Honey Ginger Chicken

Honey Ginger Chicken is a sweet, savory chicken thigh recipe that is easy to make, uses simple ingredients and pairs nicely with rice, roasted vegetables and a side of naan bread. Chicken thighs are tossed in a sweet, slightly spicy sauce. This recipe is a great weeknight meal when you are busy and need to put something on the table quickly!

HONEY GINGER CHICKEN

Chicken thighs are my kids favorite cut of chicken and I don’t blame them.

They are easy to make, tender and often pack a lot of flavor in those small pieces of chicken.

If you are looking for flavor packed way to make chicken this Honey Ginger Chicken recipe is one to try.

These chicken thighs are cooked in an Asian style sauce using sesame oil, ginger, chili, sriracha sauce, soy sauce and honey to create a sweet and savory sauce.

I love making this chicken recipe and pairing it with jasmine rice, this bok choy and an arugula salad.

Some of the other chicken recipes we have on repeat in my home are these Sun-dried Tomato Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Baked Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Chicken Breast, and Sun-dried Tomato Farro Chicken Bake.

Why You Will Love This Honey Ginger Chicken Recipe

Cooks Quickly – it takes only 15 minutes to prepare and cook this chicken dish, making it the ideal mid week dinner any night of the week.

Family Friendly – this is a winning dinner dish the whole family will enjoy, and the chili heat is easily adjusted to suit your own taste. The honey and ginger pair so nicely with the chicken to create a savory, but sweet flavor.

Protein Packed – if you are looking for a protein packed meal this one is for you! It is lean protein that is satisfying and healthy. I love the simple honey and ginger sauce that creates a flavor packed meal.

Recipe Ingredients

• CHICKEN: I use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs as they have the best flavor. You can use other cuts of chicken like boneless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins or chicken drumsticks.
• SEASONING: I season the chicken thighs with sea salt and ground black pepper.
• CORNSTARCH: I coat the chicken thighs in cornstarch which helps give the chicken a crispier skin, and also thickens the chili sauce when it’s added to the skillet. You can skip this if you don’t want to use cornstarch.
• OIL: I sear the chicken thighs in olive oil or you can substitute with any other oil of your choice.
• GARNISH: I garnish the dish with freshly chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Chili Sausage Ingredients:

• OIL: I add sesame oil to the chili sauce as it has a great smoky flavor.
• GARLIC: I like the flavor of fresh garlic cloves in this chili sauce recipe. You can use garlic puree in a pinch.
• GINGER: For the best flavor I use freshly minced ginger.
• CHILI: I add a teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes to intensify the chili heat in the sauce.
• SRIRACHA SAUCE: I use sriracha sauce to add chili heat and a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
• SOY SAUCE: Light soy sauce adds flavor and saltiness to the chili sauce.
• HONEY: I add honey for sweetness in the chili sauce.
• RICE VINEGAR: I add rice vinegar to add sharp acidity and to balance out the sweetness in the sauce.

How to Make Honey Ginger Chicken

SEASON THE CHICKEN: Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and the cornstarch.

SEAR THE CHICKEN: Heat a medium non-stick skillet on medium heat. Sear chicken thighs on both sides for 5 minutes, until there is no pink in the middle.

PREPARE THE SAUCE: In a medium bowl whisk together the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, water, sriracha, soy sauce, honey and rice vinegar.

ADD THE SAUCE: Pour the sauce in the skillet, turning the chicken in the sauce until coated. Simmer the sauce with the chicken for 2-3 minutes.

SERVE THE CHICKEN: Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F remove from the skillet and serve with fresh cilantro, sesame seeds and rice.

Recipe Modifications

CHICKEN: I’ve used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, but you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chicken breast or chicken tenderloins. Just make sure you adjust the cooking time to suit the cut of chicken.

GINGER: I’ve used fresh ginger in the chili sauce but you can use 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger in a pinch.

CHILI: You can adjust the chili heat in this chicken dish by reducing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes in the chili sauce. You could also add chili powder.

CHILI SAUCE: I’ve used sriracha sauce in the chili sauce as it is both spicy and sweet. Feel free to substitute with any other chili sauce, like a sweet chili sauce, if you prefer.

Recipe Tips

INTERNAL TEMPERATURE: To enjoy perfectly cooked, juicy chicken, do not overcook it (cooking times will vary a little depending on the size of the chicken thighs). Chicken needs to be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. I find the easiest way to do this is to use an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh.

STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

FREEZE: Allow the chicken to cool down and freeze in an airtight container for 1 month.

REHEAT: Just reheat in a skillet before eating, taking care to warm the chicken through but not overcook it or you risk it drying out.

What Goes with Honey Ginger Chicken?

With the flavors in this dish I like to serve a side of steamed rice, or for something a little different my Instant Pot Fried Rice, or Coconut Rice Salad. Noodles also work really well with this tasty chicken dish, try my Sesame Noodles, Easy Korean Noodles, or Spicy Ramen Noodles.

Vegetable side dishes are always a great addition to any meal, try my Easy Bok Choy, Garlic Green Beans, or my Turmeric Cauliflower.

I like to serve salads with most main dishes, try these delicious Asian inspired noodle recipes, my Ramen Noodle Salad, Vegetable Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce, or Cucumber Noodle Salad.

Other Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes for you to Try:

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

AIR FRYER MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN THIGHS

RANCH CHICKEN THIGHS

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH GREEK MARINADE

CRANBERRY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS