This spiced honey soy chicken is the perfect combination of sweet and sticky. Flavored with aromatic spices, ginger, and garlic, each drumstick is coated with a honey-glaze that's finger-licking good. An easy recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake.
If you like the combination of honey and soy sauce, you will love this honey soy chicken recipe. I personally love this recipe because of how easy it is to put together. Nothing, can be easier than marinade and bake - right? Plus look at that gorgeous color? It's begging you to come enjoy!
The best part? This recipe uses simple ingredients you usually have at home. So you can just plan this last minute and still not be worried about an ingredient list.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken - I prefer to use thigh or legs because you can bake them longer with a beautiful color, unlike breasts that cooks much faster.
- Soy Sauce - highly recommend using low sodium soy sauce so you can control the amount of salt. If you must use the regular soy sauce I suggest you omit the salt in the recipe
- Honey - adds sweetness but when mixed with the soy sauce and the spices it really makes a huge difference. The chicken is not overly sweet.
- Spices - I am using a mix of cloves, cinnamon and star anise with a hint of rosemary today but you can omit the spice completely or add less of any that you don't care for much.
- Lemon juice - helps cut and enhances the flavor of the sweetness in the chicken and no it does not taste lemony.
Step by step instructions (Pin)
Prepare spice mix
- Add the ingredient to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- Grind to a fine powder.
Prepare chicken
- Clean, skin and pat dry the chicken pieces.
- Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- Set aside.
Prepare marinade
- In a baking pan add all the marinade ingredients -Soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger.
- Add only 1 tsp of the spice mix to the marinade as well. Stir well to combine.
- Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, coat well.
- Add the spare garlic cloves in too (with skin).
- Cover with Cling/ plastic wrap and leave (fridge) until you are ready to cook (can be marinated overnight).
Bake chicken
- An hour before cooking thaw chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F.
- Cook uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the pieces over and basting them at least once in between.
- When done, remove and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- The pan juices are absolutely delicious and can be served over white rice.
- Alternatively, You can transfer the pan juices to a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat until you get a thicker consistency.
Frequently asked questions
This chicken will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days
Absolutely, dark meats like chicken thighs and legs are perfect for baking. Unlike chicken breast, the darker meats soak up the juices and become tender and flavorful.
Personally, I like to use dark meat for cooking as they stay tender and juicy. Having said that, you can certainly use chicken breast but it for less time, about 15 to 20 minutes
I have tried both in this recipe and both work equally well.
Yes, you can but with a slightly different process.
1. Season the chicken.
2. Use the saute mode and pan-sear the chicken on all sides for color.
3. Add the marinade, spice mix
4. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes
4. Use quick-release, then open the lid.
Absolutely! Just place chicken, rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Let cook on low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours.
SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER. TRIED MY RECIPE? SHARE IT WITH ME, PLEASE.
Share a picture of your work with me by uploading an image here below my image on this board. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Description
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 8 Chicken pieces legs, thighs or both
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
For the Marinade
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Ginger minced
For the spice mix
- ½ tsp Paprika
- ¼ inch Cinnamon stick ¼ inch piece
- 3 Cloves Cloves
- ½ Star anise ½ piece
Instructions
Prepare Spice Mix
- Add the ingredient to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
- Grind to a find powder.
Prepare Chicken
- Clean, skin and pat dry the chicken pieces
- Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Set aside.
Prepare Marinade
- In a baking pan add all the marinade ingredients -Soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger.
- Add only 1 tsp of the spice mix to the marinade as well. Stir well to combine
- Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, coat well.
- Add the spare garlic cloves in too (with skin)
- Cover with Cling/ plastic wrap and leave (fridge) until you are ready to cook. (can be marinated overnight)
Bake Chicken
- An hour before cooking thaw chicken
- Preheat the oven to 200 C /400 F
- Cook uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes turning the pieces over and basting them at least once in between
- When done remove and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- The pan juices are absolutely delicious and can be served over white rice.
- Alternatively, You can transfer the pan juices to a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat until you get a thicker consistency.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Tina | The Worktop
I love the hot and sweet flavor combination! This is a recipe I'll be saving to make soon for the family. Thanks for sharing!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Tina - SO happy to hear that. Let me know if you try it. Thanks
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
We eat so much chicken that it's always a real delight to find a recipe that will tantalize the tastebuds. We've always liked the combination of honey and soy. Then if you add garlic and lemon, we are salivating.Now, with your spices, I'm getting a hint of Chinese Five Spice.arisa I'm definitely trying this recipe once we're home. It sounds so good!! It's a welcome change from our normal spices.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Marisa. I love my spices and I love playing with flavor combination. This really has a perfect blend
swathi
I like this spiced chicken legs, this best recipe with garlic, soy sauce and festive spices like cloves, cinnamon, paprika and star anise. So yum great for gatherings.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Swathi. Yup it so flavorful you will love it.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Love the spices and the honey soy glaze that you have used in the recipe. I use my mortar and pastel for making spice rubs. In fact I bought a very large one this time from India that I am yet to use.
Veena Azmanov
I love my mortar and Pestel Sandhya.. People think it's hard work but I think it's therapy !!
Catherine
Veena, what a beautiful chicken dish! I love the flavors of this recipe...I know this is something my family would thoroughly enjoy!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Catherine So happy to hear that.
Debi at Life Currents
This chicken is going to be a family favorite! All these flavors, and it looks perfectly cooked. Thanks for the recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Debi - Do let me know if you try it
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
This looks like a great chicken dish to me. I love the legs and thighs, so much more flavour...and nice and juicy too. I love the spice profile here too. I will have to give this a try.
Veena Azmanov
I almost always use legs and thighs Gloria...so much more flavorful then breast meat
Andrea
Soy and honey are such a perfect combo! I need to make this soon, yum!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Andrea. Definitely a winning combination
Calleigh
This chicken dish looks so irresistible, with all the garlic and the flavorful spices mix all together.. this is a winner for me.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Calleigh. Definitely a winner for us.
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh
The sweet and spicy combination is always a winner. This chicken looks so good with that sticky sauce!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Joanna It's always a winner
Noel Lizotte
I love this recipe! Can't wait to try it! We always have chicken in the freezer and I like to try new ways of prepping it. Thighs were on sale at my grocery the other week and I stocked up. Thanks Veena!
Veena Azmanov
I love using thighs more than breast for sure. I hope you try it. Let me know
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife
My mouth is watering at this recipe! It's very similar to a Filipino chicken dish my mom made all the time as I was growing up and it was so delicious. Would love to enjoy this with a big bowl of rice!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Marlynn. Absolutely the kids love it with rice.
Adriana Lopez Martin
What a delightful and yummy dish, the combination of sweet and savory really si the best. Pure umami! That chicken looks so tender too. Yummy!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Adriana - Yes it was so yummy