Description
Honey-Soy Glazed Chicken is a delightful main dish featuring juicy, tender chicken leg quarters slow-roasted in foil with a flavorful dry rub, then finished under the broiler with a sticky, caramelized honey-soy glaze. This recipe balances sweet, savory, spicy, and tangy flavors, making it a crowd-pleasing meal that’s easy to prepare and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Dry Rub
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes (or cayenne for spicier, or paprika for mild)
Glaze
- 1/2 cup honey
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 8 slices fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes (or cayenne for spicier, or paprika for mild)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Optional
- Handful of vegetables (green beans, onion, peppers, tomato – optional)
- Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dry Rub: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a bowl, combine salt, sugar, ginger powder, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Mix the dry rub ingredients thoroughly and set aside.
- Prepare Foil Packets: Cut four 16” (40 cm) sheets of heavy-duty foil. Place one chicken leg quarter in the center of each sheet. Evenly distribute the dry rub over the chicken legs and rub it in well.
- Seal the Foil Packets: Fold up the long sides of the foil over the chicken, bringing the ends together above it. Double fold the ends to seal and leave space inside for heat circulation. Double fold the two short ends to completely seal each packet.
- Bake the Chicken: Arrange the sealed foil packets on a foil-lined sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes to slowly roast the chicken until juicy and tender.
- Prepare the Glaze: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, soy sauce, fresh ginger slices, and chili flakes in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir regularly and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Finish the Glaze: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Set the glaze aside to cool and thicken further.
- Unwrap Chicken and Prepare for Broiling: Once baking is complete, carefully open the foil packets (watch for hot steam). Lift the chicken out and place it on the foil-lined baking sheet. Discard the foil packets and juices. Optionally, arrange vegetables beside the chicken.
- Broil with Glaze – First Layer: Turn the broiler on. Brush a generous coat of the honey-soy glaze on each chicken leg. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the glaze thickens and begins to bubble.
- Broil with Glaze – Second Layer: Remove the pan, brush another thick layer of glaze over the chicken, and return to broil for another 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is sticky and blistered for a beautiful caramelized finish.
- Serve: Serve the glazed chicken hot as a main dish, optionally with the roasted vegetables on the side.
Notes
- This recipe uses heavy-duty foil to lock in juices for juicy, tender chicken while roasting.
- The final broil caramelizes the honey-soy glaze for a sticky, flavorful crust.
- Adjust chili flakes to control the spice level or substitute with paprika for a milder dish.
- Optional vegetables can be baked alongside chicken for a complete meal.
- Carefully open foil packets after baking to avoid burns from hot steam.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg quarter with glaze
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
