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    Home » Chicken Recipes » Honey Garlic Chicken

    Honey Garlic Chicken

    Last updated: May 5, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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    This honey garlic chicken is exceptionally juicy and flavorful. The tasty sauce is made with honey, butter, garlic, and Dijon mustard. It's phenomenal!

    While I tend to make chicken drumsticks mostly to please my kids, this is one recipe where we the grownups enjoy this dish just as much as they do.

    Four honey garlic chicken drumsticks served on a white plate.

    This is one of my favorite chicken recipes. I make it often because everyone loves it - adults and kids. It's so juicy and flavorful!

    I usually use chicken drumsticks, but this recipe should also work with bone-in chicken thighs and with whole chicken legs, though you might need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time and loosely cover the tops with foil to prevent them from burning.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing leftovers
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe Card

    Ingredients

    You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this honey garlic chicken. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

    Chicken drumsticks: I use skin-on chicken in this recipe. You can remove the skin if you wish. But I happen to think the crispy skin really enhances this dish.

    Melted butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great. Salted or unsalted are both fine.

    Honey: It has two roles in this recipe. It adds great flavor and also promotes caramelizing.

    Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.

    Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.

    Garlic powder: I prefer it to fresh garlic in this recipe because I feel that it coats the chicken more uniformly than minced garlic would.

    Instructions

    Making this recipe is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

    Prepare the sauce. Whisk together a quick sauce of melted butter, honey, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder.

    Mix the sauce ingredients.
    Mixing the sauce

    Coat the chicken. Brush the chicken pieces with the tasty sauce. I use a pastry brush to do that.

    Coat the chicken with the sauce.
    Coating the chicken with the sauce

    Bake until cooked through. Bake the chicken for 60 minutes in a 350F oven, basting it with a clean brush every 15 minutes.

    Baste the chicken.
    Basting the chicken

    If the tops are darkening too much, loosely cover the chicken with foil and continue baking until it's well-browned.

    Chicken is ready in the baking sheet.
    The chicken is ready!

    Expert tip

    Basting the chicken is important. Not just to help keep it juicy, but also because the sauce tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, so mixing it up every 15 minutes prevents it from burning.

    Frequently asked questions

    At what temperature should I bake honey garlic chicken?

    I normally cook chicken at a relatively high temperature, at least 400 degrees F (this jerk chicken recipe is a good example), and for a relatively short time. I believe it produces juicier chicken in most cases.

    But in this particular recipe, if the temperature is too high, the honey will burn. So I keep the temperature at 350 degrees F and bake for a little longer.

    Can I use mustard other than Dijon?

    I highly recommend using Dijon mustard in this recipe. However, other mustards should work too, although many are too vinegary in my opinion.

    How long should I bake honey garlic chicken?

    That depends on how hot your oven is. In my old oven, whenever I made this recipe, I cooked it for 75 minutes. In my new oven, which I believe is more accurate, I only bake it for 60 minutes.

    The best way to make sure the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer not touching the bone. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.

    Variations

    I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

    • You can use different chicken parts, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. Always aim for an internal temperature of 165°F when cooking chicken.
    • Olive oil can replace the butter in this recipe. I prefer butter, but olive oil is very good too.
    • You can use real maple syrup instead of honey. And if you're on a low-carb diet, sugar-free honey/maple substitutes work too.
    • It's fine to use minced fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Try using 2 teaspoons.

    Serving suggestions

    This is a very versatile main dish that pairs well with lots of side dishes. A few of my favorite side dishes to serve with it are:

    • Spaghetti squash fritters
    • Steamed cabbage
    • Sauteed broccolini

    Storing leftovers

    You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.

    The leftovers don't taste as good as the freshly prepared dish, but they are still very tasty.

    Four honey garlic chicken drumsticks served on a white plate.

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    👩🏻‍🍳 I aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Recipe Card

    Honey garlic chicken topped with parsley.
    4.99 from 275 votes
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    Honey Garlic Chicken

    This honey garlic chicken is exceptionally juicy and flavorful. The sauce - honey, butter, garlic, and Dijon mustard - is phenomenal.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 10 drumsticks
    Calories: 340kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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    Ingredients

    • 10 (4 oz) chicken drumsticks skin on
    • 2 tablespoons butter melted
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil (to save you some serious cleanup later as the honey caramelizes) and grease the foil well.
    • Arrange the drumsticks in the pan. Whisk together the melted butter, honey, mustard, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Evenly pour the mixture over the chicken, brushing all over to coat.
    • Bake, basting with a clean pastry brush every 15 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the juices run clear. In my old oven, it took a total of 75 minutes. In the new one, which I believe is more accurate, it takes 60 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    Basting the chicken is important. Not just to help keep it juicy, but also because the sauce tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, so mixing it up every 15 minutes prevents it from burning.
    If the tops are getting too dark before the chicken is done, loosely cover the pan with foil and keep baking. Sometimes, just a few of them are browning too fast - if this happens, I move those to one side of the pan and cover just them with foil.

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    Nutrition per Serving

    Serving: 2drumsticks | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 566mg | Sugar: 7g
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    DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jessica

      August 24, 2023 at 7:08 pm

      5 stars
      Delish! I will definitely make them again. We had none left!

      Reply
      • Vered DeLeeuw

        August 24, 2023 at 9:26 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Jessica!

        Reply
    2. Robyn

      August 21, 2023 at 9:42 am

      5 stars
      This is my favorite chicken recipe! I add cayenne pepper because we love the sweet-spicy combination.

      Reply
      • Vered DeLeeuw

        August 21, 2023 at 10:45 am

        Cayenne sounds like a great addition, Robyn!

        Reply

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


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