Home-styleMedium 65 min serves 4

Honey-Glazed Roast Chicken

Name: Honey-Glazed Roast Chicken
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks; honey; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; fresh ginger, minced

蜜汁烤鸡 · mì zhī kǎo jī

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks for juiciness—no whole bird, no fancy brining. Glaze is brushed twice, not poured, to avoid burning.

My aunt in Shanghai’s Yangpu District made this every Sunday when I was ten—she’d hum while brushing the glaze, saying, 'Sweetness sticks best when the chicken breathes first.' She never used a thermometer, just poked with chopsticks: clear juices meant it was ready.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food One-Pot

Ingredients

skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks带皮鸡腿肉（含鸡翅根）🛒 local800 g
honey蜂蜜🛒 local60 ml
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian30 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian15 ml
fresh ginger, minced鲜姜末🛒 local15 g

skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks: Look for plump, pinkish meat with minimal liquid in package

honey: Use mild clover or orange-blossom honey—not raw or dark buckwheat

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Instructions

1Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and rub evenly with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and ginger. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
擦干→揉匀→静置
2Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Arrange chicken skin-side up, leaving space between pieces.
预热→铺纸→摆鸡
3Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven—skin should be lightly blistered and golden at edges.
先烤再看色
🔍 Look for Medium-high 25 分钟 · 25 minutes
Visual: 鸡皮表面有细密小泡，边缘呈浅金色，未焦褐或干缩Skin shows fine blisters and pale gold edges, not browned or shriveled
You know it's right when: 鸡皮边缘微卷，泛出油润光泽Edges of skin curl slightly and shimmer with fat
4Brush honey evenly over skin. Return to oven and roast 12–15 more minutes until glaze is glossy and deeply amber, and internal temperature reaches 75°C (167°F) at thickest part.
刷蜜→再烤→测温
5Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Spoon any pan drippings over chicken—do not pour excess liquid.
静置→淋汁→不倒水

Tips

· For crispier skin, chill marinated chicken uncovered for 30 minutes before roasting.
· If honey starts bubbling violently during second roast, reduce heat to 190°C (375°F).
· Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet over medium-low heat—add 1 tsp water to steam gently.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide