Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
These Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are all about the sauce! Chicken thighs are seared in a pan until crisp and then tossed in the most delicious sticky, sweet and garlicky sauce. This Paleo Honey Garlic Chicken takes just 30 minutes to make so it’s perfect for weeknight dinner. This recipe is also Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
During quarantine I have come to really appreciate simple recipes that only require pantry staple ingredients. For this recipe all you need is honey, garlic, vinegar and coconut aminos to make the sauce. I prefer using bone in skin on chicken thighs but I have included instructions below for other substitutions that you can use depending on what you have. Truthfully the chicken is an afterthought because the sauce is the real star of the show.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN:
- The sauce!! It’s sticky, sweet and garlicky, need I say more?? The chicken thighs are smothered in this highly addictive honey garlic sauce that will make you lick your plate clean!
- Crispy Chicken Thighs: Skin on chicken thighs are one of my favourite ways to eat chicken because the meat is so flavourful and the skin becomes so nice and crispy!
- Perfect for weeknight dinner: With a start to finish time of just 30 minutes this is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner and very kid friendly (my 2 year old loves this chicken!)
- It’s Paleo: But no one would ever know!
Alternatives to using bone in skin on chicken thighs:
- Boneless skin-on chicken thighs: You will still get the crispy skin and flavourful meat, but with a shorter cooking time. In step one sear the chicken for 4 minutes per side until it’s cooked through. Added bonus, without the bone the chicken is much easier to eat.
- Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts: this is a lower calorie alternative to chicken thighs. Unfortunately you won’t get that nice crispiness without the skin, but you should still be able to develop a crust on the breast when searing.
- Shrimp: Sear 12-15 shrimp in the pan and then toss them in the sauce
- Pork Chops: Sear the pork chops for 5 minutes per side in step 1.
What to serve with these Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs:
- Cauliflower Mash to absorb all of the yummy excess sauce
- Roasted Fennel with Garlic & Herbs as a simple side that won’t overpower the flavours of the chicken
- Roasted Broccoli is a staple in our house that pairs really well with the honey garlic sauce.
- Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing is a light salad that will go well with the chicken and the lemon dressing will help cut through the sweet honey sauce
- Fennel, Pickled Onion & Apple Salad this salad has a lot of acidity from the pickled onion and fresh crunch from the fennel which would complement the chicken well.
Here are a few other ways you can use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs:
- Coq No Vin
- Szechuan Chicken Thighs
- Harissa Baked Chicken
- Balsamic Chicken with Figs
- Crispy Lemon & Herb Chicken with Fennel
- Sesame Lemon Chicken
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
These Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are all about the sauce! Chicken thighs are seared in a pan until crisp and then tossed in the most delicious sticky, sweet and garlicky sauce. This Paleo Honey Garlic Chicken takes just 30 minutes to make so it's perfect for weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Pat the skin of the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet and leave to cook for approximately 7-8 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp and then flip them over and cook for another 8 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and let cook for approximately 30 seconds until its fragrant and then add in the honey, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar and coconut aminos. Reduce the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Once the sauce is simmering, return the chicken thighs to the pan, spoon the sauce overtop of each piece and then leave to cook for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the sauce to ensure that it doesn't thicken too much. After 5 minutes the sauce will have slightly thickened and the chicken should be completely cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken, when it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit it is done. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 36gFat: 25gSodium: 550mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Easy to put together on a week night. The whole family loved it. The flavours are delicious and will be a regular go to recipe for us.
Delicious! Satisfies my craving for Chinese food like sesame chicken, which I can’t have in elimination phase
I’m so confused. What is the thickening agent in this sauce?
It was really tasty. I’ve made it several times and the whole family enjoys it.
These look so delicious and sticky, what a great wing recipe. Teriyaki flavor is so good. These would be perfect for game days!
My sauce doesn’t thicken for the stickiness. What am I doing wrong?
This recipe is wonderful.The sauce is delicious.I have made it a couple of times and each time it did not disappoint.I am looking forward to trying it on pork chops and shrimp.Thanks sooo much.
Thanks for a great recipe, super easy. Everyone loved it. We’ll definitely have it again 🙂
Omg! This recipe was soooo easy and to die for! We followed the recipe with only 4 thighs and it came out perfect. Definitely a repeat dish in the family. We loved having the extra sauce to top over rice. It was addicting and we were lip smacking throughout the whole dinner.. YUM!!! Thank you sooo much for this!!!
Coconut Aminos are NOT SCD legal
We made these last week and they were delicious! Just as good leftover! We aren’t on any specific diet (just trying to eat healthier) and we put it over white rice. So good!
I have all the ingredients at home except coconut aminos. Are they essential to the taste?
You can replace the coconut aminos with soy sauce or tamari
thank you!
I made it today with soy instead of aminos. My husband absolutely loved the taste, and the recipe worked exactly how it was described, down to a minute. Thank you for a delicious addition to our repertoire of dishes!
This is an excellent recipe! My whole family loved it. Our two and a half year old asked for thirds, and he isn’t usually a chicken fan. The sauce had just the right amount of sweetness and the garlic wasn’t overpowering. My husband and I used the extra sauce to spread on some leftover Italian bread we had, which was delicious. I can’t wait to make this again with some of the other proteins you suggested.
Delicious! Came together very quickly. Will definitely put this one on repeat! Thanks Carmen!