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A skillet with chicken and limes

Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe

Published on April 2, 2018 Updated on February 11, 2023 By: Tricia Buice
5 from 50 votes

Boneless skinless chicken thighs in a delicious garlic infused sauce that's sticky, sweet and spicy, with a tart citrus tang from the lime juice

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Easy Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe

Skillet with chicken thighs coated in a garlic, lime, honey sauce garnished with lime wedges


 

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.

A skillet filled with chicken thighs in a garlic, lime, honey sauce garnished with lime wedges

Ingredients you’ll need for our Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe

For the sauce:

For the chicken:

How to make our easy Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thighs

  1. First, combine the sauce ingredients: garlic, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

A skillet with chicken thighs in a sauce garnished with lime wedges and parsley

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!

 

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A close up of chicken thighs in a spicy sauce with lime wedges
A skillet with chicken and limes

Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4
Course: Main Course
Author: Tricia
Pin RecipePrint RecipeRate Recipe
5 from 50 votes
Boneless skinless chicken thighs in a delicious garlic infused sauce that's sticky, sweet and spicy, with a tart citrus tang from the lime juice.

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

  • 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 information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

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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113 Comments

  1. Lizzie

    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!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      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 🙂

      Reply

  3. Els

    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?

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      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?

      Reply

  6. Susan

    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 😉

    Reply

  8. Karen

    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.

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      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!

      Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      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!

      Reply

  10. Pam

    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

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      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!

      Reply

  13. Liz

    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!!!

    Reply