Asian Chicken Thighs

Serving Asian chicken thighs on a bed of white rice.

When you want a quick and easy dinner that can be prepped ahead and cooked at the last minute, these Asian Chicken Thighs are my go-to. This honey ginger garlic chicken recipe has it all and the marinade comes together in minutes. The chicken thighs can soak for as little as 30 minutes to an hour in the Asian marinade, but they’re even better when marinated all day or overnight.

A jar of Asian chicken marinade with red chilies.

Asian flavors like ginger, garlic, soy sauce and a touch of honey make my mouth water, and I use this combination in many Asian-inspired dishes like Pork Lo Mein Stir Fry, Snow Peas with Garlic and ginger, Sugar Snap Peas Recipe, or Sweet Spicy Chinese Beef Noodles.

Why this recipe works:

  • It marries traditional Asian flavors with everyday chicken thighs.
  • The marinade is ready in about 5 minutes.
  • It’s a great make-ahead dinner and can be assembled up to a day ahead.
  • It’s also great for last-minute marinating, as long as you have thirty minutes to an hour to soak your chicken thighs in the Asian marinade.
  • The Asian chicken thighs cook in under 30 minutes and have a crispy, golden skin.
  • The recipe is scaleable for a larger crowd.

Ingredients:

  • Asian Chicken Marinade – This marinade recipe uses lime zest and juice, rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil with garlic, ginger and onion. A little soy sauce and fish sauce (nam pla) deepen the umami flavors and work especially well on chicken (you can use it on drumsticks or chicken breasts too). Use this marinade for pork tenderloin or beef flank steak too.
  • Chicken Thighs – I prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this Asian recipe; however, you can also use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Boneless chicken thighs will take less time to cook (about 18-20 minutes at 450°F).
Chicken thighs in a plastic storage bag and the asian marinade ready to pour over them.

Directions:

  1. Assemble the Asian chicken marinade.
  2. Place the chicken thighs (or other meat) into a zip-top food storage bag and pour the marinade over your protein.
  3. Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag. Massage the Asian marinade into the chicken thighs. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour (on the countertop) or overnight (in the refrigerator).
  4. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and spray with nonstick vegetable spray.
  5. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and arrange on the rack, leaving an inch or two between the chicken so they don’t touch.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165°F. (Stick the probe into the center of the thigh without touching the bone to get an accurate reading).
Adding Asian marinade to the chicken thighs.

Pro-Tips:

  • You can make the Asian marinade for the chicken thighs a day or two ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to season the chicken.
  • Before marinating the chicken thighs in the Asian marinade, reserve about 2-3 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl. After the chicken has been cooked, use a basting brush to brush the reserved marinade over cooked Asian chicken thighs. This adds a last-minute pop of flavor to the meat and skin.
  • You can add fresh herbs to the marinade and the cooked chicken for garnish. We like cilantro, parsley, mint and Thai basil.
Marinating the chicken.

Variations:

  • For a full sheet pan dinner, toss fresh vegetables like sliced onions, peppers, cauliflower or broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables beneath the wire rack to roast at the same time as the chicken.
  • Sprinkle the Asian chicken thighs with green onions, sesame seeds, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
  • If you don’t have honey, you can substitute brown sugar in the marinade.
  • Instead of baking the Asian chicken thighs, sear them in a large skillet, in an air fryer or on the grill. Cooking times will vary depending on which method you use. Ensure doneness by checking the internal temperature with an Instant Read thermometer.
Arranging chicken thighs on a

Storage

  • Wrap leftover Asian chicken thighs in an airtight container or in foil and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • To reheat, preheat the oven to 350° and warm the chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan for 10-15 minutes.

The end result is moist, tender and full of flavor — in other words a dinner triumph!  

Baked chicken thighs on a wire rack.

You will love the crispy skin, juicy flesh and deep flavors in these Asian chicken thighs.

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We like to garnish with a squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of extra sliced chilies if you’re into heat.   

There is enough marinade in one recipe for about 2 pounds of chicken thighs, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you have a larger crowd.

Serve the Asian chicken thighs on a bed of white rice.

What to serve with Asian style chicken thighs:

A juicy baked chicken thigh served with rice and snap peas.

More baked chicken recipes:

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Asian chicken thighs over a bed of sticky white rice.
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4.72 from 7 votes

Asian Chicken Thighs

The simple Asian chicken marinade transforms ordinary chicken thighs into something juicy, flavorful and sublime! The longer the poultry soaks in the marinade, the better.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian Inspired
Keyword asian, chicken thighs
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Low-Carb
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

INGREDIENTS:

For serving

  • steamed white rice
  • lime wedges
  • sliced green onions
  • fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

  • Place the chicken thighs in a zip-top plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. With your hands work the chicken thighs into the marinade until well coated.
  • Place the bag on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for at least one hour; 8-10 hours or overnight is even better.
  • Preheat the oven to 450°.
  • Line a rimmed sheet pan with tin foil and set a wire baking rack over the foil. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and pat them dry with a paper towel. Arrange the chicken on top of the wire rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until skin is crispy and meat is cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F).
  • To serve, arrange the chicken breasts over a bed of white rice. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1151mg | Potassium: 304mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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55 Comments

  1. Christi Dasher says:

    5 stars
    Made it with a spicy Korean cucumber salad. It was a hit in my house!

  2. Pat Stoddard says:

    5 stars
    My boyfriend’s daughter, her 25 yr old son and 7 yr old daughter all loved the chicken. Actually they enjoyed everything I served which was your French potato salad, the crunchy Brussel sprout slaw and the spicy roasted carrots. The carrots were from my garden and not only were they delicious, the presentation is pretty elegant looking. I had some huge radishes that I quartered and added with the carrots. It’s so satisfying to experiment with new dishes and have them all turn out delicious. You never disappoint . Thanks Lisa.

    1. Wow, Pat! You’ve been a busy cook this weekend! So glad your family enjoyed EVERYTHING.

  3. Oh My, these look so juicy and I seriously wanna grab them right out of the screen. Love the citrus flavors you’ve going on here Lisa. Pinning to try them soon.

  4. Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says:

    Wow those are gorgeous! Love that beautiful brown crispy skin! These would be a huge hit in my home.

  5. This would be fantastic for dinner! We love Asian inspired dishes.

  6. Perfect weeknight meal! Love recipes with prep you can do ahead of time! My kids are going to love this one!

  7. Wow look at that color on the chicken! Gorgeous! I am with you about dinner – if it’s just me, I am eating a bowl of cereal and maybe some chocolate. But my husband is a different story. He is all about a hot dinner. But I can never get him to eat dark meat chicken. Would I have to change anything in the cooking time/temp to make this with bone-in breasts instead?

    1. I don’t think so — bone in, skin on breasts should do fine — unless they are particularly large. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer!