Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Sticky honey garlic chicken thighs with 45g of protein per serving and a glossy sweet garlicky sauce in 30 minutes. ♡

This recipe packs 45g of protein per serving and comes together in 30 minutes from pan to plate. Boneless skinless chicken thighs sear golden in a hot skillet, then simmer in a 5 ingredient honey garlic sauce that clings to every bite. For more ideas, see our Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet.

High protein, one pan, and budget friendly enough to make twice a week. The kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout but keeps you full for hours. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 4 thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sliced scallions, for garnish
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, for garnish

How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

1. **Season.** Pat chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. **Sear.** Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high. Sear thighs 4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
3. **Build.** Lower heat to medium. Add garlic to the pan and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir.
4. **Reduce.** Simmer sauce 2 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30 more seconds until glossy.
5. **Return.** Add thighs back to the pan. Flip to coat both sides, about 2 minutes, until internal temp reaches 165F.
6. **Serve.** Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice with steamed broccoli.

Why This Recipe Works

Two 6 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs deliver about 42g of protein, a splash of low sodium soy sauce adds 2g, and the cornstarch slurry adds minor trace protein. The combo hits a full 45g per serving while keeping calories reasonable.

Searing the thighs first creates the golden crust that gives the sauce something to cling to. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts under high heat because of their higher fat content, so they forgive an extra minute in the pan without drying out.

Reducing honey, soy, garlic, and rice vinegar until syrupy is the step most home cooks rush. Let the sauce bubble a full 2 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. That reduction is how you get sticky restaurant glaze on the thighs instead of a thin runny sauce. For more ideas, see our Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl.

Tips

• Use boneless skinless thighs for fastest cooking and maximum protein per bite.
• Pat thighs dry before searing so the crust forms instead of steaming.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
• Reheat in a skillet over medium with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
• Meal prep tip: double the recipe and portion with rice and broccoli for 4 lunches.
• Common mistake: crowding the pan drops the heat. Sear thighs in 2 batches if needed.

Variations

• Add 1 tsp sriracha for honey garlic spicy.
• Swap honey for maple syrup for a deeper flavor.
• Use chicken breasts instead (reduce cook time by 3 minutes).
• Add 1 inch grated ginger for honey ginger garlic.
• Toss steamed broccoli in the leftover sauce for a one pan meal.
• Serve over cauliflower rice instead of white rice for lower carb.

Looking for more high protein dinner ideas? Try our Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake or Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using frozen thighs straight from the freezer: Thaw fully and pat dry. Frozen water in the pan prevents searing.
• Dumping all the sauce at once: Reduce the sauce after searing so it thickens into glaze.
• Over crowding the skillet: Leave space between thighs. Cook in 2 batches if needed.
• Skipping the cornstarch slurry: A 1 tsp slurry is what makes the glaze cling instead of pool.

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

High protein honey garlic chicken thighs with 45g protein per serving. Sticky glaze, 30 minutes, one pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 490

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs about 4 thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sliced scallions for garnish
• 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish

Method

 

1. **Season.** Pat chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. **Sear.** Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high. Sear thighs 4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
3. **Build.** Lower heat to medium. Add garlic to the pan and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir.
4. **Reduce.** Simmer sauce 2 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30 more seconds until glossy.
5. **Return.** Add thighs back to the pan. Flip to coat both sides, about 2 minutes, until internal temp reaches 165F.
6. **Serve.** Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice with steamed broccoli.

Notes

Use boneless skinless thighs for fastest cooking and maximum protein per bite. Pat thighs dry before searing so the crust forms instead of steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central for protein and nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on protein requirements.

FAQ

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