A white plate containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

On the busiest nights, we all need some reliable chicken recipes to save the day. This is my fail-proof, super easy Honey Soy Chicken that works every time.

Savory and sticky sweet, my family never seem to have enough of these chicken whenever I cook up a batch. I hope the recipe will come in handy on your busy days too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • So delicious!
  • Requires minimal, pantry-friendly ingredients.
  • Simple prep work.
  • Highly flexible –  I used drumettes for its tender dark meat and quick cooking time, but you can use any other cuts of chicken like breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or wings. If you like to fire up the grill or smoker, this recipe works great too.
A baking sheet containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

3 Ingredients Marinade for Honey Soy Chicken

The tasty marinade requires only 3 ingredients:

  1. Soy sauce
  2. Sake
  3. Honey

The savoriness from the soy sauce and the slight sweetness from the honey not only imparts a wonderful flavor to the chicken but also a shiny golden glaze on the surface. The sake or Japanese rice wine tenderizes the meat and helps remove any odor. If you couldn’t find sake, you can substitute it with dry sherry. 

All you need is to combine the mixture in a large ziplock bag. Add in the chicken, make sure each piece is well coated, and let it marinade. When ready to cook, pop them into the oven and bake for 40–50 minutes until golden. The results are tender, juicy drumettes that everyone will love. 

Japanese bento box containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

Pack Your Chicken Leftovers in the Bento!

If you cook up a big batch for leftover, you can remove the meat from the wings and shred it into pieces and pack it into a bento lunch box with tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette), cherry tomatoes, sauteed cabbage, fruits, and onigiri (rice balls). 

A white plate containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

What to Serve with Honey Soy Chicken

When the chicken is baking in the oven, I would prepare steamed rice, a simple salad, and miso soup. In no time, a delicious, healthy dinner is ready for the family!

This Honey Soy Chicken makes an ideal candidate for a weeknight dinner. Because they are so fun to eat, my family also enjoys them on movie nights. 

More Delicious Japanese Chicken Recipes

A white plate containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

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A white plate containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings
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4.76 from 87 votes

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. Make extra and pack the leftovers in tomorrow‘s bento lunch!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Marinating: 3 hours
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients 
 

  • 1½–2 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) (12–20 pieces all varied depending on size; or other chicken parts; if you use drumsticks, marinate overnight for more flavor)
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the Marinade

  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup soy sauce (use gluten-free or tamari soy sauce for GF)
  • 2 Tbsp sake (or substitute Chinese rice wine or dry sherry)
  • crushed garlic (optional variation)

For the Garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires at least 3–4 hours (up to 24 hours) of marinating time. 
    Gather all the ingredients.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken Ingredients
  • Pat dry 1½–2 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) with a paper towel to remove the moisture.
    Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Pound the breasts to an even thickness.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 1
  • Combine ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp sake in a resealable plastic bag (an airtight container).
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 2
  • Prick the wings all over with a fork. Season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 3
  • Add the wings to the plastic bag (or the airtight container), squeeze the air out, and seal the bag. Rub the wings through the bag to coat them with the marinade. Let the wings marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours (up to 24 hours), flipping a few times. If you use drumsticks, increase the marinating time.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 4

To Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Place the wings on a baking sheet, in a single layer, without adding marinade.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 5
  • Bake for 40–50 minutes, flipping and basting them halfway through.
    Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 25–30 minutes
    Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: 20–25 minutes
    Nami's Tip: To prevent the honey from burning, cover the chicken with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking, then uncover it to finish and caramelize the glaze. To brown the chicken, switch to the broil setting for a few minutes after the chicken is cooked through.
    Honey Soy Sauce Chicken 6

To Serve

  • Serve immediately. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, chopped chives, and optional shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
    A white plate containing Honey Soy Chicken Wings

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 410mg, Potassium: 195mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 9, 2013. It’s been edited and republished in May 2020.