Honey Lemon Soy Chicken Thighs

Bake up these honey lemon soy chicken thighs for a quick, easy, healthy, and delightful dinner meal! The lemon, honey, soy sauce, and garlic make tasty roasted chicken thighs that are full of flavor.

I don't know about you, but my family and I get very tired of boring and dry chicken.  It seems like so many chicken recipes these days don't have enough flavor!  Who wants to eat that for dinner?

The solution?? Juicy lemon chicken thighs!! This recipe is super simple and full of wonderful flavors.

The marinade for these honey lemon soy chicken thighs only uses honey, soy sauce, lemon, pepper, and garlic.  These flavors just work so well together.

Looking for more creative ways to prepare chicken for dinner? Try these baked cast iron skillet chicken thighs or these honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Honey lemon soy chicken thighs are made with simple ingredients and packed full of flavor.
• It's a super healthy chicken dish that is sure to be a hit for dinner.
• Easy dinner solution that's perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

The ingredients in the honey lemon chicken marinade are super simple, but they create an amazing depth of flavor. What's even better is that you'll find them all easily at your local grocery store.

• Chicken: For best flavor use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
• Honey: Adds sweetness to the lemon chicken marinade.
• Soy sauce: Gives the marinade a lightly salty, savory flavor.
• Lemons: Adds some acid and brightness to the honey lemon soy chicken thighs.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is my top choice for making this easy chicken marinade.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full list and exact quantities of each ingredient.

How to Make Thighs with Honey Lemon Chicken Marinade

Making this recipe is just as easy as gathering up all the ingredients. I'm covering the highlights here, but you can find the complete directions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1. Season the chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper.

2. Combine the lemon juice with honey, garlic, and soy sauce. Save the lemon halves.

TOP TIP: If possible, marinate the chicken ahead of time. I find the flavors is so much better when you do. Place the chicken and marinade in a large resealable bag. Adjust the chicken pieces periodically for up to 24 hours before baking. Then, just dump the contents into your baking pan and bake until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Pour the mixture over the chicken, place the lemon halves on the baking sheet, and bake.

TOP TIP: Instead of throwing the lemon halves away, you set them aside and add them to your rimmed baking sheet with your chicken to bake. These lemons will help moisten and flavor your chicken as it bakes.

4. Roast the chicken in the baking pan, uncovered, for 55-60 minutes, or cooked through. Basting with the juice periodically to create a glaze on the chicken.
5. Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

• No chicken thighs? Use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts instead. Just extend the cooking time a bit since the breasts are likely larger and thicker.
• Want it spicy? Add red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the marinade to imbue heat into the dish.
• No Lemon? Use lime or oranges instead of the lemon.
• No honey? Use maple syrup instead.
• No soy sauce? Replace with tamari or Worcestershire sauce.
• No garlic? Use one-half teaspoon of garlic powder.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these oven-roasted honey chicken thighs.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Place the thighs in a baking dish with about one cup of broth or water and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until heated through and the skin is crisped.
• Make Ahead: This chicken is best when it's served fresh from the oven. I don't recommend making it in advance.

What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs

Not sure what sides to serve? We recommend trying out a few of these popular ideas of what to serve with chicken.

• Rice, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and vegetables like our sauteed cauliflower are all excellent pairing options to serve with these honey lemon chicken recipe.
• In the summer, add on a salad instead for some no-cook dishes to beat the heat! I love this classic pasta salad, Greek rice salad or a creamy broccoli salad.

Tips

• Grab a pan large enough to hold your chicken with space around each piece. You don’t want the pan so small that you can’t get in there and access accumulated juices to baste the chicken.
• If time allows, marinated the chicken in advance!
• Cooking these lemon pepper chicken chicken thighs at a lower temperature to keep the honey from burning.
• Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, you may need to adjust the cooking time. Use a thermometer (165° F) to determine the doneness.
• Include the squeezed lemon halves between the pieces of chicken inside the baking pan. This will both moisten and add flavor to the chicken as it cooks.
• Baste with the juices at least three times to create a gorgeous glaze. You will be glad you did.

FAQ

Unique Chicken Thigh Recipes 

Do you like chicken thighs? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

This post was originally published in April 2017. It has been updated with new images and content in October 2022.