Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Skillet (Print)

Tender chicken thighs in honey garlic glaze with pineapple and bell peppers in one skillet.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch

→ Sauce

05 - 1/3 cup honey
06 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
07 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional

→ Vegetables and Fruit

11 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
13 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
14 - 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
15 - 3 green onions, sliced
16 - Sesame seeds for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with cornstarch and shake off excess.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sriracha if using. Set aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add bell pepper pieces and pineapple chunks. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly caramelized.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and pour sauce over all ingredients. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, turning chicken once, until cooked through and sauce thickens.
06 - Uncover skillet and cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes if needed to reduce sauce to a sticky glaze consistency.
07 - Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice or quinoa.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means fewer dishes and more time actually enjoying your meal.
  • The sauce gets sticky and glossy in a way that makes you feel like you did something fancy, even though you didn't.
  • Chicken thighs stay incredibly tender and forgiving—they're harder to overcook than breasts, which takes the stress out of it.
  • The sweet and savory balance with that tropical pineapple hit feels indulgent without being heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt turned into steamed chicken instead of seared chicken, and it changed everything once I fixed it.
  • If your sauce isn't reducing, your heat might be too low or the lid might be trapping too much steam. Uncovering it at the end is the move that transforms it from a regular sauce into that sticky, caramelized glaze.
  • Pineapple juice is sweet, so taste the sauce before serving and add a splash more vinegar if it needs balancing.
03 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—that brown crust on the chicken is where the flavor development happens, and it sets you up for success before the sauce even goes in.
  • If you want the sauce thicker, uncover it for the last few minutes of cooking. If it's reducing too fast, lower the heat slightly and add the lid back on because you want to reduce it gently, not burn it.
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