Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken (Printer Friendly)

Tender chicken thighs in honey garlic sauce with caramelized pineapple and bell peppers for a vibrant meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch

→ Sauce

05 - 1/3 cup honey
06 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
07 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional

→ Vegetables and Fruit

11 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
13 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
14 - 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
15 - 3 green onions, sliced
16 - Sesame seeds for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with cornstarch, shaking off excess.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sriracha if using. Set aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add bell pepper pieces and pineapple chunks. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly caramelized.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet. Pour sauce over all ingredients. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, turning chicken once, until cooked through and sauce is thickened.
06 - Uncover and cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes if needed to reduce sauce to a sticky glaze consistency.
07 - Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or quinoa.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • One skillet means less cleanup and more time enjoying what you've made instead of scrubbing pans.
  • The sticky glaze caramelizes beautifully while chicken thighs stay juicy, which feels almost like magic when you're learning to cook.
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality food but comes together in under 45 minutes, including prep time.
02 -
  • If your sauce is still watery after the chicken is cooked through, don't panic and don't add cornstarch slurry, just uncover and cook a few minutes longer because the glaze thickens as it reduces.
  • Chicken thighs need a little longer than breasts, so don't try to rush this by cranking the heat, or the outside will burn before the inside cooks.
03 -
  • Brown the chicken skin-side down first even though there's no skin, because that side of the thigh crisps up better and looks prettier when plated.
  • Let your sauce cool for just a minute before pouring it over hot chicken, because cold sauce hitting hot meat actually seizes up a little and coats more evenly.
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