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Pan-Roasted Honey Lime Chicken Thighs - one of the best chicken thigh recipes you'll ever try! Easy, delicious, simple ingredients.
I love cooking chicken thighs - they are so easy to handle, and always come out moist and juicy. Can't really go wrong with this cut of meat. You'll love this simple recipe - perfect for a quick, weeknight dinner, and very budget-friendly too!
Often, chicken thigh recipes involve baking the thighs in the oven, but here I am browning the chicken in a large skillet on the stove top, then add honey-lime mixture to the same skillet and let the thighs cook in its own juices on lower heat for about 20 minutes. During the cooking process the chicken thighs release their juices which get mixed in with the honey-lime mixture to produce really delicious sauce which you will then drizzle over the chicken before serving. You can also drizzle these pan juices over a side dish, such as rice. YUM! By the way, if you need an idea for a yummy side dish recipe, here is a rice recipe which will be perfect with these chicken thighs: Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice.
Also, many people really like chicken thigh recipes with cilantro and lime, and I have a great recipe for you that has all the ingredients you'll love, everything is cooked in one-pan, which makes the clean-up a breeze. Check it out: Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice.
Honey Lime Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 7 chicken thighs (about 7 or 8 chicken thighs, depends on the size of your skillet)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 lime sliced (for garnish only)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine lime juice, honey, soy sauce.
- Salt the chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon of salt (or more) thoroughly, all over, including under the skin.
- In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken skin side gets nicely browned (make sure to get really nice brown, not just pale brown - it makes a difference in presentation).
- Turn chicken, so that skins sides are up and add lime-honey mixture to the skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 14 to 18 minutes longer or until done (chicken should register 180 degrees F on instant thermometer). While cooking, covered, chicken thighs will release their own juices, as well.
- Transfer chicken to plates. Drizzle chicken with pan juices. Top with chopped green onions and serve with lime slices.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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I put the chiken in a skillet to cook but i was taking too long it was too bloody was cooking on the outside the skin but not the inside i tried cooking it in another thing that my mom has for chiken it still did not cook took too long like more than an hour! Did i do something wrong? I followed all the steps
Did you cook it in a skillet COVERED with the lid? If you cook the chicken thighs with the honey lime sauce in the skillet, covered, following the recipe instructions, it should be cooked through and no longer be pink in the center.
Was the chicken frozen?
Use refrigerated chicken, not frozen.
Whendo you add the honey/lime sauce? At the start of cooking the chicken?
No, you add the honey/lime sauce in step 4.
Made it tonight and husband said it looked and tasted good! I think it's too honey for me but it was tasty. Thanks!
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it!
I made this chicken on Sunday my family really enjoyed the sauce. My granddaughter put it over white rice with an arugula salad
Thank you! So glad you liked it! White rice with an arugula salad is a great choice for this chicken!
Are you guys using Bone-In thighs?
Yes, skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs.
This recipe looks great!Chicken thigh is my favorite part of chicken. These look so good. I am saving the recipe to try soon. Can i do the same thing in the oven and not the skillet if so is there any change to the direction
Yes, you can first brown the chicken in the skillet, then you can transfer the chicken to a different pan and bake the chicken thighs in the oven. Make the honey-lime sauce in the skillet and add the chicken back to the skillet once it's baked and cooked through!
This is my favorite chicken recipe! I've been making it for almost 2 years now 🙂 The picture is really what drew me in! Thanks
Thank you, Loren! I am so glad to hear that you've been making this for 2 years now. 🙂
This was a big hit at my house tonight. The chicken flavor was less strong than I expected, but all around everyone loved it.
Thank you, Shelby, I am glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Even tho this ie an old Recipe.
I google cheapest way to prepare chicken thighs, you popbup i made it
OMG! It WAS the BOMB! Thxs
I am glad you liked it!
Tried this recipe tonight and the lime flavor was overbearing. I think it was just way too much. Made a second batch and just left the lime juice out and sprinkled garlic powder on chicken along with the salt.
Did you use freshly squeezed lime juice? The bottled lime juice does have a stronger flavor, so I prefer to use freshly squeezed lime juice.
Best ever. I've made this almost 10 times now.
So glad you've enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I made these last night and they were FANTASTIC!! We absolutely loved them, and they were easy as pie! I loved the lime-honey-soy mixture just as is. I never understand why people don't just make a recipe as written and then adjust it later if need be! This comes out beautifully balanced. I basted the chicken with the pan sauce every few min. or so while cooking. Made it with Arroz Verde for a delicious pairing! Thanks for a great recipe - this will be one of my regular dishes from now on!
So happy to hear you liked this recipe!
Thanks for the delicious recipe. Made this today but with several adjustments.
Added more honey due to the strong tart taste of the lime from 2 tbsp. to 3 to 3.5 tbsp. Added an extra tbsp. of soy sauce from 1 to 2 tbsp.
Added 4 cloves of garlic and 1 inch of ginger, both minced.
Cook down the sauce (lime juice, soy and honey) with the minced garlic and ginger to 1/4 cup.
Seared the chicken thighs skin down until golden brown. Turn off the stove top. Coat the chicken thighs in the sauce and drizzle the rest on top and bake (skin side up) at 400 for 15 to 18 minutes. Enjoy.
Great tips, Monica! Thank you for stopping by and taking time to write such a thoughtful comment - I love those, gives me better insights into the recipes. 🙂
The apparent degree of illiteracy is astounding! This recipe in no way implies nor mentions cilantro-not in the title, not in the ingredient list, not in the directions. How are so many of you are asking about it? Pitiful! And to the one asking if you can use skinless boneless thighs-duh! Do you even know how to cook?
I'm with you Dave! How can anyone read something into a recipe that simply isn't there?
The title used to be Cilantro Lime Honey Chicken Thighs. It even still says that in the URL for the recipe, so it's only natural that people question the lack of the ingredient. And to the people asking if they can use skinless boneless thighs-ask away! I think it's great that they're trying to expand their culinary horizons. Dave, maybe try being a little less rude, and you may have a happier life 🙂
Hi i love every thing,I'm a man who enjoy to cook for my family. So I even feel to go to school for cooking. Please give me your advice,my i buy cooking books or go to school.
Good for you that you cook for your family! I think Pinterest and cooking books are enough for making simple dishes for your family. 🙂