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Baked Chicken Thighs in Honey Soy Sauce

Baked honey soy chicken thighs with an oven-baked caramelized glaze that turns lacquered and deeply golden. Marinated sweet soy chicken thighs stay juicy while the skin crisps under high heat.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use skin-on for the most lacquered, golden finish.
Honey-soy marinade
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce Prefer low-sodium if you want a less salty glaze.
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp ginger Grated.
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions Sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the honey-soy marinade
  1. Whisk honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth and glossy.
Marinate
  1. Marinate the chicken thighs for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours, turning once if you can to coat evenly.
Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and arrange the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish, then pour the marinade over the chicken.
  2. Bake for 25 minutes, then baste with the pan sauce and continue baking for 10 more minutes until the skin is deeply caramelized and glossy.
Finish with extra stickiness
  1. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the glaze tightens and looks extra sticky, watching closely to avoid burning.
Garnish and serve
  1. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions over the hot chicken, letting the garnish sit for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t skip skin-side up—high heat helps the fat render so the honey-soy glaze becomes a lacquered coating. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; rewarm covered in a 350°F oven until hot. Freeze yes (up to 2 months), though the skin may soften slightly. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce (and check any labels on the soy sauce you choose).