Boneless chicken thigh pieces cook up quickly in the oven (or on the BBQ) with a hot honey glaze. Serve alongside a bright and fresh citrus coleslaw for a quick, easy and flavourful dinner.
I fell in love with this hot honey salmon glaze, so I decided to try it with chicken, too! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cut into pieces, then quickly cooked under the oven broiler with an easy hot honey glaze. The coleslaw with mandarin oranges is the perfect bright and fresh foil for the flavourful chicken, and it is make-ahead friendly.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Boneless chicken thighs – I love chicken thighs for this recipe as they are always moist and less likely to overcook. That said, you can certainly use boneless chicken breasts if you prefer.
Asian chili garlic sauce – I highly recommend chili garlic sauce, for the best flavour. You could substitute sambal oelek, but it will be spicier and you’d need to use about 1/3 of the amount specified. In a pinch, Sriracha would work, though the flavour profile isn’t nearly as nice.
Canned mandarin oranges – Canned mandarin oranges are both an easy option and a great citrus flavour. I recommend getting the ones packed in juice, if possible. Alternatively, you can segment and chop a fresh orange to add to the salad.
Bagged coleslaw mix – Bagged coleslaw mix is a real time saver, but of course, you can slice your own cabbage and carrots for the slaw if you prefer.
How to make hot honey chicken and citrus slaw: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Start by quickly cooking the hot honey sauce on the stovetop.
Step 2: Lay the boneless chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with the hot honey sauce and pop into the oven.
Step 3: While the chicken is cooking, prepare the citrus slaw.
Step 4: When the chicken is done, remove to a cutting board to slice and serve with the citrus slaw.
Recipe tips!
- Boneless chicken thighs will produce quite a bit of liquid as they cook. I like to pour some of it off partway through cooking, so the chicken doesn’t steam/poach in the liquid. This will be less of an issue if you are using chicken breasts.
- If you prefer, you can quickly cook the chicken thighs on a hot BBQ grill, basting with the hot honey sauce a couple of times while cooking.
- I don’t recommend making the hot honey sauce ahead, as it will harden up as it sits. Always cook it up right before using.
Serving tips!
I love the combination of the citrus slaw with the hot honey chicken, but of course, the slaw is optional. Other ideas for a side dish could be a potato salad, oven-roasted potatoes or a flavourful green salad.
Making ahead and storing
The citrus slaw could be made several hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. The hot honey sauce needs to be made right before using (as it will harden if it sits and will not be brushable). I recommend cooking the chicken right before serving, for the best results.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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Get the Recipe: Hot Honey Chicken Thighs and Citrus Slaw
Ingredients
For the citrus slaw:
- 3 cups coleslaw mix
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup neutral-flavoured cooking oil
For the hot honey chicken thighs:
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/3 cup mild honey
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Asian chili garlic sauce, *see Note 1 below
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium recommended
Instructions
- Make the hot honey sauce by adding 1/3 cup mild honey, 1/3 cup white wine vinegar (or rice vinegar), 3 Tablespoons Asian chili garlic sauce (*see Note 1 below), and 2 Tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium recommended) to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and allow the glaze to simmer until thickened and syrupy (coats the back of a spoon), about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside 2 Tablespoons of hot honey sauce, then let the remaining glaze cool for 5 minutes before using.
- While the hot honey sauce is cooling, make the citrus slaw. In a large bowl, combine the 3 cups coleslaw mix, 1/2 medium red onion (thinly sliced), 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup sliced almonds and 1 cup canned mandarin oranges (drained). In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 clove garlic (minced), salt and pepper. Whisk in the 1/4 cup neutral-flavoured cooking oil until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the coleslaw and toss to combine well. Set aside at room temperature to marinate a bit while you cook the chicken.
- With an oven rack in the centre of the oven, set the oven setting to BROIL and allow it to preheat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Unfold the 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs and lay them flat onto the prepared baking sheet. When the hot honey sauce has cooled slightly, brush the chicken generously with about 1/2 of it.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and allow the chicken to cook under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain off some of the excess fat and liquid that has accumulated in the pan. Brush the chicken again with the hot honey sauce and return the pan to the oven to cook under the broiler until the chicken is cooked through (165F when tested with an instant-read thermometer) and the chicken is browned in spots, about, about 5-8 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes. Brush the chicken with the reserved hot honey sauce, then cut into slices. Serve the chicken with the Asian slaw on the side.
Notes
More easy dinner recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
