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A platter of glazed chicken wings garnished with chopped green herbs and sesame seeds, served on a decorative oval plate on a wooden table.

Honey Soy Chicken

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
My simple and delicious Honey Soy Chicken is a failproof recipe that works every time. This savory and sweet dish requires minimal prep and just a few pantry ingredients for an easy weeknight dinner.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Marinating: 3 hours
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 3

Ingredients

  • 1½–2 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) (12–20 pieces, depending on size; or other chicken parts like drumsticks or breasts)
  • 2 Tbsp sake (or dry white wine (e.g., sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio), dry sherry, or Chinese rice wine)

For the Marinade

For the Garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires at least 3–4 hours (and up to 24 hours) of marination time. If you use drumsticks, marinate them overnight. 

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Nami's Tip: Prick the skin of the wings with a fork for faster marination. If you're using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pound them to an even thickness.
    Raw chicken wings in a glass bowl surrounded by small bowls of soy sauce, hot sauce, oil, vinegar, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, chili flakes, sesame seeds, and two stalks of green onion on a wooden surface.
  • Add 1½–2 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) and 2 Tbsp sake to a large bowl. Toss well to coat (I use my hands). Set aside for 10 minutes, turning the wings halfway through.
    Nami's Tip: The sake removes odors and tenderizes the chicken.
    Two side-by-side images: On the left, liquid is being poured over raw chicken wings in a glass bowl. On the right, a gloved hand mixes the chicken wings in the bowl. Both are on a wooden surface.
  • Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup honey, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper in an airtight container (I used my favorite stainless prep tray) or a large resealable plastic bag.
    Two images side by side: left shows hands holding cups of soy sauce and honey; right shows hands holding small bowls of salt and black pepper over a sauce mixture.
  • Crush or mince 2 cloves garlic (I use a garlic press) and add to the marinade. Then, add 1½ tsp toasted white sesame seeds, saving the rest for garnish. Mix well together.
    A person adds sesame seeds to a red marinade in a metal tray, then stirs the mixture with a blue spatula, blending the ingredients together.

To Marinate

  • Pat the wings dry with a paper towel and add to the marinade.
    Close-up of hands preparing chicken wings: on the left, drying a raw wing with a paper towel; on the right, arranging wings in a metal tray with marinade.
  • Toss the wings in the marinade to coat well. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours (and up to 24 hours).
    Nami's Tip: For drumsticks, marinate them overnight.
    Two images: On the left, raw marinated chicken wings are arranged in a metal tray. On the right, the tray is covered with a clear plastic lid, showing the marinated wings inside.
  • Flip the wings a few times while marinating, as the marinade won't cover the wings completely in the container. If you're using a resealable plastic bag, rub the chicken in the bag a few times, making sure it is coated well with the marinade.
    Side-by-side images: left, hands closing a container with marinated chicken wings; right, metal tongs arranging sauced chicken wings in a metal tray on a wooden surface.

To Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove the wings from the marinade and place them on the baking sheet in a single layer, spaced apart. Do not add the marinade, as the honey can burn easily.
    Two images side by side: on the left, raw marinated chicken wings in a metal tray; on the right, two raw marinated wings placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Optional: Cover loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes if you're using a smaller oven or if your wings charred too quickly in the past. Then, uncover to finish cooking and let the glaze caramelize.
    Nami's Tip: Drumsticks usually take 45 minutes. Boneless chicken thighs take 25–30 minutes, while boneless chicken breasts need 20–25 minutes.
    Two images side by side: raw chicken wings spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet on the left, and the same tray of chicken wings placed in an oven for baking on the right.
  • Take out the baking sheet halfway through cooking, close the oven door, and flip the chicken. This prevents the oven temperature from dropping.
    Two images side by side show chicken wings on a parchment-lined baking sheet; one image shows the wings before baking, and the other shows cooked wings with tongs picking one up.
  • After flipping, put the chicken back into the oven to finish cooking.
    Nami's Tip: From this point, watch closely since honey can burn quickly. On the other hand, if the chicken isn’t browning enough, switch to the broil setting for a few minutes once it’s cooked through.
    Two images side by side show chicken wings coated in sauce arranged on baking trays lined with parchment paper, placed in an oven for baking. The left tray has raw wings; the right tray shows wings partially cooked.
  • Remove from the oven once the chicken is cook through, nicely browned, and charred in spots.
    Two images side by side: both show a baking tray lined with parchment paper holding rows of cooked chicken wings in an oven and out of the oven, golden-brown and slightly crispy.

To Serve

  • Transfer to a plate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, optional chopped green onions or chives, and optional shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) for a spicy kick. Enjoy!
    A plate of glazed chicken wings on a white floral dish. In the left image, tongs are being used to arrange the wings; in the right image, a hand sprinkles herbs over them.

To Store

  • Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. To reheat, warm in a toaster oven or oven until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 1054mg, Potassium: 236mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 226IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2mg
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