Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Sliced honey garlic chicken thighs served over a bowl of white rice with fresh cucumber slices on the side, showcasing the glossy, sticky glaze.
I swear this Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken is literally the one thing I want after a long day. It's crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and has a super addicting sticky sweet glaze.
Watch me make Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken
Servings: 2 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients 

Chicken & Coating

  • 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, see note 1
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt

Sauce

  • 6 –8 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water

Optional Garnishes

  • Cucumbers

Instructions 

  • Finely mince a generous amount of garlic. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and salt, then dredge the chicken thighs until fully coated and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan and place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until crispy and golden, then remove the chicken and pour out some of the excess oil.
  • In the same pan, add soy sauce, honey, sugar, water, and minced garlic. Simmer until the sauce thickens into a glaze.
  • Return the chicken to the pan and toss until the sauce coats every crevice of the crispy chicken.
  • Slice into thin strips and serve over a fresh bowl of rice. Optionally add cucumbers and extra sauce

Notes

(1) You can use any cut of chicken you’d like! I like to use thin cut chicken breasts or just bone in thighs for a cheaper option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 445kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 29gFat: 28g

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

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Table of Contents

The Chicken That Never Lets Me Down: Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken!

No matter how tired I am, crispy chicken always makes me feel better, no matter how bad the day is, and this Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken turns any day around! Unlike a traditional fried chicken, I skip the batter and dredging station and just coat boneless skin-on thighs in a little cornstarch for extra crunch. This still gives the chicken an extra coating for when they sear in the pan and create a golden crust. Once you whip up that honey garlic glaze, and pour it on top of the chicken, it’s one of the best things you’ll eat all day. I personally like to slice it up over rice with some cucumbers on the side for some balance to the richness.

A piece of crispy chicken coated in honey garlic glaze is held up with chopsticks, highlighting the juicy interior and glossy, crunchy exterior.
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The Sticky, Sweet, Garlicky Sauce You’ll Want on Everything

The sauce is super simple. It only uses soy sauce, honey, sugar, water, and a ton of garlic, but it’s one of those combinations that just has everything to make it one of the best sauces you’ll ever make. As it simmers, it thickens into a shiny glaze that clings to every piece of chicken. It’s sweet, salty, and packed with so much garlicky goodness. I end up spooning extra sauce over my rice and eating it by itself!

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

For the Chicken:

  • 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, around 16 oz.
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • Neutral oil, for searing

For the Sauce:

  • 6–8 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water

Optional Garnish:

  • Thinly sliced cucumbers

How to Make Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken

Finely mince the garlic. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and salt, then coat each chicken thigh evenly on both sides.

A chef minces a generous amount of garlic on a wooden cutting board, preparing the key aromatic ingredient for the honey garlic sauce.

Heat a pan over medium with a splash of oil. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear for 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until both sides are golden and crisp. Remove and set aside.

Coated chicken thighs are lowered into a hot skillet with oil, beginning the frying process to achieve a crispy exterior.

Pour out any excess oil from the pan. Add the garlic, soy sauce, honey, sugar, and water. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken (After 9–5 Edition) Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and coated in a sticky honey garlic glaze — this chicken hits all the sweet-savory notes and comes together fast after work. Servings: 2 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: Chicken & Coating • 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs • 2 tbsp cornstarch • Pinch of salt Sauce • 6–8 cloves garlic, finely minced • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp honey • 1 tsp sugar • 2 tbsp water Optional Garnishes • Cucumbers Instructions: Finely mince a generous amount of garlic. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and salt, then dredge the chicken thighs until fully coated and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until crispy and golden, then remove the chicken and pour out some of the excess oil. In the same pan, add soy sauce, honey, sugar, water, and minced garlic. Simmer until the sauce thickens into a glaze. Return the chicken to the pan and toss until the sauce coats every crevice of the crispy chicken. Slice into thin strips and serve over a fresh bowl of rice. Optionally add cucumbers and extra sauce

Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the glaze.

Fried chicken thighs are returned to the pan and tossed in the thickened honey garlic sauce until fully coated and glossy.

Slice into strips and serve over steamed rice. Add cucumbers on the side for crunch and balance and brush with even more sauce if you’d like.

A hand uses a red brush to apply extra honey garlic glaze over sliced crispy chicken thighs, adding shine and flavor to the final rice bowl topped with cucumbers.

Tips & Variations

Use Skin-On Thighs for Best Texture:

They stay juicy and crisp up beautifully in a pan and allow for a crispy exterior shell!

Don’t Overcrowd the Pan:

Give each thigh room to sear. Too many at once and you’ll end up steaming them instead of crisping it up. I want to get straight to the eating too, but this is well worth your time!

The More Garlic, the Better:

This sauce can handle it because the ingredients are strongly flavorful. If you love garlic, don’t be shy about adding a few extra cloves.

Add Some Heat:

A sprinkle of chili flakes or a dash of sriracha turns this into something else!

Build a Full Bowl:

I like to add sliced cucumbers for freshness. It rounds the dish out into a perfect little dinner bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

You absolutely can! If possible, keep the skin on for that crispy texture. Just watch the cook time, breasts dry out faster because they are leaner, so shave a few minutes off.

Is cornstarch necessary?

It helps create a crust and gives the sauce something to stick to. If you skip it, make sure the chicken is really dry before searing.

Will it stay crispy if I reheat it?

The skin will soften a bit, but the flavor’s still amazing. Reheat in a pan or favor instead of the microwave if you want to bring back some texture.

Can I bake or air fry the chicken instead?

Yes! Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12–14 minutes or bake at 425°F (220°C) until golden. Glaze the chicken after it’s cooked.

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About Mitchell Masuda

I'm a home (and self-taught) cook based in New York sharing easy, delicious, and approachable Asian food recipes!

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