It's sweet, savory, and a little spicy.
Every week I go to the grocery store and grab chicken thighs. Not only is it one of the most affordable cuts of meat at my store, but it also happens to be one of my favorites. That said, eventually you get tired of making the same chicken recipes week after week, and in looking for new inspiration I turned to our Honey-Garlic Chicken recipe.
If you don’t count oil and salt (or the optional garnish) it only requires 7 ingredients, and they were all things I already had on hand. Even if you don’t, they’re inexpensive pantry staples that will hold in the fridge door. Sweet, savory, and a little spicy this recipe has everything you could want in a weeknight meal.
What’s In Honey-Garlic Chicken?
Aside from the aforementioned honey and garlic, this recipe uses fresh ginger, butter, soy sauce, and the real key ingredient, chili-garlic sauce, to flavor the chicken thighs. I almost always have a jar of chili-garlic sauce in the fridge, and use the spicy and tangy condiment in soups, for dumplings, and in marinades.
What Makes Chili-Garlic Sauce So Delicious?
If you’re unfamiliar, the Asian condiment is made of chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt. It tastes sort of similar to Sriracha (in fact, the maker of the hot sauce also produces a popular version of chili-garlic sauce), but is thicker, garlicky, and contains visible pieces of chili. I have been able to find it at most major grocery stores near me, but you can also order it online and find it at Asian grocery stores, too.
Tips
Chili-garlic sauce and chili sauce aren't the same thing. Chili sauce (like the stuff Heinz makes) is made from tomato paste, so it has a very different flavor profile. It’s typically sweeter, even though it also contains vinegar, and doesn’t have the same consistency as chili-garlic sauce either.
What To Serve with Honey-Garlic Chicken
- One of my favorite parts of this recipe is that I can come home, pop some rice into my rice cooker, and by the time I finish the chicken I have fresh, hot rice ready for me to eat alongside. That said, you don’t have to serve this dish over rice, other grains like farro would be delicious too, as would couscous or mashed potatoes.
- As for veggie sides, we include a quick and easy Bacon-Balsamic Brussels Sprouts recipe to go alongside (it follows the chicken recipe), but steamed spinach, Green Beans With Garlic (if you’re like me and can’t get enough garlic), or Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Orange Zest and Buttery Almonds are all great alternatives.
This article was written by Alana Al-Hatlani from Southern Living and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
