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Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs couldn’t be easier to make — throw everything into a pressure cooker and let it do the work! The result? Succulently tender chicken bathed in a sweet, savory honey-garlic sauce. Serve the chicken over rice with green onions and steamed or roasted broccoli.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword garlic honey chicken thighs, Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings (if served over rice with veggies)
Calories 375kcal
Author Chelsea Lords
Cost $8.98

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (not breasts)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons regular (not lite) soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup ketchup (like Heinz)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Optional: sesame seeds, slice green onions
  • Serve over: rice with roasted or steamed broccoli (Note 1)

Instructions

  • SAUCE: Set pressure cooker to "Sauté." Once hot, add in butter and melt; once melted, add in garlic and ginger. Stir constantly for 1 minute then add soy sauce, honey, and ketchup. Sauté until mixture comes to a boil then press "cancel" on pressure cooker. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat in the sauce.
  • PRESSURE COOK: Cover and set the pressure cooker lid valve to “Seal.” Pressure cook on manual (high) for 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute natural release. After that, quick release any remaining pressure by carefully flipping the valve to “venting.” (Stay clear so the steam doesn't burn you!)
    OR SLOW COOK: See Note 2
  • SHRED: Remove the lid and use tongs to pull the chicken from pressure cooker to a separate bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Back to the sauce: turn pressure cooker to "Sauté" again. Remove 1 tablespoon of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the pressure cooker and stir until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Turn off pressure cooker and return the shredded chicken. Stir through.
  • *OPTIONAL* CHAR CHICKEN: See Note 3
  • SERVE: Serve saucy chicken over rice. Garnish with green onions and/or sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Rice: Here's our favorite quick way to cook rice (must use basmati rice for this to work properly):
  • Fill a large pot with water and set it to boil.
  • Once the water is at a rolling boil, generously salt the water and add in rice (as much as you'd like!).
  • Cook without reducing the heat, for 6 minutes (taste test to ensure it is tender, if not boil until it is) and then drain and fluff with a fork.
Note 2: Slow cooker instructions: In a pot on the stovetop, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant. Add sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil then turn off heat. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of this sauce into a well-greased slow cooker. Add thighs and turn to coat. Cover and slow cook for 3-5 hours on low or until chicken is tender and shreds easily; remove chicken to a bowl and shred. Transfer all of the sauce leftover in slow cooker to a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove 1 tablespoon of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the pot and stir until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
Note 3: Char the chicken: If you're someone who loves crispy chicken, you can't really achieve that in the pressure or slow cooker, but you can quickly char the meat in the oven. Here's what we do: 
  • Heat oven to high broil. Keep rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Line a pan with foil and generously grease with cooking spray. (You'll thank me later!)
  • Use tongs to add chicken in an even layer.
  • Add tray to middle of the oven and broil on high for 5-7 minutes or until nicely charred and crisped on top to your liking.
  • If you decide to char the meat, you may want to double the sauce to have extra afterwards! It all just depends on how much you like sauce!
Nutrition information does not include rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 319IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg