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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 is finished in a delicious garlic infused sauce that’s 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, I knew it would be terrific adapted for chicken thighs. 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 accordingly to ensure they’re cooked all the way through.
Chicken pieces should reach an internal temperature of 165F 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. Cook until the chicken is browned 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.
As mentioned above, this chicken thigh recipe is best cooked in a non-stick skillet to avoid burning as the sauce caramelizes.
What can you serve with Honey Lime Chicken Thighs?
These cooked chicken thighs are terrific served over rice or pasta, basically anything that will help you sop up every drop of 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?
Finally, check out our recipe for Spicy Shrimp & Fried Corn and you’ll be amazed at the fantastic flavor combination in our nod to classic Shrimp & Grits.
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!
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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.
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Daniel says
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 👍 👍
😋😋
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Daniel! We love this easy chicken. So glad you and your company enjoyed it too.
Beverly says
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 says
Thanks Beverly! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I could eat this once a week!
Yolanda Otero says
Thank you for a Very Tastey,Simple,and Fun dinner to make
For my Lover. He really Enjoyed it Me too
Tricia Buice says
So glad you enjoyed this chicken Yolanda. It’s on repeat at our house!
Jennifer Velasquez says
I have made this two times during the pandemic and really enjoyed it both times! Its fairly easy and the sauce really thickens up nicely.It’s a bit sweet but over all well balanced
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer! Glad you enjoyed these chicken thighs. A favorite of mine for sure 😉
Donna says
Didn’t use crushed red pepper flakes. It was perfect. It might have been too hot for me. Great easy recipe. Thank you.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed it.
Candi says
Could you do this recipe with bone-in thighs?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Candi. Yes you can but will need to cook them longer. Enjoy!
Lorraine says
OMG heavenly. I did do my own version. I did Maryland’s and scored the meat to the bone then marinated the meat for 1 hour before cooking. Thank you for the inspiration just loved
Tricia Buice says
Sounds terrific Lorraine. Thanks for trying the sauce and for letting us know how it turned out. Yum!
Lynn says
So good and quick to make!No dry Sriracha blend so used others suggestions as a substitute. Did have the sauce so I added that to the honey mixture. Sweet heat!
Tricia Buice says
So glad you enjoyed it Lynn! Love the changes – and happy it worked out well. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Norma Robinson says
What would be the cooking time if I used bone in chicken thighs with the skin removed?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Norma – I would sear the thighs with the skin on, then remove the skin once browned. This will build a little extra flavor into the sauce. Brown the thighs for about 10 minutes on each side. You don’t have much time to finish cooking the thighs in the small amount of sauce, so they need to be mostly done before adding the honey mixture. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes in the sauce. You may consider doubling the sauce to make sure it doesn’t dry up while cooking the chicken. Hope this helps – good luck!
Candace says
Spicy and sweet is my favorite flavor combination and this recipe definitely hit the spot! I didn’t have any of the sriracha rub so I used a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne instead and it turned out amazingly delicious.
Tricia Buice says
I love your substitution! Those seasonings sound perfect. So happy you enjoyed the chicken. It’s one of our favorites!
Cloe says
I make this recipe once a week! It’s amazing! You have to try it! You can always substitute the Sriracha seasoning if you don’t have it. I mix cayenne, paprika, cumin, garlic and chilli powder, it does the trick 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Outstanding Cloe! Thanks so much for the feedback. I love this flavors of this chicken and it’s so easy to make too. Thanks again!
K M S says
Mine did not come out as pretty as yours but it was so delicious! Thank you!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you for the feedback Katy! So glad you enjoyed it.
Tiffany says
Thank you so much for this recipe! As a young adult that just moved out of my parents house this recipe was easy to follow and turned out amazing! I marinated the chicken in the honey garlic sauce for about 2 hours before cooking and it really added to the flavor.
Tricia Buice says
Congratulations on your big adventure Tiffany! So glad you picked this recipe to try. It’s perfect for young adults, who are working and need something easy and quick. Best wishes for a fabulous new year!
Marylyn says
I made this for lunch,doubled the recipe so we can have it for dinner too. I didn’t have the sriracha powder so I used the crushed red pepper flakes , added onion powder and sweet paprika, cut up the chicken into bite size pieces before cooking added the sauce per recipe and set it aside. I stir fried shredded cabbage, carrots and sweet peppers and seasoned it with oyster sauce and served the chicken over the cooked vegetables. For dinner I served the chicken over cooked Asian vermicelli. Both were super delicious.
Tricia Buice says
Wow Marylyn – this sounds wonderful! I love that you cut the chicken up and I adore cabbage – this is just brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Hope you’ll get some sriracha and try that next time – such great flavor. Thanks again.
Heather says
Could I cook this in the oven instead? If so, how long do you think the chicken would need to cook?
Thank you!
Tricia Buice says
Hi Heather! I have not tried cooking this in the oven. But I would think they need 20 to 25 minutes at about 350F. Not sure how this would work if you’re not stirring the sauce around. Also, I like to make this in a non-stick skillet so the sauce does not burn. I don’t think this will work as well in the oven, but perhaps it’s worth a try. Good luck and thanks!
Michele says
I made these to day. Yummy! I did not have the dry sriracha. I used Tajín Classico salsa en polvo with lime. I added fresh grated ginger root to the garlic honey mixture. Served the chicken and sauce over rice noodles garnished with cilantro and lime wedges. Served with cole slaw made with grated ginger root, red onion and lime olive oil dressing. Delish!
Tricia Buice says
Sounds great Michele – thanks for letting us know! I like the addition of ginger – yum!!!
Alberta says
I made this tonight for dinner. I didn’t have any sriracha powder so I made my own chicken rub. I doubled the sauce part of the dish and made steamed vegetables and poured the sauce over the vegetable mix and cut the chicken for on top. My family loved it. Thank you.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much for the feedback Alberta – my family loves this too and I love that you included vegetables in the sauce. Spicy, sweet and juicy – all the things I love about this chicken!
George says
Thanks for the recipe, it was a quick and delicious meal! I couldn’t locate the dried sriraccha seasoning so I just used the sauce from a bottle and it was tasty. For the sauce, I added a small amount of corn starch to improve the thickening and sautéed onions and mushrooms for flavor.
Meegan says
I just finished making this recipe. It smells lovely, but my sauce didn’t thicken or caramelize. I wonder if I did something wrong. I tried following the recipe as closely as possible. The only difference is the lime juice. I just used lime juice, I didn’t squeeze it from a lime.
Tricia Buice says
Hi Megan – I’m not sure what happened but maybe it was the bottled lime juice. I know honey varies greatly in thickness so maybe it just needed to boil down a little longer. I hope you enjoy it anyway. Please try again – and cook until it thickened. Thanks for trying the recipe!
K. Hobson says
I made this with skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into fourths, because it’s what I had. I didn’t have sriracha powder, but used some sauce. It seemed bland to me so I also added minced onion, lots of fresh minced garlic and grated about an inch of fresh ginger in the sauce. At the end it still seemed a little bland so I added some chili pepper flakes and more honey and lime. If I make this again I will probably use thighs instead of breasts, add some sweet pepper strips and more onion, maybe broccoli, even more fresh garlic and hot peppers. It was tasty, but I’ve made better and this can be improved. I don’t mean to sound critical, but I’ve cooked for over 40 years.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks for the comment K. I think you would have found it to be much more flavorful if you had used the chicken thighs and the powered Sriracha seasoning. It is pretty intense and so good with the lime juice and honey. Your “new” recipe sounds great too – I may just have to give your version a try. Thanks for sharing and for reading the blog.
Marlene says
Made this last night and Mr. Fussy deemed it a keeper! A nonstick pan is a must; the sauce is sticky and cleanup would be tough otherwise! I didn’t have the dry Sriracha so used a different rub mixed with regular Sriracha and marinated the chicken for about an hour. (I tried to make the dry Sriracha in the oven but must have used too much/spread too thick, because much of it doesn’t crumble well, even after longer baking…it’s pretty sticky.)
Tricia Buice says
Wooohooo! Thank you so much Marlene Sounds like you adapted it well. Sorry the Sriracha powder didn’t turn out – try making it really thin like in the photos. Marinating sounds wonderful too – great adaptation! Thanks for the feedback, so happy you and Mr. Fussy liked it.
Julia Bita says
Hi there, what are the calories for 2 porttions of chicken thighs? I want to try this however I just started a fairly strict diet following my calorie intake. Thank you!
Tricia Buice says
Hi Julia – I haven’t added that feature to my site yet – but I’m working on it! Good luck on your diet, it’s a life long battle for me 🙂
Sandy says
I made this recipe tonight. What a great combination of flavors – it was a hit!! Next time I may garnish with sliced green onions.
Fab recipe – thank you!!
Tricia Buice says
Yeah! Thanks for the feedback Sandy and for trying one of our recipes. We love this delicious chicken and serve it often. Thanks again … so glad you liked it!
Lizzie says
Recipe looks great, thanks! But … a question … you suggest using a non-stick pan … but your pictures look like stainless steel …? Or maybe you found non-stick that looks like stainless? I use only stainless but will give this recipe a whirl because it looks so dang good!
Tricia Buice says
Haha – I made this chicken in a large non-stick skillet but moved it to the stainless steel for photos because the sauce shows up better in a lighter color pan. That’s the only reason they were not photographed in the nonstick pan – mine is very dark. I like that you’re paying attention and hope you’ll give this recipe a try! This chicken is so good 🙂
Sarah says
Hi Tricia,
Do you have the nutritional information for this dish (including carbs)? It sounds great!
Tricia Buice says
Hi Sarah – I do not have it calculated for this recipe. I am trying to get that added to my recipes. This recipe is a keeper and I hope you’ll give it a try.
Els says
The chicken thighs were tasty and we loved the spicy flavor. The sauce thickens as described and was served over a rice blend. Even with the extra lime wedges the sauce seemed a bit too sweet. Not sure how to fix that. Any ideas?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Els. Thanks for the feedback. I guess you could decrease the amount of honey, but of course that will affect the sauce and how thick it becomes. If you add more lime juice that will also thin the sauce. We didn’t think it was very sweet, so maybe you had better honey?
Rachel says
Just made this tonight for dinner! Yummy & got good reviews to save
the recipe!!
Thank you for sharing it!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Rachel! We love this chicken and it’s so easy to make too. A real winner all the way around. Thanks again for trying our recipe 🙂
Val says
This looks delicious! Do you have the nutritional info for this recipe?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Val – no I don’t sorry.
Susan says
I made something very similar last night for dinner, although I used lemon juice and some brown sugar too. I absolutely love this type of chicken! Your photos are making my mouth water, Tricia 😉
Tricia Buice says
Hi Susan – I bet the lemon was really good, and brown sugar …yum! We love this chicken too. So easy and delicious 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
handmade by amalia says
Another wonderful recipe, Tricia, it looks quite delicious.
Amalia
xo
Tricia Buice says
Thanks so much Amalia. Hope you are doing great!
Karen says
I tried the Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh recipe and it was delicious.
It wasn’t as pretty as yours, but tasted very good. Thanks for the recipes on your blog.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much for letting us know Karen! Our readers like to know how it goes. I really, really love this recipe and think about making it all the time – haha. Glad you liked it too and thanks for giving it a try!
Monique says
We love thighs to and everything Asianish! Will look for the spice..although my sauce seems to last forever..you?:)
Tricia Buice says
Hi Monique! If you have the sauce you can make this. Squirt some onto a baking pan lined with parchment or a silpat mat. Bake it in the oven at about 200F for an hour or so until it’s dried out. Crush it up and you have Sriracha seasoning!
Pam says
Great flavors here, Tricia and love that spiciness! I have been looking at the grocer’s for the Sriracha Seasoning, with no luck. Guess I will go to Amazon and look now. Thanks for this recipe, it sounds like a keeper! Take care
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Pam – I wish everybody had Sriracha seasoning, there are lots of different brands out there. Must be a southern thing? Hope you get some and give this a try – so good!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Gosh, these look so full of flavor! Who could resist? Such a pretty dish, too. Great recipe — thanks so much. 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks John – we’re really loving spicy foods lately!
marcie says
What a mouthwatering recipe Tricia! I love these flavors and can’t wait to try this delicious chicken!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Marcie – I know you’re going to love it as much as we do 🙂
Liz says
I always have chicken in the freezer and many nights I repeat the same dishes over and over! SO glad to have this delicious recipe to try—-and an excuse to pick up some sriracha seasoning!!!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Liz – I bet you’re going to love this one 🙂
Gerlinde says
I am a huge fan of chicken thighs and are always looking for new recipes. This one looks delicious, I have to try it.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Gerlinde – if you like a full flavored chicken dish, this is the one – so easy too!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I love spicy food and I haven’t seen that Sriracha seasoning, I’m going to look for it today!
Tricia Buice says
Me too – this is a winner for sure!
2pots2cook says
Yes; I freeze herbs as well. This is perfect to use four seasons; also, pinned this lovely idea for week dinner. Thank you so much !
Tricia Buice says
Thank you!
Larry says
Looks awesome Tricia
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Larry 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Love that you brought this great sauce to chicken, too! Looks perfect 🙂 Can’t wait to try this!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer – this is sooo good!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Chick thighs taste so tender and yummy even simply poached in ginger/onion water, let alone with a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce like yours…heavenly!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Angie! My husband wants to know how often we can eat these delicious chicken thighs – so we will have it often!
Chris Scheuer says
Happy Monday Tricia! This is not only a gorgeous looking dinner, the flavors sound fabulous. Yes, I would want to enjoy every little drop of that wonderful sauce!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Chris! Hope you get to make it soon, it has so much delicious flavor. Thank you!