Sticky Honey Soy Garlic Chicken with Cucumber Shallot Salad

This Sticky Honey Soy Garlic Chicken is pan-seared chicken thigh in a glossy honey soy glaze with plenty of garlic, served with rice and a cool, crunchy cucumber shallot salad. It takes about 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of marinating.

Soy garlic chicken is a home-cooking favourite all over Asia, and this is my quick version for a weeknight. The chicken is coated in a little corn flour, so it browns nicely and the sauce clings to every piece. The salad on the side is tangy and lightly sweet, which keeps the whole plate fresh. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

The chicken is seared first and only meets the sauce at the end, once it is cooked through. Honey burns quickly, so this keeps the glaze sticky and golden instead of bitter.

I dice the cucumber and shallot into tiny cubes, almost like a salsa, so the salad mixes easily with the chicken and rice. Make it first and keep it in the fridge, because it is best served cold.

Why You’ll Love This Honey Soy Garlic Chicken

• A sticky, glossy glaze made with just soy sauce, honey, water, lime and garlic
• Chicken thigh stays juicy and tender, even in a hot pan
• Ready in about 35 minutes, including marinating time
• The cool cucumber shallot salad balances the sweet, salty glaze
• Simple pantry ingredients, no special sauces needed

Ingredient Notes

Chicken thigh: Boneless, cut into 6 pieces. Thigh stays juicier than breast and handles the high heat well.

Light soy sauce: Used in both the marinade and the sauce. Light soy is saltier and thinner than dark soy, which is mainly for colour.

Honey: Gives the glaze its sweetness and sticky texture. It caramelises quickly, so add the sauce on medium-low heat.

Corn flour: Also called cornstarch. It helps the chicken brown and makes the sauce cling to every piece.

Lime juice: A little in the sauce balances the sweetness, and more goes into the salad dressing.

Shallot: Adds a sharp, slightly sweet bite to the salad. If it tastes too strong, soak the diced shallot in cold water for 5 minutes and drain.

Nanami togarashi: A Japanese seven-spice chilli blend. A light sprinkle adds gentle heat and colour, but you can leave it out.

Recipe

Sticky Honey Soy Garlic Chicken with Cucumber Shallot Salad

Pan-seared chicken thigh in a sticky honey soy garlic glaze, served with rice and a cool, crunchy cucumber shallot salad. Ready in about 35 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Marinating Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 1 hearty serving

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

Chicken & Marinade

• 240 g boneless chicken thigh cut into 6 pieces
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp corn flour cornstarch

Honey Soy Sauce

• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp lime juice

Cooking

• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced

Cucumber Shallot Salad

• 1 small cucumber about 150 g, finely diced
• 1 small shallot about 20 g, finely diced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

To Serve

• steamed rice from about 80 g uncooked rice
• toasted sesame seeds
• nanami togarashi optional

Method

 

1. Make the salad first. Dice the cucumber and shallot into small, even cubes, about the size of a pea.
2. Add the lime juice, honey and sesame oil, toss well, then chill in the fridge until serving.
   
3. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thigh and cut it into 6 pieces.
   
4. Season the chicken with the white pepper and soy sauce and mix well. Add the corn flour and mix again until every piece is coated. Rest for 10 minutes.
   
5. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, water and lime juice until the honey dissolves.
   
6. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Lay the chicken in one piece at a time, in a single layer, and leave it alone for about 3 minutes until golden underneath.
7. Flip and cook the other side for about 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (74°C / 165°F in the thickest piece).
8. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
9. Pour in the sauce and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Keep flipping the chicken, or swirl the pan, so every piece gets coated. It is ready when the glaze coats a spoon and leaves a trail across the pan.
   
10. Put the rice on a plate, add the chicken and the salad next to it, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and nanami togarashi. Spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken.
    

Video

Notes

What I tested: I cook this in a nonstick pan. A steel pan works too, but preheat it well so the corn flour coating does not stick.

Watch the honey: Honey burns quickly, so make sure the chicken is cooked through and the heat is on medium-low before the sauce goes in.

Stickier glaze: Stir 1/2 tsp corn flour into the sauce before cooking for a thicker, glossier glaze.

Less salty: Cut the soy sauce in the sauce to 1 1/4 tbsp, or add an extra splash of water.

Salad: Toss the dressing in just before serving if you can. The cucumber releases water as it sits, so serve it with a slotted spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?

Yes, but chicken breast cooks faster and dries out more easily. Cut it into similar pieces, cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side and check it reaches 74°C (165°F) inside, the safe temperature for chicken according to FoodSafety.gov, before adding the sauce.

How do I make the sauce stickier?

Simmer it a little longer, until the honey soy garlic chicken sauce coats a spoon and leaves a trail across the pan. For an even thicker glaze, stir 1/2 tsp corn flour into the sauce before it goes in.

Why did my sauce turn bitter?

The honey or garlic burned. Turn the heat down to medium-low before adding the garlic, and pour in the sauce as soon as the garlic smells fragrant.

Is this honey soy garlic chicken spicy?

No. This honey soy garlic chicken is sweet and savoury. The only heat comes from the optional nanami togarashi sprinkled on top.

How do I know the chicken is cooked through?

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece. Chicken is safe at 74°C (165°F). Make sure it is cooked before the sauce goes in, so the honey does not burn while you wait.

Can I make it ahead?

The chicken is best fresh, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water. Keep the salad separate and dress it just before serving.

Can I make this for two?

Yes. The 240 g of chicken is a hearty serving for one, or enough for two with more rice and a bigger bowl of salad.

More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes

If you love a sticky glaze, try my Sticky Teriyaki Chicken Rice. For something with a little heat, the Glazed Gochujang Chicken & Bell Peppers is a family favourite, and for a creamy sauce over chicken thigh, try the Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thigh with Mashed Potatoes.