Gluten Free Honey Garlic Chicken

This gluten free honey garlic chicken is one of those recipes that sounds fancy but is actually super simple to make. Crispy chicken thighs coated in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce that comes together in one skillet.

The sauce is the real star here. It’s a mix of honey, garlic, and a few other ingredients that create this glossy, syrupy glaze you’ll want to put on everything.

And yes, it’s completely gluten free. Instead of regular soy sauce, we use tamari, and cornstarch handles the crispy coating perfectly. No gluten needed.

If you’ve been looking for a gluten free dinner that the whole family will enjoy, this is it. It’s the kind of meal that feels special but takes less than 30 minutes to throw together.

Serve it over steamed rice with some veggies on the side and you’ve got a complete dinner that nobody will believe is gluten free.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

That Sauce Is Unreal – The honey garlic sauce gets thick and glossy with butter stirred in at the end and it coats every piece perfectly.

Crispy Without Deep Frying – The cornstarch coating gives the chicken a golden crunchy crust using just a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

Sweet, Savory, and a Little Spicy – Honey brings sweetness while tamari and sriracha add a salty kick that balances everything out beautifully.

Naturally Gluten Free – Cornstarch and tamari replace flour and soy sauce so you get all the flavor without any gluten.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 1/3 cup Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 6 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/3 cup Honey
• 3 tbsp Gluten Free Tamari
• 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 2 Green Onions, Sliced

How to Make

Step 1

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, then coat each thigh evenly with cornstarch, shaking off any excess.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy on the outside and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Step 4

Pour in the honey, tamari, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and becomes thick and syrupy.

Step 5

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted and glossy.

Step 6

Return the chicken to the skillet and turn each piece to coat generously in the honey garlic sauce. Serve topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onions alongside steamed rice and your favorite vegetable.

My Tips

Dry the Chicken Really Well

This is the most important step for getting that crispy golden crust. Use paper towels and press down firmly on each thigh, flipping and pressing again until there’s no moisture left on the surface.

If the chicken is even a little wet, the cornstarch will turn gummy instead of crispy. It also causes more oil splatter when it hits the hot pan.

Take an extra minute here. It makes a huge difference in how the coating turns out.

Don’t Crowd the Pan

If your skillet isn’t big enough to fit all the chicken thighs with some space between them, cook them in two batches. Each piece needs its own room in the pan.

When chicken pieces are too close together, they steam each other instead of getting crispy. You’ll end up with a soft, pale coating instead of that deep golden crust you’re going for.

A 12-inch skillet works well for 2 pounds of thighs. If yours is smaller, just do two rounds and keep the first batch on a wire rack while the second batch cooks.

Shake Off the Extra Cornstarch

After you coat each thigh in cornstarch, give it a good shake or gently tap it against the side of the bowl. You want a thin, even layer – not clumps of loose powder sitting on top.

Excess cornstarch that falls off in the pan will burn in the oil and leave dark specks everywhere. Those burnt bits end up in your sauce later and give it a bitter taste.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Orange Chicken
• Gluten Free Chicken Fried Rice
• Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Tenders
• Gluten Free Chicken Katsu
• Gluten Free Garlic Butter Naan

FAQ

Why do I coat the chicken in cornstarch before frying?

The cornstarch creates a thin, crispy layer on the outside of the chicken that gets beautifully golden in the skillet. It also helps the honey garlic sauce cling to every piece instead of sliding right off.

Make sure you pat the chicken dry first and shake off any excess cornstarch before it hits the pan. Too much loose cornstarch can burn in the oil and give you a gritty texture instead of a clean, crispy crust.