Grilled soy sauce chicken is a must for any backyard bbq meal. The chicken is marinated in a sweet and savory soy honey marinade, cooked until tender and juicy and drizzled with the thickened sauce.
This mouthwatering Grilled Soy Sauce Chicken involves marinating chicken breasts or chicken thighs in a savory-sweet honey soy marinade, grilling them to perfection, and creating a savory sauce from the cooked marinade.
The combination of sweet and savory flavors makes it a crowd-pleaser, suitable for gatherings or family dinners alike.
This soy garlic chicken’s appeal lies in its balanced taste - a perfect blend of sweetness from the honey and the umami richness of soy sauce. It’s a breeze to make and the option to use either chicken breasts or thighs make it adaptable to individual preferences.
Serve it with steamed rice, noodles, or stir-fried vegetables, such as Stir-Fried Green Beans or Stir-Fried Cabbage.
Tips for Making This Recipe
▪️ MARINATING MAGIC: For the best results, let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour, but if you have the time, allow it to bathe in the marinade for a few hours or even overnight.
▪️ TEMPERATURE IS KEY: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat before cooking the chicken. This ensures that you get those beautiful grill marks and lock in all the juiciness.
❗️Sauce Safety
The marinade must be cooked to eliminate any raw chicken juices. Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer until thickened. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that the sauce reaches a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F, as recommended by the FDA, to eliminate any bacteria.
Alternative: Another option is to make additional marinade and set aside a portion to use as the sauce. In this case, the marinade with raw chicken juices would be discarded after marinating. Either way, you should still cook the sauce with cornstarch and water to thicken it.
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Ingredients for grilled soy sauce chicken
- CHICKEN: I use a combination of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs.
- MARINADE: This grilled chicken recipe uses my Honey Soy Chicken Marinade, which is made with soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, rice wine, garlic, ginger and sriracha.
- CORNSTARCH: Use cornstarch for thickening the sauce.
- WATER: To mix with the cornstarch.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
Substitutions
▪️ SOY SAUCE: For a gluten-free recipe, substitute tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
▪️ CORNSTARCH: Potato starch or flour can be used as substitutes. If using potato starch, it can be substituted in a one-to-one ratio for the cornstarch. For flour, use twice the amount.
▪️ RICE WINE: Instead of the Shaoxing rice wine in the marinade, try mirin or dry sherry.
How to make this soy sauce chicken recipe
TRIM THE CHICKEN: Trim any chunks of fat off of the chicken breasts or thighs.
MARINATE THE CHICKEN: Make a batch of Honey Soy Chicken Marinade and marinate the chicken for at least an hour and up to overnight.
PREHEAT THE GRILL: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grates with a neutral oil with a high smoke point (I use avocado oil).
COOK THE CHICKEN: Place the chicken on the grill. I usually start top side-down, but that’s not imperative. Close the lid while the chicken is cooking. Turn halfway through cooking. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Whisk it into the marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
❗️IMPORTANT: The sauce must be heated to at least 165 degrees F. Test it with an instant-read thermometer. Because the marinade was used with raw chicken, it’s imperative that the sauce is heated properly to kill any existing bacteria.
SERVE: Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing or serving. This allows the juices to absorb into the meat, producing tender, juicy chicken. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Good news for planners! You can prepare this dish ahead of time. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator the night before or in the morning until you're ready to grill. Once cooked, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Grilled chicken can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating serving cold.
The marinade can be prepared in a larger batch and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just remember to store it in an airtight container. Alternatively, divide it into 1 cup portions and freeze in freezer-safe containers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Bone-in and skin-on chicken work well in this recipe. However, keep in mind that bone-in chicken tends to take longer to cook. Use a thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to at least 165 degrees F.
The spiciness of the dish largely depends on the amount of sriracha you add to the marinade. For a milder version, reduce the amount of sriracha or omit it altogether.
The marinade works wonderfully with other meats like pork, beef, or even shrimp. Or try it with tofu. Experiment and find your favorite flavor combinations!
Other Chicken Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and comment underneath the recipe card below. Thank you!
Printable Recipe
Grilled Soy Sauce Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 ½ -3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs (See Note 1)
- 1 batch Honey Soy Chicken Marinade (See Note 2)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
- Trim any chunks of fat off of the chicken breasts or thighs.
- Make a batch of Honey Soy Chicken Marinade and marinate the chicken for at least an hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grates with a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil.
- Place the chicken on the grill. I usually start top side-down, but that’s not imperative. Close the lid while the chicken is cooking. Turn halfway through cooking. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Whisk it into the marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
- IMPORTANT: The sauce must be heated to at least 165 degrees F. Test it with an instant-read thermometer. Because the marinade was used with raw chicken, it’s imperative that the sauce is heated properly to kill any existing bacteria.
- Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing or serving. This allows the juices to absorb into the meat, producing tender, juicy chicken. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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