Honey Garlic Grilled Chicken (Print version)

Juicy grilled chicken glazed with honey and garlic for a flavorful, savory summer meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Marinade

04 - ⅓ cup honey
05 - ¼ cup soy sauce
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
12 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
03 - Place chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken, ensuring all pieces are fully coated. Seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for enhanced flavor.
04 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat (approximately 400°F). Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Reserve the remaining marinade for glazing.
06 - Place chicken skin side down on grill. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side until deeply browned and internal temperature reaches 175°F on a meat thermometer.
07 - While chicken grills, pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened and heated through for food safety.
08 - During the final 2 to 3 minutes of grilling, brush the cooked marinade over chicken pieces using a basting brush to create a sticky glaze.
09 - Transfer chicken to a serving platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken skin gets impossibly crispy while staying juicy inside, which honestly feels like you've unlocked some secret technique when really it's just good marinating.
  • You can throw this together in 10 minutes, then go do something else while the grill handles the hard work.
  • That sticky glaze catches the fire just right, giving you restaurant-quality char without any fussy techniques.
02 -
  • If you skip boiling the reserved marinade, you're eating raw marinade that touched raw chicken—not worth the risk, and it takes 5 minutes anyway.
  • Don't let the marinade sit more than 4 hours or the acid and soy will start breaking down the meat in a mushy way instead of tenderizing it.
  • The difference between dark skin and burnt charcoal is about 2 minutes, so watch the grill the last few minutes instead of scrolling your phone.
03 -
  • Make the marinade the night before and just grab it in the morning, then your actual cooking time the next day is truly just 10 minutes of hands-on work.
  • If your grill has hot and cool spots, start the chicken on the hot side to get color, then move it to medium heat to finish so the inside cooks before the outside burns.
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