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Home / Mains

Sticky Chinese Chicken

Juicy chicken braised with a honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic makes a succulent dish for a Chinese feast.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

10/24/2020
4.37 from 47 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 12 pieces
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 25 minutes mins
sticky soy chicken on a plate garnished with green onions
sticky chicken in a pan and ready to eat
sticky Chinese chicken ready to eat

A plate of sticky Chinese chicken with chopped green onions

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This recipe for Sticky Chinese Chicken makes deliciously sticky, chicken with a honey soy glaze that everyone will love. This dish is perfect for casual entertaining.

Serve with my Best Ever Fried Rice for a better than takeout dinner at home.

sticky soy chicken on a plate
Pin This Recipe For Later!

I love Asian food.  It’s packed full of flavor and simple to make.  What better combination is there?  I had some drumsticks which I planned to use to make my Oven Fried Chicken recipe with but didn’t realize I was out of breadcrumbs.

I had to think fast so I took a quick inventory of what I had on hand and decided to try making my Slow Cooker Honey Soy Glazed Chicken with chicken on the bone and baking it instead of using the crock-pot.

My Sticky Chinese Chicken recipe was born. I know you’re going to love this as much as I do!

Why This Recipe Works

  • Fresh ginger adds a delicious kick to the sauce.
  • Honey helps make the sauce a silky texture and gives you a lip-smacking glaze that can’t be beat
  • Using low sodium soy sauce cuts the saltiness and balances the flavors perfectly.

How to make sticky chinese chicken

  1. Sear the chicken, brown on both sides.
  2. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes.
  3. Make the sauce.
  4. Add the baked chicken to the sauce.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

Step by Step Instructions

Sear the chicken.

Chicken legs seasoned with salt and pepper being seared in a pan.

Brown the meat on all sides.

Chicken drumsticks with golden brown skin being seared.

Once the chicken brown on all sides, remove it from the pan and bake them in a separate pan for 15 minutes.  

The cooked Chinese chicken in the pan with shiny brown sauce.

While the chicken bakes make the sauce and then coated the chicken, return it to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes (turning it once and covering it a second time with the sauce 1/2 way through).

It’s that easy!  Serve and enjoy!

A close up of chicken drumsticks smothered in a sticky brown sauce and garnished with sliced green onions

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

  • Chicken Wings
  • Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Cutlets
  • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Francaise

FAQs

Is soy sauce healthy?

Soy sauce is high in sodium, which is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure but is lower in sodium than table salt. I like to use a low sodium brand which makes it healthier.

How Do You Store Soy Chicken

You can store the sticky chinese chicken in an airtright container in the fridge for up to three days. Freeze in an freezer-safe container for up to four months (defrost thoroughly before reheating).

Rate This Recipe

Click here to leave a star rating!

A plate of sticky Chinese chicken with chopped green onions

Recipe

Sticky Chinese Chicken

Juicy chicken braised with a honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic makes a succulent dish for a Chinese feast.
4.37 from 47 votes
Print
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
Serves 12 pieces

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 12 chicken legs or thighs
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • ½ inch fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
  • 4 green onions (sliced into rounds)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup dark soy sauce (true dark soy sauce should not be salty it’s more for color & some flavor)
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup cold water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F/200C
  • Coat the chicken in the cornstarch and season chicken with a salt and pepper.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove from the pan and place the chicken in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
  • While the chicken is baking, start the sauce in the same pan you brown the chicken in. If needed, add the rest of the oil to the pan. Quickly saute the green onions, garlic, and ginger together for about a minute just to soften and release the flavors.
  • Lower the heat and add the honey, dark & light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and black pepper. Mix until combined. Slowly add the water and stir to combine. Mix in the brown sugar stirring until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil to thicken. Once thickened, remove from heat.
  • After the chicken bakes for 15 minutes, pour the sauce over the chicken and coat thoroughly.
  • Return the chicken to the oven and bake another 15 minutes, turning the chicken and cover with sauce again if needed halfway through.
  • After 15 minutes, make sure the chicken is cooked through. If not, turn again, cover with the sauce and bake until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Serve and enjoy.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 340 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 301mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Created by Erren Hart
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4.37 from 47 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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43 responses

  1. Diane Kukla Avatar
    Diane Kukla
    05/21/2025

    The sauce never thickens

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      05/21/2025

      Thanks for trying the recipe! If your sauce isn’t thickening, a few things might help:

      – Make sure to bring the sauce to a boil after adding all the ingredients—this activates the thickening process.
      – Let it simmer a bit longer if needed. It should reduce and thicken as it cooks.
      – If it’s still too thin, you can mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the sauce while it’s simmering to help it thicken up quickly.

      Hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out if you give it another shot!

      Reply
  2. Pam H Avatar
    Pam H
    01/31/2024

    Tender and juicy! Love it!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/01/2024

      So glad you loved it, Pam!! Thank you for giving it a try and leaving feedback for us! 🥰

      Reply
  3. Jen Avatar
    Jen
    05/10/2023

    This is one of those recipes where you make it, and want to eat more and more if it but you’re just too full! FABULOUS!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      05/11/2023

      Thank you for the rave review! Happy cooking!

      Reply
  4. Jen Avatar
    Jen
    04/04/2023

    I don’t know when the last time is I’ve made a new recipe that threw my taste buds into orbit. This certain dud!! I nade Asian Zudles on the sade thst was just as fabulous!!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      04/06/2023

      I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the Sticky Chinese Chicken recipe! It’s great to hear that it was a hit with your taste buds. The idea of pairing it with Asian Zoodles sounds like a great combination – I may have to try that myself! Thanks for sharing your feedback and enjoy your future cooking adventures.

      Reply
  5. Kyle Avatar
    Kyle
    12/29/2021

    I made the sauce as a stand alone sauce and it may be the best sauce I’ve ever had. I just let it reduce in the pan and added some cornstarch water to thicken and it’s fantastic.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      12/30/2021

      Thank you for stopping by and letting me know Kyle, I love to hear this, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  6. Chris Simons Avatar
    Chris Simons
    10/19/2021

    I haven’t made this yet but I know it will be delicious You can’t go wrong with these ingredients.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      10/20/2021

      Thank you Chris, let me know how it goes when you do make it 🙂

      Reply
  7. Biviana Medina Avatar
    Biviana Medina
    09/25/2021

    This recipe was delicious!!! Best chicken ever. I didn’t use dark soy sauce just light and I added garlic powder chili flakes and some Sazon for color it was so so yummy definitely going in my personal recipe book

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      09/26/2021

      Hi Biviana, thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback. Glad you enjoyed the recipe so much! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Pickle ThiccSenpai Avatar
    Pickle ThiccSenpai
    09/03/2021

    yum i made it for the wiki staff they loved it

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      09/05/2021

      Fantastic, I love to hear this 🙂

      Reply
  9. Ally Tan Avatar
    Ally Tan
    11/21/2020

    I just used chicken pieces and assembled every thing in roughly inaccordance with the recipe. After 10mins in the oven I transfered the coated chicken pieces onto a wire rack and gave them a further 10 minutes, so that the coating crispened up. The chicken was so moist & flaverful The only thing missing for me was a touch of chilli heat, but i will remember that for next time. Great recipe, many thanks.

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      11/21/2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ally 🙂

      Reply
  10. MrBeast Avatar
    MrBeast
    06/23/2020

    It so tasty and it’s easy to make

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      06/23/2020

      Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
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