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Spicy, sweet, and sticky chicken is an easy and quick one skillet meal that includes sticky, tender, and delicious chicken thighs rubbed with a homemade spice rub and brushed with an amazingly sweet honey sauce.
For more delicious weeknight chicken recipes, you should also try my piri piri chicken and this excellent crock pot honey garlic chicken. Both recipes are packed with flavor and are always a hit with family and friends.
The glory that is this amazing sticky chicken… If I were this dish, I’d kiss myself. It’s SO delicious AND pretty.
Hi Hi! Happy DAY! Sundays are the best! I slept in, took a shower, and ate… oh wait, that was back in 2006. Sundays with two kids under 7 don’t look like that anymore, but hey, who’s complaining?! 😉 Back in 2006, I didn’t cook my own sticky chicken. Instead, I’d hop over to my favorite Asian restaurant and devour all the chicken, trying to cure a Saturday night hangover… Fun days! Now, I’ve made it a hobby to recreate my favorite take-out dishes, from black pepper chicken stir fry and chicken fried rice to sesame chicken, and these homemade sticky chicken thighs.
Regardless of my 20-something shenanigans, if you want to be extra deliciously awesome today, I urge you to get this sweet and sticky chicken going ASAP. It might not be YOUR world’s best thighs, but it’s exactly what my mouth wants to eat every day, all day. Plus, one more thing that you and I both love—this all happens in just one skillet. Or, even better, one cast iron skillet. Just add a side of steamed broccoli and white rice and dinner is served!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Judging by how closely our food tastes align most of the time, I’m going to guess that you’ll love this sticky chicken just as much as me, and it will be added to your rotation just as it has been a part of mine for a long time.
Spice Rub
- Chili powder: Adds heat and a rich, smoky flavor.
- Paprika: Contributes a mild sweetness and vibrant color.
- Ground cumin: Provides an earthy, warm taste.
- Garlic powder: Adds a savory depth of flavor.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the rub.
- Ground black pepper: Adds a subtle heat and depth.
Sauce
- Honey: Brings sweetness and helps create a sticky glaze.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds tanginess to balance the sweetness of the honey.
For the Chicken
- Unrefined, cold-pressed coconut oil: Used for frying, it adds a subtle coconut flavor.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: They are juicy and flavorful, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Green onions: Used for garnish, they add a fresh, mild onion flavor.
How To Make Sticky Chicken
Let’s get right down to it. I adore this meal for many reasons, one of them being that you actually make your own spicy spice rub, and you get to control the heat. Secondly, the honey sauce. It’s just a combination of honey and apple cider vinegar. I’ve also been dying to try a version of this recipe with the marinade from my honey soy chicken. That’s next!
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F and melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken. Mix together the spice rub ingredients. Rub the chicken thighs with the spice rub.
- Brown the chicken thighs. Cook the chicken in the skillet for 5 minutes on each side until browned. See my stovetop chicken thighs for tips!
- Make the sticky sauce. Combine honey and apple cider vinegar to make the honey sauce. Pour the honey sauce over the chicken and coat well.
- Bake. Put the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with green onions and serve.
What to Serve with Sticky Chicken Thighs
Sticky chicken goes great with a side of white rice or cumin rice and a starter of steamed shrimp shumai dumplings. If you’re not going the Asian-inspired route, try a creamy avocado salad or leafy salad with orzo and feta on the side, or crispy seasoned Cajun fries.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Sticky Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
FOR THE SPICE RUB
- 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 tablespoon unrefined, cold pressed coconut oil
- 6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- sliced green onions, for garnish
FOR THE SAUCE
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Combine the spice rub ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Rub the chicken with the prepared spice rub and toss to coat.
- Melt coconut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until browned.
- Prepare the honey sauce by combining honey and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl; stir until well incorporated.
- Remove chicken from heat and pour honey sauce over the chicken thighs, turning to coat.
- Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from oven and let stand couple minutes.
- Plate and garnish with green onions.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
These are soooooooo good!… I followed the recipe exactly and they were DEEEELICIOUS! My husband even said “could you do this again with the other things we have in freezer?”…… They were a big hit .. very flavorful, tender and something I would definitely serve to company!
This is my husband’s new favorite I tried to give it a 5-star rating, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I love everything about this recipe–quick, easy, tasty, and only one pan to clean!
hi
hi, it turned out well but the honey got burnt in the pan while baking, how do i avoid that?
thanks
NKB
Use a smaller baking dish, …… the bigger pan allows the honey to spread thinly and it will burn when cooking over a longer time at that heat, whereas in a smaller dish the sauce just โpoolsโ in and around the chicken.
Use low heat not high
This was so delicious! Canโt wait to make again next week.
I’m a 100% dark meat girl, and these chicken thighs look AMAZING!! Can’t wait to make this recipe
What are you pouring over the chicken after it is baked? Is that how much sauce it makes while baking?
Yes, there will be a bit of sauce left in the pan to pour over the chicken.
Great recipe! I use olive oil and it turns out delicious. I also like to add a pinch of cayenne to turn up the heat a little bit. I love meals that I can get started on the stovetop and throw in the oven. While it is cooking in the oven, I whip some rice and sauteed greens. This has become our go-to for an easy asian-style weeknight meal. Thanks!
Trying this tonight but I didn’t put cumin only because I’m out. Hopefully is still comes out ok
Hi, I want to make this but donโt have a cast iron skillet, could I brown in pan and then add to a casserole dish and bake?
Hi! Yep, definitely.
can u use chicken breast or tenders?
Hi! Yes, you can use either one of those, but it will need less time cooking, especially for the tenders. Just keep an eye on it. ๐