When I’d rather not watch the broiler, I make my slow cooker honey garlic chicken instead. Skinless thighs braise for hours in a soy and tomato paste sauce, so you trade the sticky glaze for chicken tender enough to shred.

What to serve with honey garlic chicken

The glaze is sweet and sticky, so I balance it with plenty of vegetables. My quick garlic roasted carrots are the easiest match because they roast at the same 425°F. Slide them in about 10 minutes after the chicken so both finish together, and take the carrots out before you switch the oven to broil.

A big green salad with a sharp, lemony dressing cuts through the honey. Add mashed potatoes or steamed rice to make it a fuller dinner.

Tap stars to rate!

5 stars (39 ratings)

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with a Sticky Broiled Glaze

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Rest Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Rate Recipe Print

• Pin

Remove Ads

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs baked until golden, then dipped in a boiled honey garlic sauce with a touch of molasses and broiled on both sides for a sticky, lacquered finish. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and a big green salad.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (see notes)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper

Honey Garlic Sauce

• ▢ 3 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon molasses (see notes)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic (grated with the small holes on your grater)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon grated onion (grated with the small holes on your grater)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place one oven rack in the middle and another rack in the top third. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the baking sheet, skin-side up, and bake for 35 minutes.
  3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
• While the chicken is cooking, bring the honey garlic sauce ingredients to a boil for 2 minutes in a small frying pan to thicken the sauce.
  3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon molasses, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon grated onion
• Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain any oil from the pan. Using tongs, dip each piece in the sauce and then put the chicken back on the sheet pan, skin side down. Broil (on the top oven rack) for 5 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over and baste the skin with the remaining sauce, then broil for 5 minutes more, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't burn

Equipment Used

Sheet Pan

microplane

Measuring Spoons

Instant Read Thermometer

Notes

Broil temperature: If your oven broils above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, watch the chicken VERY closely so the sugars in the sauce don’t burn.

Chicken: I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. If you’d rather not eat the skin, season the meat underneath and leave it on for cooking (it will protect the meat). Peel it off before adding the sauce. If you only have boneless thighs on hand, bake them for 15 minutes before dipping them into the honey garlic sauce. 

Onion and garlic: Grating instead of mincing means the flavor infuses the sauce better. You can use a Microplane or the small holes on your box grater.

Molasses: I love the dark color and slightly malty flavor this ingredient adds to the sauce. If you don’t have any on hand, you can leave it out. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2 chicken thighs with ¼ of the sauce, Calories: 563kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 19g (6%), Protein: 37g (74%), Fat: 38g (58%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 221mg (74%), Sodium: 763mg (33%), Potassium: 510mg (15%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 16g (18%), Vitamin A: 177IU (4%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 29mg (3%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

Easy chicken dinner recipes

35 minutes mins

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Baked BBQ Chicken with Sweet and Sticky Glaze

32 minutes mins

Oven Baked Chicken Breasts with Brown Butter Pan Sauce

30 minutes mins

Creamy Chive Chicken

All dinner ideas