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    Home > Meal Type > Main Dishes

    Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Chicken

    Updated: Jun 22nd 2021 โ€ข Published: Jul 28th 2015 โ€ข 25 Comments

    Jump to Recipe SaveSaved! Pin Recipe
    3 pictures of honey soy chicken with text in the middle
    Honey Soy chicken thighs on a plate with text overlaid at top
    honey soy chicken with rice and text overlaid

    This Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Chicken is one of those easy recipes that will have the whole family asking for seconds.

    The chicken thighs are sticky, with saltiness from the soy sauce, a sweetness from the honey and a wonderful richness from the sesame oil.

    There is no need to marinade the chicken plus everything is baked in one pot, creating one of those sauces that just begs to be spooned over rice. A delicious, simple dinner!

    Close up on the caramelized top of the honey soy chicken

    Hands up who loves no stress oven baked dinners? My hand is so high in the air! I am doing that thing school kids do where they stretch so high that their bottom almost leaves the seat! If I can put it in a roasting tin and stick it in the oven then I am happy, it means for 50 minutes I can supervise homework, clear the table of coloring equipment and various Lego models, fold washing or just relax with a glass of wine โ€“ Ha who am I kidding.

    Check out the table of contents below for questions and tricks to make this Honey Soy Sesame Chicken. Or to just jump straight to the recipe for the chicken, you can use the purple steaming pot button over to the left or the link in the box below. But after checking out the recipe come back up here and read the hints and tricks in the post, they help you to cook this dish perfectly, plus there are some drool worth pictures!

    Jump Menu

    • How to Make a Sticky Honey Soy Sesame Chicken
    • Can I leave out the Fennel Seeds
    • Is this Honey Soy Sesame Chicken Saucy?
    • Can I use any Onions?
    • Do you Marinade the Chicken?
    • Top Tip For Baking Sticky Chicken.
    • What Dish to use for Honey Soy Sesame Chicken?
    • What Temperature to Bake Chicken Thighs at?
    • How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 400ยบF/205ยบC
    • Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Chicken Recipe

    How to Make a Sticky Honey Soy Sesame Chicken

    The recipe starts with a simple mixture of:

    • Honey
    • Soy Sauce
    • Apple Cider Vinegar
    • Sesame Oil
    • Garlic
    • Black Pepper
    • Fennel Seeds (Optional - See below)

    This combination mixes with the sliced onions to make a delicious sauce that cooks into the chicken and also serves as a sauce to pour over the finished dish.

    Can I leave out the Fennel Seeds

    You sure can. If fennel isn't your favorite flavor then just leave the fennel seeds out of your dish, it will still taste great. I love the slight Chinese anise flavor they give to the dish, but the other flavors in this Honey Soy Sesame Chicken give the dish bags of flavor.

    close up on a chicken thigh garnished with sesame seeds with rice in the background.

    Is this Honey Soy Sesame Chicken Saucy?

    Yes! This recipe makes plenty of sauce, it thickens slightly in the oven, but it isn't a jammy thick sauce, it is perfect for pouring over the chicken and plenty of fluffy rice. And those onions!!! They melt and soften into the sauce! Making it even more delicious!

    To get a Thick Sticky Jammy Glaze on your Chicken

    If you prefer very little sauce, that is very sticky and jammy then once cooked, remove the chicken and place the dish of sauce back in the oven for 10 minutes, this will thicken the sauce up and give you more of a glaze you can spoon over the chicken.

    split picture showing the chicken in a roasting tin with plenty of sauce

    Can I use any Onions?

    You sure can! I specify red onions in the recipe, but you can use, red, white or brown onions for this recipe. I think even green onions would work with the flavors, but they wouldn't melt into the sauce in the same way.

    Do you Marinade the Chicken?

    No, the sauce has so much flavor that there is no need to marinade the chicken. In fact, I find that this can actually water down the flavor of the sauce as marinating can sometimes draw the moisture out of the chicken making the sauces watery.

    a grey plate with honey soy chicken, rice and roasted broccoli on it

    Top Tip For Baking Sticky Chicken.

    The honey in the sauce makes this dish messy on the cleanup! And no one wants to be scrubbing burnt on honey from their roasting/casserole dish.

    Many recipes will suggest you line your dish with foil, this can be great for clean up, but it also means you have to be careful when plating up your Honey Soy Sesame Chicken. The foil can rip and stick to the bottom of the chickenโ€ฆ.have you ever bitten down on foil? YUCK! (Especially if you have a brace!)

    My top tip is to line your dish with foil and then line the foil with parchment paper.

    a roasting tray line with foil and parchment paper

    This makes clean up easy and also stops foil sticking to your chickenโ€ฆWINNER!

    Also if you start with the chicken upside down in the dish, bake for 20 minutes and then turn over, it will soak up even more of the delicious honey soy sesame flavors and still be nicely caramelized on the top.

    What Dish to use for Honey Soy Sesame Chicken?

    This chicken needs to be cooked in a dish rather than on a tray. A tray means the sauce dries out too much and you aren't left with a nice rich sauce. You want to use an ovenproof dish where the chicken fits comfortably with a little space between them. This allows the sauce to evaporate and thicken but not dry out too much.

    6 chicken thighs in a metal roasting tray with sauce around them

    What Temperature to Bake Chicken Thighs at?

    The chicken thighs want to be cooked at 400ยบF/205ยบC. This is gas mark 7.
    If you have a fan assisted oven then reduce this to 380ยบF/190ยบC.

    How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 400ยบF/205ยบC

    The chicken will take 45 minutes in a 400ยบF oven.
    This leaves you with juicy chicken, a sticky slightly thickened sauce and meltingly tender onions.

    What to serve with Honey Soy Sesame Chicken

    • Rice
    • Roasted Broccoli
    • Mantou - Steamed Buns
    • Honey Soy Cauliflower
    sticky chicken thigh garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds

    If you love oven cooked dinners then check out my other favorite oven baked chicken recipes.

    • Peri Peri Chicken
    • Easy Garlic Chicken Parcels
    • Baked Greek Chicken Thighs
    • Rotisserie Style Chicken Pieces
    • Dill Pickle Stuffed Chicken
    • Baked Chicken Breast with Tomatoes
    • See all Oven Baked Chicken Recipes

    Enjoy x



    Pin this recipe for Honey Soy Sesame Chicken.ย Pin it here.

    close up of a sticky chicken thigh on a grey plate with rice behind
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    4.59 from 12 votes

    Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Chicken Recipe

    This Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Chicken is one of those easy recipes that will have the whole family asking for seconds. The chicken thighs are sticky, with saltiness from the soy sauce, a sweetness from the honey and a wonderful richness from the sesame oil. There is no need to marinade the chicken plus everything is baked in one pot, creating one of those sauces that just begs to be spooned over rice. A delicious, simple dinner!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Asian Inspired
    Servings: 4 -6
    Calories: 358kcal
    Author: Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
    For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout
    Need Metric Measurements?Use the options below to toggle between cups and grams (if relevant)
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    Ingredients

    • 1 red onion
    • 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
    • 3 tablespoon honey
    • 3 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ยฝ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • handful fresh cilantro/coriander

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat the oven to 220ยบC/fan forced 200ยบC/Gas mark 7
    • Line a roasting tin with foil and then a sheet of cooking paper.
    • Slice the onion into thick wedges.
    • Separate the pieces and lay them in the bottom of the lined roasting dish.
    • Lay the chicken pieces on top,smooth side down.
    • In a small bowl mix together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil.
    • Mix well until the honey dissolves.
    • Crush or finely chop the garlic and add it to the honey mix.
    • Stir in the pepper and fennel seeds.
    • Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix well until everything is well coated.
    • Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the chicken over. Roast for a further 25-30 minutes until caramelized.
    • Remove from the oven and give the chicken a stir to ensure everything is covered in sticky sauce.
    • Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and chopped cilantro/coriander and serve.

    Notes

    Serving suggestions
    Fluffy white rice
    Roasted broccoli - Get the RECIPE here
    Steamed Mantou buns - Get the RECIPE here

    Nutrition

    Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 958mg | Potassium: 631mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sprinklesandsprouts or tag #sprinklesandsprouts

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris Bentsen says

      January 11, 2023 at 4:37 am

      Can you use chicken breast .I am making this tonight. Yum.

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        January 12, 2023 at 1:15 pm

        Hi Chris,
        You can definitely use the marinade on chicken breasts.
        They will need less cooking time though. Depending on the size of the beasts, between 15 and 25 minutes.
        Hope that helps
        Cx

        Reply
    2. Lee Cummuskey says

      January 31, 2022 at 10:11 am

      Hi there. I wanted to cook a large serve and wonder can leftovers be frozen and eaten at a later date? Cheers, Lee

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        February 01, 2022 at 6:31 pm

        Hi Lee,
        You can freeze leftovers, they also keep well in the fridge for 4 days (they are great stuffed in wraps)
        Hope that helps
        Cx

        Reply
    3. King J says

      January 30, 2019 at 12:17 pm

      How many ml are your tablespoons please? (Official Australian tablespoon is - weirdly - 20ml, while the rest of the world uses 15ml)

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        February 03, 2019 at 3:14 pm

        Hi King J,

        I am in Australia so I know the issues with tablespoons, it makes recipes hard to follow sometimes doesn't it.

        Because the rest of the world uses 15ml tablespoons my recipes are written using those.

        Hope that helps ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply
    4. Tricia says

      December 14, 2018 at 9:43 am

      Iโ€™m a bit confused about the broccoli. You mention turning chicken when you add tbe broccoli but no broccoli in ingredient list?

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        December 16, 2018 at 11:14 am

        Hi Tricia, I will update the recipe to make it a little clearer. The Broccoli is one of the suggested sides in the recipe notes section.
        It works really well with the chicken and can be cooked in the oven at the same time.
        Hope that helps ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply
    5. Ryan says

      August 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      If I were to make this recipe a few hours in advance, would it be okay on low in the oven or reheated?

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        August 15, 2018 at 1:53 pm

        Hi Ryan, I have not tried keeping it in a low oven, but I think it would be okay as long as it was kept covered.
        But I have reheated this with a lot of success. When it cools the sauce goes very thick but I add a teaspoon or so of boiling water to it and then reheat and it has been perfect.
        I hope that helps ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply
        • Ryan says

          August 15, 2018 at 1:54 pm

          5 stars
          You're a star! Thank you so much for your super quick response. Can't wait to try this ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
          • Claire McEwen says

            August 15, 2018 at 1:56 pm

            You are welcome ๐Ÿ˜€
            I hope you love it as much as my family does.
            (P.s any leftovers are great in a rice salad for lunch)

            Reply
    6. Beatrice says

      September 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm

      4 stars
      This looks delicious, i will have to try this recipe. Sure it will be amazing.

      Reply
    7. Erica says

      May 03, 2016 at 7:08 am

      I tried to make this recipe but it did not turn out how it sounds or looks in the picture. I didn't add fennel seeds to the mixture but the sauce was running and didn't really stick to the chicken, nor did it become sticky while cooking. Not sure where I went wrong.

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        May 03, 2016 at 11:53 am

        I am so sorry to hear that Erica.

        I've noted a couple of things below, perhaps one of these could have been the issue.

        1. Ensure once you pour the soy mixture over the chicken that you put it in the oven right away. It doesn't need to be left to marinate. That tends to pull juice from the chicken which will water down the sauce.

        2. The chicken needs to be in a pan where it isn't too snug. There needs to be space between the thighs to ensure that sauce thickens.

        3. If the chicken was previously frozen it could have absorbed water, which would water down the sauce, make sure it is fully defrosted and dried on kitchen paper.

        4. Did you first cook the chicken upside down for the first 20 minutes and then turn them over (this helps to get the top glazed)

        Hopefully one of these will help ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Paulene says

      March 30, 2016 at 6:45 am

      Can this be made without the seeds... My husband has a medical condition that has a dietary retriction against seeds of any kind.

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 30, 2016 at 6:54 am

        Hi Paulene,

        I have made it without the sesame seeds on top before and it was still lovely, but I have never tried it without the sesame oil that is in the sauce. If your husband can eat nuts then I would try substituting in a nutty tasting oil like walnut or macadamia nut oil.

        Hope that helps

        Claire x

        Reply
    9. Marvellina @ What To Cook Today says

      October 14, 2015 at 11:24 am

      This looks amazing !! I don't know what that lady put in her chicken that she decided to confront you with her rude comment !! Probably not what you listed on your recipe lol !! I'm pinning this!!! looks scrumptious!!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        October 15, 2015 at 12:12 am

        Thank you Marvellina. I hope you love it as much as we do ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Tania | My Kitchen Stories says

      August 21, 2015 at 8:37 pm

      Perfect bake in the oven holiday for busy people. It does look very delicious

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        August 22, 2015 at 2:07 pm

        Thank you Tania ๐Ÿ™‚
        I love anything that cooks in the oven and gives me more time to get things done/look at pinterest ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply
    11. Beth says

      July 30, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so good. Will be pinning this one as everyone loves sticky asian chicken. And yes my hand was so high in the air too!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        July 30, 2015 at 3:13 pm

        Thank you Beth, I agree very few people will turn their noses up at sticky chicken ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply
    12. [email protected] says

      July 30, 2015 at 4:12 am

      5 stars
      Claire - you are a god. Well, goddess. This is sensational! I have to make this! I have a basic recipe I use for the oven but yours is better. And also, the double lining - great tip! I usually just use foil and I have to be careful about bits of foil sticking! Sharing - and saving!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        July 30, 2015 at 8:58 am

        Ha, thank you Nagi, that is the first time I have ever been called a goddess! I am going to bask in the glory of it all day ๐Ÿ™‚
        So glad you like the recipe, it is a winner in our household.
        As for cooking paper, I'll do anything if it means an easier clean up ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply

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