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Easy Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe
On the table in about 30 minutes!
Quick cooking boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the base of this quick and flavorful weeknight meal. The chicken cooks in about 20 minutes and then finished in a delicious garlic infused sauce. The sauce is so deliciously sticky, sweet and spicy with a tart citrus tang from fresh lime juice.
We’ve got so much flavor going on here … there’s nothing boring about this chicken dinner!
We were so thrilled with our Spicy Honey Lime Shrimp, we knew it’d be terrific with chicken thighs, too. To add a little more depth to the flavor, we brought soy sauce to the party which turned out to be the perfect compliment for the sweet honey and fresh lime juice.
Can you use other chicken pieces for this recipe?
Yes you can. Chicken tenders, cutlets or chicken breasts are all good choices for this recipe. If using full sized chicken breasts adjust the cooking time to ensure they’re cooked through.
Chicken pieces should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F to be safe to eat. When in doubt, pull out your trusty instant-read thermometer and double check.
Ingredients you’ll need for our Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe
For the sauce:
- garlic cloves
- low-sodium soy sauce
- honey
- fresh lime juice
- salt
- pepper
For the chicken:
- Sriracha dry seasoning
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- parsley for garnish
- lime wedges for serving
How to make our easy Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thighs
- First, combine the sauce ingredients: garlic, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Next, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place on a plate or small baking sheet. Season both sides of the chicken with Sriracha seasoning.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and the chicken in a single layer. Brown the chicken on both sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic lime sauce. Cook the chicken, turning and stirring occasionally, until cooked all the way through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165F.
- Sprinkle the chicken with crushed chili pepper flakes and parsley. Serve over cooked pasta or rice. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
For best results and to avoid burning as the sauce caramelizes, make this chicken in a non-stick skillet.
What can you serve with Honey Lime Chicken Thighs?
Serve this chicken over rice, pasta or anything that will sop up every last drop of the zesty sauce. Crusty bread works great too! Served with a side of steamed broccoli or oven roasted green beans, this chicken thigh recipe is super satisfying and very delicious.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro leaves and sliced lime wedges.
Did you know you can freeze chopped fresh herbs? I don’t like to waste food so if I buy a bundle of fresh parsley or cilantro at the store, I like to use it all before it goes bad.
If you have extra fresh herbs in your refrigerator, too, chop the leaves and pour them directly into an airtight freezer safe container. The herbs won’t even stick together once frozen and retain a good bit of their beautiful color. Whenever you need a garnish or a few tablespoons of fresh herbs, check the freezer for your stash!
Other recipes to make using Sriracha seasoning:
We have several more recipes featuring our favorite Sriracha seasoning. One of the best is these Grilled Chicken Skewers with a Sweet Sriracha Glaze. This chicken is easy, quick and delicious and perfect for a weeknight meal.
If you’re looking for a great way to elevate the flavor of a mild flaky fish fillet, try our Sriracha Grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos. So much deliciousness in every bite and who doesn’t love fish tacos?
Check out our recipe for Spicy Shrimp & Fried Corn and you’ll be amazed at the fantastic flavor combination. It’s a nod to classic Shrimp & Grits with a delicious twist!
Thanks for PINNING!
Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- juice of 1 lime (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha dry seasoning more or less to taste (or substitute your favorite seasoning blend)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes (optional)
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- sliced lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine, set aside.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with the dry Sriracha seasoning blend.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides; 4-5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic lime sauce. Cook the chicken, turning and stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. The sauce will thicken and caramelize and reduce slightly.
- Sprinkle the chicken with crushed chili pepper flakes and parsley, if desired. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta or rice. Garnish with fresh lime slices if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Use a large non-stick skillet so the sauce doesn’t burn as it caramelizes
- Chicken breasts or chicken cutlets can be substituted for the thighs but need to cook a bit longer.
- If you need to use liquid Sriracha sauce, marinate the chicken in enough sauce to coat. Place in a zipper bag and refrigerate until needed. The chicken won’t brown as well, and the flavor is slightly different. We prefer the dry seasoning for this recipe and believe you will too.
Nutrition
More chicken thigh recipes:
For a deliciously flavored baked chicken thighs recipe, try our Oven-Roasted Greek Chicken. Made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts flavored with a simple yogurt based marinade. Bake the chicken pieces until juicy and tender, with nice crispy skin and plenty of flavor.
If you love crispy chicken skin, try our Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Herb Pan Sauce. Tender, juicy and inexpensive chicken thighs are always a terrific addition to the weeknight recipe rotation. Simmered gently in our rich and flavorful pan sauce, these versatile thighs may be your new family favorite!
Finally, if you have plenty of leftover cooked chicken, make these inexpensive, freezable Southwest Roll-ups. They are the perfect grab and go lunch!
Keith Sabin
Wow! Easy to make and an instant hit. It’s funny how light the flavors are on the tongue at first, but linger—pleasingly—as tang and spice, well after the last bite.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Keith! I love this simple chicken and so glad you did too. Great description 🙂
Martha O
Quick, easy and delicious! I added about a teaspoon of grated ginger.. it’s a keeper!
Tricia Buice
Love the addition of the ginger Martha. Brilliant! Thanks for the feedback.
Amanda
Hello! Made this recipe and it was so delicious! I am trying to find more chicken recipes as I find chicken itself to be quite bland so this definitely gave it enough flavor to still enjoy. For the nutritional information, what is a serving size? Curious because I am watching my sugar intake. Thank you for the lovely recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Amanda! Very happy you enjoyed this recipe. The serving size is two thighs. Thanks again.
Jane
Have you tried freezing these? I’m looking to make some freezer meals for a family member?
Tricia Buice
Hi Jane. I have not froze these chicken thighs after making so I’m not sure. However I think it will freeze fine. Might be good to try! Thanks for the great question.
Jennifer
Love this one. This is a pandemic and post-pandemic favorite because it is economical. I use the soy packets from takeout and usually have the rest on hand
Tricia Buice
Thanks Jennifer! So glad you tried this easy recipe. One of my favorites to put on repeat. Enjoy!
Karen
I wonder if you can grill this?
Tricia Buice
Hi Karen. Yes I think this would be great on the grill. Not as saucy but plenty flavorful. Enjoy!
Linda wynn
This was so delicious. We will be adding this to our rotation.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Linda. We appreciate the feedback and are thrilled you enjoyed this easy chicken recipe.
Kimberly Parry
This was amazing! I didn’t have any dry Sriracha seasoning. Instead, I seasoned my thighs with garlic powder, chili powder and paprika. This recipe is a keeper. The house smells so good and my husband loved it!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Kimberly. So happy you enjoyed it!
Jennifer
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both loved it! Can’t wait to make it again. Wondering what it would be like with bone-in, skin-on chicken.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Jennifer! I don’t know if the skin will be crispy but it’s worth a try. Let us know how it turns out!
Michelle Ray
So I had to make some modifications just based on what I had. But this base recipe was amazing!! I didn’t have soy sauce so I used Worcestershire; I didn’t have a lime so I used a lemon, but I added about 4 drops of lime essential oil and 2 drops of ginger essential oil. I didn’t have sriracha seasoning so i used Caribbean jerk seasoning. I combined regular honey with a healthy squirt of Mike’s Hot Honey infused with chili’s. I list all of this because I wouldn’t want someone to miss out on this great recipe just because you don’t have the ingredients. It’s very versatile! Will definitely make again! Thank you! I’m now a subscriber and can’t wait to try others!
Tricia Buice
Wow thanks Michelle! I love what you did with this recipe. It sounds so delicious. So glad you enjoyed it! We appreciate you taking the time to comment and for trying the recipe. Bravo!
Elizabeth
I did not have Sriracha rub so used Z’atar and Aleppo pepper. It was delicious.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Elizabeth! I’m a big fan of Z’atar too. So glad this worked for you 😉
Daniel
Had some friends over tonight and made this- I couldn’t find the dry Sriracha so I used season salt and Ancho Chile Pepper for the rub and added Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to the wet ingredients. Instead of rice, I served it over zoodles.
This will definitely be added to the monthly menu.
I recommend you double the portions and triple the sauce because it is just that good!! Five gold stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and Two thumbs up ? ?
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Tricia Buice
Thank you Daniel! We love this easy chicken. So glad you and your company enjoyed it too.
Beverly
Delicious! Sauce was sticky sweet & spicy. Next time will double the sauce so more to serve over rice. Will definitely be making this again. This is definitely a 5 star recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Beverly! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I could eat this once a week!