Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken

Name: Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 Chicken Thighs, skin on and boneless; Some Salt, to season; Some Pepper, to season; Some Cornstarch; 3 tbsp Butter; 5 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Soy Sauce; 2 tbsp Mirin; 2 tbsp Honey; 1 lemon of Lemon Juice; 1/2 tbsp Lemon Zest; 1/2 tsp Paprika; 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); Some Sesame Seeds

This Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken features crisp-skinned, cornstarch-coated chicken thighs tossed in a glossy, sweet-and-tangy sauce brightened with lemon and garlic. Quick to make yet restaurant-worthy, the pan-fried chicken is finished by basting in a honey-soy reduction studded with warm spices for a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and zesty flavors. Serve over steamed rice for a comforting weeknight meal.

This Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken features crisp-skinned, cornstarch-coated chicken thighs tossed in a glossy, sweet-and-tangy sauce... Show more

By Genius Eats · Original recipe·

Health Grade

D+ · Occasional

Time

25 min

Price

1,04 €

Calories

577 kcal

low calorie

Method

Wash the lemon

Give the lemon a quick scrub under cool water, then dry it well. Since you're using the peel too, cleaning and drying it first keeps the zest fresh and easy to grate.

Prep lemon and garlic

Finely grate 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice into a small bowl, catching any seeds. Peel the garlic cloves and mince them very finely so they melt into the sauce instead of sitting in harsh little bits.

Season the chicken

Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Season both sides well with salt and pepper, then dust them lightly with cornstarch, shaking off any excess so the coating stays thin and helps the sauce cling instead of turning pasty.

Whisk the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest with soy sauce, mirin, honey, paprika, chili flakes, and black pepper until smooth. Make sure the honey is fully dissolved so the sauce reduces evenly in the pan.

Sear the chicken

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Lay the chicken skin-side down in the dry pan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, pressing lightly for the first 30 seconds, until the skin is deeply golden and most of the fat has rendered. Flip and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the chicken is nearly cooked through.

Finish the glaze

Lower the heat to low and add the butter to the pan. When it melts, stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds just until fragrant; don't let the garlic brown. Pour in the whisked sauce and let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice and spooning the sauce around it, until the glaze is glossy and thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.

Rest briefly

Move the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 2 minutes while the sauce settles and clings in the pan.

Serve and garnish

Serve the chicken with the sticky lemon-garlic sauce spooned over the top, then scatter on sesame seeds. If you like, slice the chicken before plating so the sauce can run into all the juicy layers.