Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — The best homemade version that’s way better than takeout. After making this dozens of times, I’ve perfected the crispy texture and the irresistible sweet and tangy honey garlic sauce. Keep reading for my tips on preventing soggy chicken. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Grilled Veggies and Tuesday Things..

What You'll Need for Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Optional: Green onions, chopped
• Optional: Sesame seeds
• Optional: Red pepper flakes

How to Make Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

1. Prepare the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add the chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Make the sauce: In the same skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well and bring to a simmer.
4. Coat the chicken: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, ensuring it's fully coated. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve: Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using). Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Storing & Reheating Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Freezing Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the skillet.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water to the sauce to keep it from drying out.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir it into the sauce before adding the chicken back in.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts, but keep in mind they may dry out more easily.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately. Store in the fridge and reheat in the skillet when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your sauce isn't thickening, try cooking it down more or adding a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water).

Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

30 mins

⏳

Total

45 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Seasonings

• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

Optional Toppings

• Green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add the chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Make the sauce: In the same skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well and bring to a simmer.
4. Coat the chicken: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, ensuring it's fully coated. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve: Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using). Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir it into the sauce before adding the chicken back in.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts, but keep in mind they may dry out more easily.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately. Store in the fridge and reheat in the skillet when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your sauce isn't thickening, try cooking it down more or adding a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water).

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the skillet.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water to the sauce to keep it from drying out.
• Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 420
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 35g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 30g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sat. Fat: 2g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken — Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!