These tender baked honey garlic chicken thighs are smothered in a finger-licking sauce flavored with peppery Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Overhead shot of saucy pan full of baked chicken thighs.

I Had You at Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, Right?

Sweet, salty, garlicky, and peppery. That’s what we’re working with here. The flavors that smother these tender baked chicken thighs aren’t just good, but incredibly unique thanks to the addition of Montreal Steak Seasoning! This seasoning is typically rubbed onto meats before being grilled, but it works wonderfully in this recipe. You’ll definitely be tempted to start using this spice blend more often. Despite being Canadian, you can totally find it in the US—just check the spice section at your local supermarket or Amazon.

What Is in Montreal Steak Seasoning?

Montreal Steak Seasoning brings together garlic, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper flakes, dill seed, and salt. It’s usually pretty course so it’s a great rub. It’s also wonderful when used as a seasoning. So go ahead, shake it over your meats, dips, or potatoes!

Overhead shot of ingredients and process shots.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Big flavors and a small list of ingredients—that’s the dinner dream! A large amount of the flavor in this dish comes from the seasoning blend, so you’re not required to have a large list of spices on hand. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Chicken thighs
  • Honey
  • Garlic
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Liquid smoke
  • Olive oil
  • Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • Cornstarch

Overhead shot of saucy chicken thighs in pan being spooned with sauce.

How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs With Montreal Steak Seasoning.

You’re just a couple of steps away from sticky, sweet, salty goodness. Here’s what you’ll do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Put the chicken thighs on a paper towel covered surface and blot them dry with more paper towels to remove excess moisture; set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, some water, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, olive oil, and Montreal Steak Seasoning until everything is blended.
  3. Transfer the chicken thighs to the mixing bowl and toss them to evenly coat them. (If you’re making this in advance, you can do this earlier, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge.)
  4. Using tongs, transfer the chicken thighs to a braiser and pour the rest of the sauce over the thighs.
  5. Place the thighs in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
  6. Whisk some cornstarch and water together in a small bowl, and once the thighs have cooked for 25 minutes, pour the cornstarch mixture over chicken. Using tongs, flip the chicken around and mix the cornstarch into the sauce.
  7. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and bubbling lightly, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165º F.
  8. Remove the chicken from the oven. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional), and serve.

Overhead shot of serving plate stacked with chicken thighs.

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

Recipe Tips + Tricks.

  1. You can make this recipe without the steak seasoning if you prefer.
  2. Chicken breasts can easily be substituted for thighs. Boneless and skinless chicken breasts can be treated the same as the thighs in this recipe, but the baking time may vary.
  3. If you’d rather use bone-in and skin-on thighs, or even drumsticks, you can! But sear them in a pan of hot oil prior to baking them so that you get a nice crisp on the skin. Also, baking time will vary. Always ensure the chicken has an internal temperature of 165º F.

Close up side shot of saucy chicken thighs in braiser.

Have You Made This Recipe?

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Need Side Dishes? Consider These:

Overhead shot of saucy pan full of baked chicken thighs.

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with Montreal Steak Seasoning

These tender baked honey garlic chicken thighs are smothered in a finger-licking sauce flavored with peppery Montreal Steak Seasoning.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Calories: 339kcal
Author: Dana Sandonato

Equipment

  • Microplane (optional)
  • Tongs
  • Braiser, large oven-safe skillet, or baking dish
  • sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Paper towels

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs *If using skin-on or bone-in, see notes.
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 TBSP water
  • 6 garlic cloves, grated to a paste or minced
  • 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 TBSP Montreal Steak Spice
  • 1 TBSP Corn starch
  • 2 TBSP cold water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400º F.
  • Place the chicken thighs onto a paper towel covered surface, like a plate or cutting board, and blot them dry with more paper towels to remove excess moisture; set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, some water, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, olive oil, and Montreal Steak Spice until well blended.
  • Transfer the chicken thighs to the mixing bowl and toss them to evenly coat them. (If you're making this in advance, you can do this earlier, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in the fridge.)
  • With tongs, transfer the chicken thighs to a braiser and pour the rest of the sauce over the thighs.
  • Place the thighs in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
  • Whisk some cornstarch and water together in a small bowl, and once the thighs have cooked for 25 minutes, pour the cornstarch mixture over chicken. Using tongs, flip the chicken around and mix the cornstarch into the sauce.
  • Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened, is lightly bubbling, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165º F.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional), and serve.

Notes

If you're using skin-on chicken thighs, I'd suggest giving them a quick sear, skin-side down, on a hot pan before placing them in the oven to bake. That way you end up with a nice crisp on your skin rather than being left with a slimy skin. It might even be worth giving the thighs a short trip under the broiler before serving. Use your best judgement.
If you're using bone-in chicken thighs, cooking time may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcal