We go through a lot of Sriracha sauce in my home. It's a regular addition to sauces, dips, and more … to say nothing of how much can get added at the table. I always have it in stock in my pantry for dishes like this spicy sweet chicken dish that gets a soak in a quick marinade before being seared in a cast iron skillet until it's tender and perfect.
If you do not have honey, you can substitute maple syrup, brown sugar, or molasses. The molasses will add a bit of bitterness to the mix, but with everything going on in this marinade, it will be just another flavor to enjoy. If you opt for boneless thighs, reduce the cooking time by about 3 minutes per side and otherwise leave the instructions intact.
This dish wants something fun to pair with it. I opted for an air fried potato and shishito side. If this sounds like a nice option, I have good news for you - that recipe will be showing up here in a couple of days too! Keep your eyes open for it and start making plans for the weekend!
Honey Garlic Sriracha Chicken Thighs
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or gluten free tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
In a shallow bowl, mix the honey, Sriracha, garlic, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice together until well combined. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the marinade out of the bowl and reserve to use for later as a mopping sauce. Add the chicken thighs, turning over to completely cover them in the marinade, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Heat the cooking oil in a cast iron skillet (or grill pan) over medium heat. Sear the chicken in on both sides (approximately 8-10 minutes per side) along with any sauce leftover in the bowl, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle; the skin is crisp and golden browned, and the underside is charred slightly (the chicken will char slightly due to the honey). Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Add the reserved sauce to the hot pan to warm through on medium heat, stirring occasionally while mixing all of the pan juices through the sauce. Brush the hot sauce over the chicken prior to serving.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time