Ginger Garlic Chicken Thighs (Printable)

Tender baked chicken thighs marinated in ginger, garlic, and soy sauce with crispy golden skin and juicy meat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3.3 lbs)

→ Marinade

02 - 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
03 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
05 - 1 tablespoon honey
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lemon juice
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

→ Vegetables and Herbs

12 - 1 medium onion, sliced
13 - 1 lemon, sliced (optional, for layering)
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine grated ginger, minced garlic, tamari, honey, olive oil, rice vinegar, black pepper, salt, coriander, and chili flakes. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
03 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Add them to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 4 hours for more pronounced flavor.
04 - Scatter the sliced onions and lemon slices across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish in an even layer.
05 - Place the marinated chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the onion and lemon bed. Pour any remaining marinade over the chicken.
06 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and the internal temperature registers 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh.
07 - For extra-crispy skin, switch the oven to broil on high for the final 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marinade does all the heavy lifting, so you get maximum flavor with almost zero effort after fifteen minutes of prep.
  • Baking everything in one pan means the onions caramelize underneath the chicken and become almost as delicious as the meat itself.
02 -
  • Skipping the step of patting the chicken dry will leave you with rubbery skin no matter how long you bake it.
  • Letting the chicken marinate overnight in the fridge transforms the flavor from good to genuinely memorable.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the ginger into a fine wet paste rather than chopping it, because the flavor distributes far more evenly throughout the marinade.
  • Let the baking dish rest on the stovetop for those five minutes with a loose foil tent, which keeps the skin from steaming and going soft while the juices settle.

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