A foolproof, hands-off recipe for tasty, juicy baked glazed chicken thighs, in an Asian-inspired sweet and salty ginger-soy sauce that has a touch of honey and butter.

A white oval plate with six crispy, golden-brown glazed chicken thighs garnished with chopped green onions, resting on a bed of caramelized onions. A small dish of herbs and a striped napkin are visible nearby.

These Asian-style chicken thighs deliver on so many levels. It’s a one-pan, slide-it-in-the-oven and walk-away kind of chicken thigh recipe (who doesn’t love that!)

The combination of fresh ginger, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey and a little bit of butter make an intensely savory marinade and chicken thigh glaze that you’re going to l-o-v-e.

Key ingredient overview

Image of uncooked chicken thighs on a baking tray, with soy sauce, ginger root, honey, scallions, cayenne pepper and shallots arranged alongside.
  • Chicken thighs: I appreciate the convenience of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and I think they are the tastiest part of the chicken. That said, cooking chicken with the bone in AND skin on takes the experience of chicken up a few levels — giving you taste, juiciness and tenderness beyond compare. I’ve tested the recipe using boneless and bone-in, and settled on the latter because they’re just much juicier.
  • Fresh ginger root: To easily grate ginger without peeling, scrape off the brown skin with the edge of a teaspoon (it works great!) before grating on a rasp grater.
  • Butter or ghee: The butter adds that special something to this sauce, cutting through the salty flavors. It’s just a small amount, but you can omit it. There’s plenty of tasty fat from the chicken!

Recipe steps

  • Grate fresh ginger.
  • Add to lemon juice, garlic, cayenne and soy sauce in a bowl.
  • Whisk together.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the chicken thighs on a rimmed sheet pan or shallow baking dish that’s big enough to hold the chicken in one layer. Tuck the shallots around them.
  • Add the sauce and turn to coat both sides. Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn with a pair of tongs so that both sides are coated.
  • Bake 30 minutes, then pour the pan juices into a saucepan. Add honey and butter and boil until reduced. Pour the glaze over the chicken thighs and put the pan back in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp and caramelize the skin.

Bone in chicken thigh cooking times

The cooking time for baked bone-in chicken thighs is a little bit longer than boneless, skinless chicken thighs. That’s because bones slow the transfer of heat within the meat, keeping it moist and at the same time creating that sensation called “tender to the bone.”

  • Chicken pieces that are approximately 8 ounces each, including the the bone and skin, will be juicy and crisp-skinned after 30-35 minutes at 425 degrees.
  • Pouring the honey and butter sauce over the chicken for the last 5 minutes creates a quick glaze — the sugar and fat caramelize the skin so deliciously! If it was added sooner it would burn before the chicken is cooked through.
4.98 from 37 ratings

Soy-Ginger Glazed Chicken Thighs

Karen Tedesco
A foolproof, hands-off recipe for tasty baked chicken thighs, in a sweet and salty ginger-soy glaze made with honey and butter.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 pounds (1.35 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, (about 6 large thighs)
  • 2 shallots (or ½ red onion), peeled and cut into quarters
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce or tamari sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
  • 1 tablespoon (15 6) butter or ghee, optional
  • ¼ cup (30 g) chopped green onion tops

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Spray a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking pan with cooking spray or line with a sheet of parchment. Arrange the chicken in the pan and tuck the shallot quarters in and around them.
  3. Whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the thighs, turning them to coat both sides, then turn skin-side up. The chicken can marinate up to 24 hours ahead in the refrigerator before baking.
  4. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the skin is puffed and golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven.
  5. Carefully pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and stir in the honey and butter. Bring to a boil and cook about 5 minutes, or until it reduces by a third (watch the pot and lower the heat slightly so it doesn't boil over).
  6. Pour the reduced sauce over the chicken thighs and put them back in the oven to bake 5 more minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the green onion over the chicken and serve.

Notes

  • The chicken can marinate in the sauce 1-2 days ahead. Add the thighs and the soy sauce mixture to a freezer bag and place in a large bowl to avoid spillage.
  • Serve the chicken with steamed jasmine rice or fragrant coconut rice and spicy cucumber salad.
  • This recipe makes about 6 servings of chicken (or more if your pieces are smaller). This serves our family of three perfectly. Double up the ingredients for the recipe, using two pans, for a larger gathering.
 
Recipe inspired by Ginger & Lemon Chicken in Vietnamese: Simple Vietnamese Food to Cook at Home.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 553kcal Carbohydrates: 9g Protein: 39g Fat: 40g Sodium: 914mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 7g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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