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These Chinese chicken thighs marinate in honey, dark soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds for at least one hour, then roast at 200C (180C fan) for about 35 minutes, turned every 10 minutes. Allow up to 45 minutes if you want the honey fully caramelised. Six thighs serve two, and jasmine rice is the classic side.

I know I would say this but this Chinese chicken thigh recipe is fantastic. It’s fantastic not only because it’s so tasty and yummy but also because it is so easy to make. In simple terms, it’s chicken thighs in a Chinese marinade cooked in the oven for 30 mins or so. But how can something so simple turn out so delicious…

Chinese chicken thighs

Well, my fine foodie friends I’m going to show you…

1. Gather all of the ingredients together

Apart from the chicken thighs, all you need ingredients for is the Chinese marinade. I made dinner for 2 people only so when looking at the printable recipe below just scale up or down depending on how many you are catering for.

For the marinade, all you need is olive oil, honey, dark soy sauce, minced garlic and ginger, some sesame seeds, and seasoning. Easy.

2. Prepare and trim the chicken

I always use free-range chicken simply because it has a better taste. I gauge on 3 thighs per person so I bought for this recipe. The chicken thighs were already bones so almost ready from the start.

Prepare the chicken thighs

You will need to trim the fat from thighs though. Nothing scientific. Using a sharp knife just trim and white fatty parts or sinew inside the thighs. You won’t take a lot off but there will be some to remove.

Trimmed chicken thighs

3. Prepare the marinade

To prepare the marinade just put all ingredients other than the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl and stir well. Remember to add some seasoning too.

Prepare the marinade

Now, add the chicken thighs to the marinade.

Add the chicken thighs to the marinade

And mix it all together.

Marinade the chicken

Once mixed put some kitchen film over the mixing bowl and place the marinade in the fridge for at least one hour.

“When preparing chicken thighs in marinades like soy, honey, and sesame, it’s crucial to let the meat rest in the marinade for at least an hour, preferably longer. This not only enhances flavour but also ensures the thighs remain juicy during high-heat roasting,” says James Callery, Head Chef at The Fairview Restaurant & Bar.

4. Cook the Chinese chicken

The marinaded chicken thighs should be cooked in a pre-heated oven at 200C / 180C Fan. There is no need for a lid when cooking the chicken but do make sure that you turn each thigh every 10 minutes.

The chicken will be cooked in around 35 minutes. However, you may want to cook the thighs for a little longer if you want the honey properly caramelized on the chicken. Those below took around 45 minutes. Just make sure the marinade and chicken do not dry up.

And that’s it my Oriental aficionados. A very simple recipe delivering a wonderfully tasty Chinese chicken thighs. Serve with puffy jasmine rice for a truly traditional Asian experience. Yum!

5. Nutritional values

6. Printable recipe

5 from 2 votes

Print

Chinese Chicken Thighs

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Marinade

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr

 

This Chinese chicken thigh recipe is so simple and wonderfully tasty. A marinade of honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame. Sounds fantastic right? Yum! | theyumyumclub.com

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: chicken, chinese, ginger, honey, sesameseeds, soy

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 551 kcal

Ingredients

• 6 free range chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• Seasoning

Instructions

1. First, gather all of the ingredients together.

2. Now prepare the garlic and ginger by mincing each.

3. Prepare the marinade by placing all of the ingredients in a bowl, barring the chicken thighs, and mixing together.

   

4. Place the chicken thighs in the marinade and cover mix well.

   

5. Place clingfilm on the bowl and place in the fridge for at least one hour.

6. Pre-heat your oven at 200C / 180C Fan.

7. Now place the chicken and marinade into a suitably sized casserole dish and cook in the oven for 35 minutes being mindful to turn the chicken every 10 minutes.

   

8. Once 35 minutes if up the chicken will be ready. However, if you like the honey it a little more caramelized then just leave it for a further 5-10 minutes.

9. And that's it. Wonderful fragrant and sweet Chinese chicken thighs. Serve with jasmine rice and you'll have a true taste of Asia. Yum!

   

Recipe Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate calculated from the ingredient list, not a lab analysis.

More Chinese Chicken Thigh Recipes to Try

That roasted honey-soy version above is my go-to, but chicken thighs are far too good to stop at one recipe. They’re the right cut for Chinese-style cooking because they hold up to high heat, strong marinades, and long braises without drying out. Breast meat seizes the moment a wok gets hot; thighs stay juicy through a hard sear, a 20-minute braise, or a sticky glaze reduction. Below are five more ways I cook them, from a soy-ginger braise for a weeknight to a Kung Pao version with real Sichuan heat, plus a comparison table so you can pick the right one for tonight.

Why Chicken Thighs Beat Chicken Breast for Chinese Cooking

Thighs are dark meat, more fat and connective tissue than breast. That fat renders slowly and self-bastes the meat, so a thigh can sit in a hot wok for eight or nine minutes and come out tender instead of chalky. Breast meat has almost none of that margin: push it past 74°C (165°F) for even a minute and it turns into shoe leather, which is exactly why so many home stir-fries taste dry no matter how good the sauce is.

I’ve made the soy-ginger version below more times than I can count over the past year or so, and thighs win every single time over breast in that recipe. The texture difference is not subtle.

A thigh forgives a hot wok. A breast punishes it. That one fact explains most of why restaurant Chinese chicken tastes better than what people make at home.

How Long to Marinate Chicken Thighs

Thirty minutes at room temperature is the practical minimum for a soy-based marinade to actually penetrate the meat, not just coat the surface. Cornflour-based velveting marinades (used in restaurant-style stir-fries) work faster, closer to 15-20 minutes, because their job is mostly textural rather than flavour-deep. If you have the time, an overnight marinade in the fridge changes the outcome more than most people expect:

• The soy and aromatics reach past the surface into the muscle fibres, not just the outer layer
• Sugar in the marinade (honey, brown sugar) starts a light cure that firms the texture slightly
• Glazes built from an overnight-marinated thigh caramelise faster because there’s more residual sugar on the surface

Wok vs Oven: Which Method Fits Which Recipe

A wok or heavy frying pan is the right call when you want a sauce that clings and reduces in the same pan as the meat, think Kung Pao, honey garlic, orange chicken. High, direct heat and constant movement build the char those dishes need. The oven suits anything with a longer cook time or a thicker cut left whole, like five-spice roasted thighs, where rendered skin matters more than a fast sear. Braises split the difference: sear first, then low, covered heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Soy-Ginger Braised Chicken Thighs

This is the easiest of the five to get right on a weeknight, and it’s close in flavour to the honey-soy roasted version at the top of this post if you fancy something built entirely around that one style.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 900g)
• 80ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 240ml chicken stock
• 2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 2 spring onions, sliced, for serving
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Steps

1. Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a bowl. Add the thighs and marinate at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
2. Heat oil in a heavy frying pan or casserole dish over medium-high. Remove thighs from the marinade (reserve the liquid) and sear 3 minutes per side until golden.
3. Pour in the reserved marinade and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes, turning once.
4. Uncover, stir in the cornflour slurry, and simmer 3-4 more minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
5. Rest 5 minutes, then top with spring onions and serve over rice.

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Sweeter and stickier than the braise, and cooked on the hob rather than in the oven like the roasted version above, this one is built around a fast glaze that reduces right in the pan, so texture and timing matter more than in the braised version.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 60ml honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps

1. Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Pat thighs dry and season lightly with salt. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high and sear thighs 5-6 minutes per side until nearly cooked through.
3. Lower heat to medium, pour the honey-garlic mixture over the chicken, and let it bubble and reduce, turning the thighs every minute so they get coated evenly, about 5-6 minutes.
4. Once the glaze thickens and clings to the meat, pull the pan off the heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and slice.

The second time I made this one, I let the thighs marinate overnight in a version of the glaze instead of just cooking them raw into the sauce like the recipe above, and the difference showed up mainly at the glazing stage: the sauce clung heavier and caramelised noticeably faster in the pan, probably because there was more residual sugar sitting on the surface already.

Kung Pao Chicken Thighs

Real Kung Pao depends on two things most home versions skip: Sichuan peppercorns for the tingling heat and a fast, hot wok so the peanuts and chillies toast instead of steam.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, divided
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6-8 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2.5cm piece ginger, sliced
• 75g roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 spring onions, cut into 2.5cm pieces

Steps

1. Toss chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornflour. Marinate 20-30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat until barely smoking. Add dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, stir 20-30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let them burn).
3. Add chicken in a single layer, let it sear undisturbed for 60-90 seconds, then stir-fry 3-4 minutes until mostly cooked through.
4. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry 30 seconds, then add peanuts, remaining soy sauce, black vinegar, and sugar. Toss to coat, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add spring onions, toss once more, and serve immediately over steamed rice.

I rushed a batch of this once with only a 15-minute marinade because guests were already at the table, and it was noticeably thinner in the pan, less coating, less pepper punch on the tongue. Not ruined, just flatter. Give it the full 20-30 minutes if you can.

Two More Worth Trying: Orange Chicken Thighs and Five-Spice Roasted

Orange chicken thighs follow the honey garlic method above: swap the honey-soy glaze for fresh orange juice, orange zest, rice vinegar, and a spoon of chilli garlic sauce, then reduce it the same way. Brighter and less cloying than most takeaway versions, mostly because you control the sugar.

Five-spice roasted thighs go a different direction. Rub bone-in, skin-on thighs with five-spice powder, salt, and a little oil, then roast skin-side up at 220°C (200°C fan / 425°F) for 30-35 minutes until the skin crisps and the internal temp hits 74°C (165°F). No sauce, no glaze, just the rub and rendered skin, the one recipe here you can put in the oven and mostly ignore.

Which Recipe Should You Make Tonight?

Weeknight speed, sauce style, and heat level are the three things that actually separate these five. If you want fast and mild, honey garlic wins. If you want restaurant-level heat and don’t mind sourcing Sichuan peppercorns, that’s Kung Pao. Here’s how they stack up side by side.

If you already know your way around a wok, Kung Pao is worth the longer ingredient list. On a rushed weeknight, honey garlic or the braise gets dinner out faster with fewer ways to go wrong. Prefer deep-fried crunch over a glaze? General Tso Chicken uses the same marinate-then-sauce logic, plus a batter-fried step none of the five above call for.

Storing and Reheating Chinese Chicken Thighs

All five keep 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. The braise and the two glazed recipes actually improve on day two, once the sauce has more time to soak in. Kung Pao is the exception: reheat it gently or the peanuts go soft.

• Hob reheat (best for sauced versions): low heat, covered, with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce, 4-5 minutes.
• Microwave (fastest): 60-90 seconds at 70% power, covered, stirring halfway.
• Oven (best for five-spice roasted): 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F) for 10-12 minutes to re-crisp the skin instead of steaming it soft.
• Freezing: all five freeze well for up to 2 months in a sealed container; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Skip freezing Kung Pao if you can, the peanuts and chillies lose texture.

Marinating a batch ahead for the week? The soy-ginger version handles it best, since the marinade doubles as the braising liquid and there’s no separate sauce to store. The Honey Soy Pork Tenderloin recipe on the site uses almost the same soy-honey base and reheats the same way: low and covered, never blasted on high, or the sugar scorches before the meat warms through.

FAQ

Do I need to remove the skin from chicken thighs for these recipes?

For the braise, honey garlic, Kung Pao, and orange chicken, yes, boneless, skinless thighs work best because the sauce needs direct contact with the meat to reduce and cling properly. For the five-spice roasted version, keep the skin on; it’s the whole point of that recipe.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs in these recipes?

You can, but expect a drier result, especially in the wok-based recipes where high heat is unforgiving on lean meat. If you substitute breast, cut the cook time by roughly a third and pull it the moment it hits 74°C (165°F) internal.

How long should the chicken thighs marinate?

At least one hour in the fridge, covered, for the roasted honey-soy version. Longer is better – resting in the honey, soy, garlic, ginger and sesame marinade keeps the thighs juicy during high-heat roasting. For the stir-fried recipes, 20-30 minutes is enough.

What temperature and how long do Chinese chicken thighs cook for?

For the roasted honey-soy version, roast at 200C (180C fan) for about 35 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Leave them an extra 5-10 minutes if you want the honey more caramelised. The braised and glazed versions cook on the hob in 20-25 minutes instead.

How do I know when chicken thighs are fully cooked?

An instant-read thermometer reading 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part is the reliable check. Visually, the juices should run clear, not pink, and the meat should feel firm rather than squishy when pressed.

What’s the difference between Shaoxing wine and rice vinegar in Chinese cooking?

Shaoxing wine is a fermented rice wine used for depth and a slight sweetness in marinades and sauces; rice vinegar is sharp and acidic, used to balance sweetness at the end of cooking. They’re not interchangeable, but dry sherry stands in for Shaoxing wine if you can’t find it.

Why is my chicken thigh stir-fry watery instead of sauced and glossy?

Usually the pan wasn’t hot enough or was overcrowded, both of which cause the chicken to steam in its own juices instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed, and don’t add the sauce until the meat has real colour on it.

What should I serve Chinese chicken thighs with?

Jasmine rice is the classic pairing for these honey and soy chicken thighs, and it works just as well with the braised, Kung Pao, and glazed versions.

I hope you enjoyed this journey East. If so then why not try on of the Yum Yum Club’s other recipes. There is a selection below or just click the recipes link at the top of the page.

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As always, many thanks for reading and until next time… Steve.

Steve Deacon

Writer

Hi, I'm Steve, a former member of the dreaded corporate world who's decided to give it all up and do something I wanted to do for a change!

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