Ginger Garlic Chicken Thighs (Print Page)
Tender oven-baked chicken thighs with a ginger, garlic, and honey glaze — comforting and flavorful.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
→ Marinade
02 - 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free tamari if needed)
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Garnish
10 - 2 green onions, sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven for even heat distribution.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated ginger, minced garlic, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar or lemon juice, black pepper, and salt. Whisk until well blended into a uniform marinade.
03 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Add them to the marinade bowl and toss vigorously to coat each piece evenly. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for more pronounced flavor.
04 - Place the marinated chicken thighs in a single layer, skin side up, in a baking dish or on a rimmed sheet pan. Pour any remaining marinade over the top of the chicken.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and juices run clear.
06 - For extra-crispy skin, switch the oven to the broil setting and broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
07 - Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade transforms plain chicken thighs into something that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen when you really just threw everything in a bowl.
- Bone in skin on thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally leave them in the oven a few minutes too long, which I have done more times than I care to admit.
02 -
- Drying the chicken thoroughly before marinating makes a huge difference in how well the skin crisps up, and skipping this step will leave you with soggy skin no matter how long you bake it.
- Letting the chicken marinate for the full two hours in the refrigerator turns a good dish into an unforgettable one because the ginger and garlic really penetrate deep into the meat.
03 -
- Use a rimmed sheet pan instead of a deep baking dish because the shallower surface allows hot air to circulate around the chicken for more even browning and crisper skin overall.
- Grate the ginger on the finest holes of a microplane so it almost melts into the marinade, distributing that warm spice into every single bite without any stringy bits.