Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs with Honey Lemon Chili Glaze

6 ingredients + salt, pepper, and oil are all you need to prepare this recipe

This recipe is seriously sooooo easy. The marinade (chili garlic sauce + lemon juice) becomes the glaze (just add honey) which becomes a gorgeous sweet and spicy syrupy sauce. I like to serve the chicken on a bed of wild rice and greens, but if you have other ideas, please do as you like.

For example, swap the rice and greens for buttermilk whipped potatoes or crispy fried potatoes and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Also, I might like to come over for dinner, please?

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are best in this dish. The quick pan-fry makes the skin deliciously crispy and the meat holds up well to the robust spicy sauce. I also like to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts because it's much harder to overcook chicken thighs. Cook chicken breasts to just over 165° F and they immediately start to dry out. Not so with chicken thighs. It's important to pay attention to temperature, but you've got a bit more wiggle room.
• Chili garlic sauce is typically found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets. The brand I find most often in supermarkets across the country is made by Huy Fong Foods. The other option, and the one you'll see in this photo, is to use Calabrian chili and garlic sauce which is usually found in the Italian or specialty food aisle of supermarkets.
• Fresh lemon juice and honey. The marinade, glaze, and sauce for this chicken are made from 3 ingredients: Chili garlic sauce, honey, and lemon. That's it. There's quite a bit of lemon in there, so it's a good idea to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. However, I know there are times when fresh lemons that are ripe and juicy are hard to come by. When that happens, I try to find Santa Cruz Lemon Juice which tastes almost as good as freshly squeezed.
• Rice + greens: I love to serve this simple chili-glazed chicken over a bed of rice and greens. There's something magical about the combination of spicy-sweet chicken, creamy rice, and fresh lemon-dressed greens. I usually reach for wild rice when I make this dish, but any kind of rice will do. For the greens, use whatever you like or whatever you have.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Mix the lemon juice and chili garlic sauce together in a zip-top bag or other airtight container. Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and rub the chicken around in the bag to coat with the marinade. Let the chicken sit in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, and up to 6 hours.

Cook the rice according to package instructions.

Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until it's shimmering. Working with a few pieces of chicken at a time, remove the chicken from the bag and place it skin-side down in the hot oil. *Reserve the marinade! Sprinkle salt over the chicken and let cook until the pieces release easily from the bottom of the pan and the skin is browned. Flip the chicken over, sprinkle salt over the skin and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.

Flip the chicken over, sprinkle salt over the skin and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.

Remove the chicken from the pan and place it skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish that's big enough to hold the chicken in one layer.

Pour the marinade in the zip top bag into a microwave-safe container and stir in the honey. Microwave the mixture for 45 seconds, just to melt the honey.

Brush the glaze over the top of the chicken. Roast in a preheated 450°F (232°C) oven until the chicken registers 165° F (74° C) on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with a piece of aluminum foil.

Pour the pan juices and any remaining marinade into a 3-quart or larger saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it has reduced to the consistency of maple syrup or honey.

To serve, toss some washed greens with lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper. On each plate, pile a handful of greens. Top the greens with about ½ cup of rice. Top the rice with 2 pieces of chicken, drizzle with a bit of honey chili glaze, and serve.

A few more for those of you who like to keep it spicy

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to leave a comment and give it a rating.