Description
Succulent honey garlic chicken delivers a harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors from Chinese-inspired cuisine. Home cooks can effortlessly create this simple yet delectable meal with minimal ingredients and straightforward preparation, making you crave another bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) or 6 chicken thighs
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsps green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C), line baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease to prevent sticking.
- Chicken Preparation: Pat chicken pieces completely dry using paper towels to guarantee a crisp, golden exterior during cooking.
- Seasoning Process: Create a flavor profile by massaging salt, ground black pepper, smoky paprika, and garlic powder into chicken’s surface, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Cornstarch Coating: Delicately dust chicken with cornstarch, gently shaking off excess to prevent uneven clumping and promote optimal browning.
- Searing Technique: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then strategically sear chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes per side to develop a rich, caramelized crust.
- Initial Baking Setup: Transfer seared chicken to prepared baking dish, maintaining space between pieces to facilitate uniform heat distribution and even cooking.
- Sauce Application: Generously drizzle honey garlic sauce over chicken, ensuring comprehensive and balanced glaze coverage that will caramelize beautifully during roasting.
- Final Roasting Stage: Bake in preheated oven until chicken reaches safe internal temperature and develops a glossy, appetizing exterior, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Resting Period: Allow chicken to rest for 3-5 minutes after removing from oven, enabling juice redistribution and completion of the cooking process.
Notes
- Moisture Matters: Pat chicken completely dry before seasoning to achieve a crispy, golden-brown exterior that locks in flavor and prevents soggy results.
- Cornstarch Technique: Apply a light, even cornstarch dusting to create a delicate protective layer that ensures extra crispiness and helps the sauce adhere perfectly to the chicken.
- Heat Management: Sear chicken at medium-high heat to develop a beautiful golden crust without burning, which adds depth of flavor and creates an appealing texture.
- Sauce Distribution: Ensure even sauce coating by drizzling honey garlic mixture thoroughly, allowing each piece to caramelize uniformly and prevent dry spots during baking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg