Mom's Easy Honey Garlic Chicken
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
439 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Mom's Easy Honey Garlic Chicken
Description
This recipe relies on a marinade consisting of soy sauce, honey, ketchup, ginger, and garlic powder that imbues the chicken with a balance of savory and sweet notes. Marinating the chicken for an hour or two allows the flavors to penetrate well. Cooking starts by frying the chicken in an oven-safe skillet to crisp the skin, helping it avoid sogginess during baking. Then pouring the reserved sauce on top before baking the chicken at 350°F until it reaches the optimal doneness ensures tenderness.
Cooking the thighs to 185°F breaks down connective tissue, resulting in very tender meat, while breasts should be cooked to 165°F for safety. The baked sauce becomes sticky and flavorful under the crispy skin. This chicken pairs well with plain sides like rice or potatoes to balance the sauce’s richness.
Keep some of the sauce separate from marinade for finishing the chicken, as reheating marinade can reduce flavor intensity. Using skin-on pieces provides the best texture contrast in the finished dish.
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs skin on, or breasts
- 1/2 cup soy sauce make it low sodium if salt bothers you
- 1 cup honey liquid
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken as well. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the sauce for later.
- Place chicken into the sauce and cover. Marinate for an hour or two if possible, turning if you get the chance.
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pre-heat an oven safe skillet with olive oil in it.
- Fry the chicken until the skin started to crisp up ( this helps the skin not get too soggy in the oven)
- Pour the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.
- Place the skillet into the oven and bake until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 185 degrees F. You can occasionally baste the chicken with sauce while cooking if wanted.
- Serve with rice, potatoes etc. It's exceptional with rice!
Notes
- Use skin-on chicken thighs for a crispy, sticky coating when baked in the honey garlic sauce.
- Cook thighs to 185°F for optimal tenderness; cook breasts to 165°F and no more.
- Reserve some sauce before marinating to use later for more vibrant flavor instead of the marinade.
- Serve the chicken with rice or potatoes to complement the rich sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 439 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 439kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 110mg | 37% |
| Sodium | 1220mg | 51% |
| Potassium | 326mg | 7% |
| Sugar | 47g | 94% |
| Vitamin A | 115IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 16mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.5mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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