Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper; dry skin browns better than wet skin.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, and ginger until combined. Set the sauce aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron works well) over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Place the thighs skin-side down and sear without moving them for 5 to 6 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan.
4. Flip the thighs and sear the second side for 2 minutes just to seal it, then remove the skillet from the heat. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the seared thighs to a baking dish now.
5. Pour off any excess fat from the pan, leaving about a tablespoon behind. Pour the honey garlic sauce over the thighs, turning them once to coat both sides.
6. Transfer the skillet to the oven, skin-side up, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The sauce will bubble and start to thicken; watch that it does not scorch at the edges of the pan.
7. Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest thigh away from the bone; it should read 165F. If it is under, bake another 5 minutes and check again.
8. Once cooked through, remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes; the sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
9. Spoon the thickened glaze from the pan over each thigh generously so every piece is coated and glossy.
10. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving over rice or alongside steamed vegetables.

Nutrition

Calories	390
Protein	29.0 g
Fat	22.0 g
Carbs	20.0 g
Fiber	0.0 g
Sodium	640 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate per serving and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.