Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs are 10 out of 10 delicious and super easy to make. Everything can be done in one pan. Lightly bread with potato starch. Pan fry the chicken pieces, add the sauce and let it thicken and that’s it.
The Soy Garlic Chicken sauce is perfectly well balanced and the ingredients are simple you will already probably already have it all in your pantry.
Jump to:
- What you need for Soy Garlic Chicken
- How to make Spicy Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
- AIR FRY OR OVEN BAKED
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- How to reheat and store Soy Garlic Chicken
- Top tips for success
- Soy Garlic Chicken - FAQs
- Related
- What to serve with Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Easy Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
What you need for Soy Garlic Chicken
Chicken
- chicken thighs, boneless skinless
- potato starch
- all purpose flour
- garlic powder
- salt
- black pepper
- neutral oil for pan frying
- garlic, minced
- stalks green onion (green and white parts separated)
- red chili flakes
Sauce
- chicken stock (sub: water & chicken bouillon)
- honey
- rice vinegar
- dark soy sauce
- cornstarch
Garnish
- Green onion (green part)
- Sesame seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Spicy Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
- SOY GARLIC CHICKEN SAUCE: combine all the sauce ingredients ½ cup chicken stock (or sub with water and chicken bouillon), 3 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mix then set aside.
- CHICKEN: Dry the boneless skinless chicken thighs with a paper towel.
- Mix the potato starch, flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper on a large plate.
- Lightly coat the chicken thighs on both sides.
- Heat enough neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- SOY GARLIC CHICKEN SAUCE: In the same pan, add the minced garlic, the white part of the green onion, and red chili flakes and saute for 3 minutes until the garlic is golden brown.
- Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the chicken back to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and covered with the glossy sauce.
- Serve it with your favorite veggies and steamed rice.
AIR FRY OR OVEN BAKED
- Instead of frying the chicken, you can bake it or air fry it until crispy golden brown.
- In a large skillet, saute the aromatics (garlic and green onions), add the sauce to thicken up, and add the chicken.
Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breasts or chicken drumsticks instead of thighs.
- Potato starch: Cornstarch or all-purpose flour can be used instead of potato starch.
- Garlic powder: Fresh minced garlic can be used instead of garlic powder.
- Grapeseed oil: Any neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola oil can be used instead of grapeseed oil.
- Better than Bouillon chicken flavor: You can use chicken stock or chicken broth instead of Better than Bouillon.
- Cilantro: If you don't like cilantro, you can use parsley or scallions instead.
Variations
Kid-friendly: You can make the sauce less spicy by omitting the red chili flakes or reducing the amount of dark soy sauce. You can also cut the chicken thighs into smaller pieces to make them more manageable for kids.
Low-carb: Instead of potato starch, you can use almond flour or coconut flour to coat the chicken.
Gluten-free: Make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce and chicken broth if you need to make this recipe gluten-free.
Oven-baked or AIR FRYER: Instead of frying the chicken, you can bake it or air fry it until crispy golden brown. In a large skillet, saute the aromatics (garlic and green onions), add the sauce to thicken up and add the chicken.
Equipment
- I love using a large skillet or a wok for this.
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons
- Bowl
How to reheat and store Soy Garlic Chicken
To store leftover Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs, allow the dish to cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. The container should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-4 days.
To reheat the chicken, you can use one of the following methods:
- Microwave: Place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish and cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. Heat on high for 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.
- Oven or Air Fryer: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.
- Skillet: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of oil or butter. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
No matter which method you choose, be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken with a food thermometer to ensure that it has reached a safe temperature of 165°F.
Top tips for success
Here are some top tips to successfully make Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs.
- Make sure everything is prepped and ready before cooking. This comes together quickly. It makes everything go smoother.
- LIGHTLY bread the chicken. You don't want chicken to be heavily breaded. The breading is to create a nice light crust.
- Double the recipe of the sauce. The sauce is a great sauce throughout the week. I like to make it ahead of time and just get the sauce out from the fridge when I am ready to cook with it.
- If you don't want to pan-fry, simply air fry or bake the chicken until crispy and add the crispy chicken to the sauce.
Soy Garlic Chicken - FAQs
Combine all the sauce ingredients ½ cup chicken stock (or sub with water and chicken bouillon), 3 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mix then set aside.This mixture will be the base for your Soy Garlic Sauce.
Soy garlic is a combination of savory, salty, and slightly sweet flavors with a prominent garlic taste. The garlic adds a pungent and fragrant flavor to the soy sauce, while the soy sauce adds a salty and umami-rich taste.
The sweetness in soy garlic sauce can come from various sources, including honey or sugar, which helps to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce and the garlic. Additionally, some recipes may include other ingredients, such as rice vinegar or dark soy sauce, to add depth and complexity to the flavor.
You do not need to marinate the chicken for this recipe. Lightly coat, pan fry and add the sauce.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
What to serve with Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this dish.
Easy Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs
Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs are 10 /10 delicious and super easy to make. Everything can be done in one pan. Lightly bread with potato starch. Pan fry the chicken pieces, add the sauce and let it thicken and that’s it.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4
Ingredients
Chicken
1 lb chicken thighs boneless skinless
3 tablespoon potato starch
3 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon neutral oil for pan frying
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks green onion (green and white parts seperated)
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Sauce
½ cup chicken stock (sub: water & chicken bouillon)
3 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Garnish
Green onion (green part)
Sesame seeds
Instructions
- SOY GARLIC CHICKEN SAUCE: combine all the sauce ingredients ½ cup chicken stock (or sub with water and chicken bouillon), 3 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mix then set aside.
- CHICKEN: Dry the boneless skinless chicken thighs with a paper towel.
- Mix the potato starch, flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper on a large plate.
- Lightly coat the chicken thighs on both sides.
- Heat enough neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- SAUCE: In the same pan, add the minced garlic, the white part of the green onion, and red chili flakes and saute for 3 minutes until the garlic is golden brown.
- Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the chicken back to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and covered with the glossy sauce.
- Serve it with your favorite veggies and steamed rice.
Notes
- Make sure everything is prepped and ready before cooking. This comes together quickly. It makes everything go smoother.
- LIGHTLY bread the chicken. You don't want chicken to be heavily breaded. The breading is to create a nice light crust.
- Double the recipe of the sauce. The sauce is a great sauce throughout the week. I like to make it ahead of time and just get the sauce out from the fridge when I am ready to cook with it.
- If you don't want to pan-fry, simply air fry or bake the chicken until crispy and add the crispy chicken to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: mains
- Method: pan fry
- Cuisine: asian
Emma
Chicken Thighs are my favorite. Thanks
Monroe
wingstop level goodness 🤯
Nacy
This is unbelievable and a must make!! My family absolutely loved (including my picky kids).
Carmen
That is so good to hear
Janet Trentson
So easy to make, and absolutely delicious!!! Kids loved it and my husband has requested it three times in 2 weeks! Really good 😊
Amy Woo
Wow, this was amazing!!!! Thanks Carmen, absolutely loved this!!!
Carmen
Thank you!
Susan Seymour
in your recipe instructions you don't mention when to add honey or the Chicken better than bouillon.
Unless I missed it ..
Carmen
Hi Susan, I am sorry it was unclear, I have updated the recipe card. It is at the very beginning with combining all the sauce ingredients. I hope you enjoy them!
Felisa
the taste is amazing, I just wished my thighs had gotten that nice color, they were more of a pale brown.
Sofia
+1… she never mentions when to add the soy honey sauce in. I’m trying it after the garlic is sautéed?
Carmen Spillette
Hi Sofia, sorry for the confusion. The step to add the sauce in is STEP 9. Hope that clarifies it.