Name: Braised Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on; 6 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed; 15 baby carrots, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup unsalted butter (57 g); 1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml); 1 tablespoon season salt; 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup chicken broth (235 ml); 1/2 cup soy sauce (120 ml); 1/2 cup honey (170 g); 1/2 cup ketchup (117 g); 1/2 cup diced onion

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Need a show-stopping dish for dinner? Look no further than this delightful braised honey garlic chicken thighs recipe. A simple affordable all in one meal, this has hints of sweetness, just enough sourness, and is simple for even a novice cook to prepare. You'll love the rich flavor, crispy skin, and tender chicken found in every bite!

Honey Garlic Chicken

Garlic, honey, and soy sauce combine together to create a delicious sauce that is perfect for chicken. In this recipe, you will love how it creates a sauce that adds flavor and moisture to the chicken and serves wonderfully next to some roasted potatoes and carrots.

If you like chicken thighs, you may also like these herbed sheet pan chicken thighs with mushrooms for a delicious and easy option that is sure to be a hit at dinnertime, plus all in one dish!

Can I Make Braised Chicken with Breasts or Just Thighs?

You can definitely make this recipe with bone-in skin-on chicken breasts if you prefer. In our house, only my husband likes chicken thighs, so we would typically make it with breasts unless I knew it was going to be a meal he would eat for multiple meals.

When using chicken breasts with bone-in, you will need to increase the cooking time. I recommend checking the internal temperature at the 30-minute mark, and then continuing to bake for additional 5-minute increments until it reaches 160°F to 165°F internally. The time would depend upon the size of the breasts. Typically 35 to 40 minutes would be plenty of time, but for larger pieces, a longer baking time is required.

Remember that you may let this dish it for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, so if it is over 160°F it will likely be fine to remove from the oven and cover to finish cooking from residual heat before serving.

Can I Use Boneless Chicken For This Recipe?

You can easily use boneless chicken if you prefer. You will reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes. Check to see that the internal temperature is at 160°F to 165°F internally before serving. If not, add an additional 5-minutes baking time until it reaches the appropriate safe temperature.

What is Braising?

Braising is a process of searing meat to seal in flavor and juices, then baking to finish the cooking time. This is often used for roasts but can be a great way to cook chicken pieces such as thighs for added moisture in the meat while still making sure it is cooked through.

What Pan Should I Use to Braise chicken?

When braising, I recommend using a pan you can move from the stovetop to the oven at high temperatures with no concerns. For this version, a cast iron skillet was used, but you can also use a Dutch oven. My preferred method would be the Dutch oven since the lid allows you to keep even more moisture in the mixture if you prefer.

What to Serve with Your Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

This recipe has a built-in side with the addition of potatoes and carrots. However, you may want to add something different or replace those with a different side dish. Some of my favorite options are below. Feel free to customize to suit your preferences and tastes or dietary needs.

Egg drop soup as a starter.
Jasmine rice, Indian-style rice, or creamy risotto.
Egg noodles, cauliflower gnocchi, or any pasta.
Green vegetables like green beans, broccoli, spinach, peas, or kale.

What Can I Replace Season Salt With?

Generic seasoned salt can have a number of different spices, but the most common brand is Lawry's. If you do not have that on hand and want to make a copycat version, you can use the following recipe.

2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cornstarch

In this recipe, however, you can also just add ¼ to ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and turmeric. If you choose this option, add ½ teaspoon salt and adjust if needed.

How Can I Make My Own Lemon Pepper Seasoning?

If you want to make a copycat lemon pepper seasoning, you will need dried lemon peel, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Since dried lemon is harder to find, I prefer to simply add a squeeze of lemon over the chicken to add the acid and flavor that will complement the sweet and sour honey sauce.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs
Yukon gold potatoes
Baby carrots
Garlic cloves
Onion
Butter
Olive oil
Season salt
Lemon pepper seasoning
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Chicken broth
Soy sauce
Honey
Ketchup

Handy Kitchen Tools

How Do You Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs?

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Season both sides of the chicken thighs generously with season salt, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper.

In a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet with deep sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Place the chicken thighs into the hot oil skin side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the skin is nicely browned.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.

Add the butter to the pan, and once melted, add in the potatoes and carrots.

Saute the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring regularly, until beginning to soften.

Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside with the chicken.

To the skillet, add garlic and onions. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.

Next, add the chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, and ketchup and bring the sauce to a boil.

Once boiling, add the potatoes, carrots, and chicken back to the pan then transfer to the oven.

Bake for 30-minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 160°F to 165°F.

Let stand for 5-minutes before serving.

How to Thicken Honey Garlic Sauce?

If the sauce does not thicken to your liking while baking, you can remove the potatoes and vegetables from the pot once baked, and add a slurry to thicken. For this, I would add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch together and whisk until smooth, then stir into the remaining sauce and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.

More Chicken Recipes

Chicken is a staple at our dinner table as it is for many. If you want some variety in your meal plan, then check out some of my favorite ways to use chicken thighs and chicken breasts to add flavor and protein to my menu.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 4