Dinner

Honey & Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs Recipe

ByNoah Steele December 2, 2025December 2, 2025

Introduction

This Honey & Soy Chicken recipe offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with a hint of spice. Tender chicken thighs are marinated in a fragrant sauce and roasted to sticky, juicy perfection. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing dish ideal for weeknight dinners or casual gatherings.

The image shows a metal baking pan filled with six pieces of roasted chicken thighs coated in a shiny, thick reddish-brown sauce with a slightly charred texture on top. The chicken pieces are sprinkled with light beige sesame seeds and garnished with thin, bright green curled scallion strips spread evenly across the surface. A metal spatula is lifting one chicken thigh from the pan. To the left, there is a clear glass jar with golden honey and a wooden honey dipper resting on a white marbled surface. The overall scene is bright with natural light highlighting the glossy textures. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

8 skin-on chicken thighs (about 1kg)
4 tbsp honey

4 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp tomato ketchup
30g ginger, peeled and finely grated

4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground

1 tbsp sunflower oil
Spring onions, rice, and salad or greens to serve

Instructions

Step 1: Using a sharp knife, score the chicken thighs twice through the skin. Season them and transfer to a bowl.

Step 2: Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, ketchup, ginger, garlic, chilli flakes, and ground fennel seeds. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2–3 hours, or overnight if possible.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Line a large roasting tin with foil and place it in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess, and reserve the marinade. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the hot roasting tin. Drizzle with sunflower oil and roast for 10 minutes.

Step 5: While the chicken roasts, pour the reserved marinade into a small pan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Cook for 7–10 minutes until thick and syrupy.
Step 6: Take the chicken out of the oven and carefully pour any juices from the tin into the pan with the sauce. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the sauce reaches a consistency similar to double cream.
Step 7: Spoon the sauce over the chicken and return the roasting tin to the oven. Roast for an additional 10–15 minutes until the chicken is sticky, tender, and cooked through (juices should run clear when pierced).

Step 8: Slice spring onions lengthwise and gently scrape a knife along them to create curls. Scatter over the chicken before serving.
Step 9: Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature with rice and salad or steamed greens.

Tips & Variations

Use leftover cooked chicken in a tortilla wrap topped with thinly sliced radishes, spring onions, and chopped coriander for an easy lunch.

For extra warmth, substitute 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder for the fennel seeds and replace the chilli flakes with two deseeded, chopped red chillies.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.