Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

This honey garlic chicken is exceptionally juicy and flavorful. The sauce - honey, butter, garlic, and Dijon mustard - is phenomenal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings drumsticks

Calories 340kcal

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil (to save you some serious cleanup later as the honey caramelizes) and grease the foil.
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 75 minutes. In the new one, which I believe is more accurate, it takes 60 minutes. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F as measured by an instant-read thermometer not touching the bone.
Baste the chicken one last time and serve.

If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
I use skin-on chicken in this recipe. You can remove the skin if you wish, but the crispy skin greatly enhances this dish.
I typically use chicken drumsticks, but you can use other parts and adjust the cooking time. If using bone-in chicken thighs or chicken leg quarters, add 10-15 minutes to the cooking time and cover the chicken with foil if it gets too dark on top. Always aim for an internal temperature of 165°F when cooking chicken, and check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer not touching the bone.
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.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power, or in a 350°F oven for about ten minutes or until heated through. You can also enjoy them cold.
The leftovers can be frozen in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat them in the microwave or oven.