Easy Baked Sticky Chicken Recipe with Hot Honey

This easy peasy Easy Baked Sticky Chicken Recipe with Hot Honey is simple to make and delicious to eat. The sweet honey glaze uses just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand and the chicken cooks in the oven. The chicken gets its sweetness from honey, rather than the brown sugar in similar recipes. The best part is, the cost of this dish as written, qualifies it as a cheap meal and it receives our green badge on the recipe card! This is one of my favorite chicken recipes.

Easy Baked Sticky Chicken Recipe with Hot Honey is sweet with a little heat and oh-so sticky. The flavor of the rice after soaking up the honey garlic sauce is delightful. This dish was inspired by my Meyer Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe which is savory and not at all sweet. I love them both, but sometimes you just want to eat chicken and lick your fingers! Next time I am using boneless chicken thighs with the skin on. For me, the thigh is the most flavorful chicken part. This great recipe has the right amount of spice for the whole family.

INGREDIENTS IN STICKY HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.

INGREDIENT NOTES

• Chicken - You can use any chicken pieces you like, but the best chicken for this recipe is the drumsticks or thighs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used but run the risk of overcooking. Keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chicken. The dark meat retains its juiciness during the oven cooking and picking up a drumstick guarantees you have to lick your sticky fingers!
• Lemon juice - I am partial to Meyer lemons but any lemon will also work.
• Shallot - if you don't have a shallot, finely minced onion will do.
• Garlic - use fresh or frozen cubes of garlic from the freezer aisle at the grocery store.
• Chile - (or crushed red pepper flakes)
• Honey - (hot honey preferred)
• Cooked rice - I prefer white rice, usually Jasmine rice with chicken, but you can substitute brown rice.

STEP-BY-STEP PHOTO INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, (medium-high heat). Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Using tongs, place the chicken pieces into an oven-proof baking dish. Leave space between the pieces for browning.

Pour or brush the chicken with olive oil. Move the chicken around in the oil to coat both sides. Place the chicken in a preheated 350 degrees f oven to start cooking while you prepare the sauce.

Pour the remaining olive oil into a small pot and heat on low. You should have 1-2 tablespoons left from brushing on the chicken.

Add the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the pot.

Cook over low heat for five minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly.

Add the honey. This is what makes this Easy Baked Sticky Chicken Recipe with Hot Honey sticky!

Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the sticky chicken sauce over the top. Use your brush to make sure each piece of chicken is covered with sauce. Continue baking for a total of 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

Baste the chicken with the honey sauce midway through the cooking time. As the chicken cooks and the sticky sauce reduces, it creates a sticky glaze over the crispy chicken skin.

Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving for maximum stickiness.

Serve the juicy chicken over rice with lemon wedges and a vibrant vegetable side dish.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Chicken - Any chicken will do, but dark meat works best for this spicy honey chicken recipe. If you use chicken breasts or wings you will need to reduce the cooking time to avoid drying the chicken out. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to determine doneness.
• Crushed red pepper flakes - I think this recipe has the right amount of heat. If you want a bit less heat, substitute chili powder. If you want flavor but no heat use onion powder or garlic powder. These can be used as a spice rub directly on all sides of the chicken before baking. This method will season the chicken better.
• Rice - I like Jasmine rice with Sticky Lemon Chicken. Brown rice will work just fine.
• Shallot - If you don't have a shallot, a little bit of finely minced onion will work. A red onion will add a pretty color as the shallot does.
• Honey - Real honey is best, but you could substitute agave nectar or light corn syrup in a pinch. Avoid strong flavors like molasses and maple syrup. If you want to go very bold, use hot honey instead of regular honey and cayenne pepper to taste. Yum!
• Garlic -if you prefer you can substitute fresh ginger for half the garlic for a spicy twist.
• Olive oil - Use vegetable oil instead of olive oil to brush

VARIATIONS OF HOT HONEY CHICKEN

• Sticky Lemon Salmon sounds fantastic!
• Sticky Lemon Chicken Wings would be great on game day.
• Sticky Lemon Ribs? I would use a mild rub on the ribs, cook until tender then add the sauce and continue cooking in the oven until the sauce thickens and gets sticky.