This grilled honey ginger garlic chicken without soy has a delicious marinade of fresh root ginger, garlic and honey that's equally sweet, sticky and a little spicy too! It's so quick and easy to make for a family weeknight dinner.
Love ginger chicken? Do check out my turmeric ginger chicken thighs recipe too!
We make this honey ginger garlic chicken using boneless skinless chicken breast strips (boneless chicken thighs works too!) and a handful of pantry staples. It's an easy recipe that is packed with flavor and perfect for summer grilling in the back yard.
This recipe is for grilled honey ginger chicken without soy sauce. We swap out the soy for apple juice to help keep the recipe lower histamine, or for those who prefer not to use soy in their dishes.
Looking for more chicken recipes? Do check out my oven baked chicken skewers and my Italian herb chicken thighs for more simple yet delicious ideas!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
The best zingy marinade. Ginger is such a treat, and especially when grated from fresh root ginger as it has such a zing. It goes perfectly with sweet honey.
Dairy-free and gluten free. This honey ginger chicken is suitable for both dietary requirements, as well as being a low histamine recipe.
Uses pantry staples. This marinade uses ingredients that are usually to hand in the pantry or fridge, so can be whipped up quickly without a trip to the store.
🐓 Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and their quantities can be found in the recipe card below!
Some notes on a few of the ingredients to help guide you:
- Boneless skinless chicken breast - I suggest to use chicken breast that has been sliced into smaller pieces (or chicken tenders), but boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used.
- Ginger - you want fresh grated root ginger rather than dried for extra zing!
- Honey - the runny liquid honey rather than set honey.
- Garlic - I suggest using fresh cloves, but garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap chicken breast for boneless chicken thighs. Both work well, just be sure to adjust the cook time if using chicken thighs (about 10 minutes) and always check for an internal temperature of 165F using a meat thermometer.
Swap thyme for another herb. It will change the flavor, but if you don't have thyme to hand then rosemary or sage would also be nice (note that they are a bit more pungent though).
Add a touch of lemon juice. If it works for you (perhaps not for my low histamine readers), a squeeze of lemon would give a nice zesty flavor.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Cooking up honey ginger chicken on the grill is so simple, has a delicious sweet and sticky marinade and uses easy to find ingredients.
All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Make the honey ginger marinade
Add all the ingredients for the marinade, honey, ginger, garlic, thyme, olive oil and apple juice, to a container that can be sealed or to a zip-lock bag. Give it a good stir to combine.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken
Place the sliced chicken breast (or chicken thighs) in the container or bag and use your hands to move the chicken around so the pieces are well coated in the sticky honey ginger marinade.
Set aside in the fridge for at least an hour, or longer if that is suitable for you (my low histamine readers may wish to see the note on marinating time below).
Step 3
Use tongs (not fingers!) to place the chicken pieces on the BBQ grill. Cook for 7-8 minutes each side, or until they are white meat throughout and have an internal temperature of 165F. Cook time will vary depending upon the size of the chicken pieces and whole chicken thighs (if using) may need a few more minutes.
Serve this honey ginger garlic chicken with sides of your choice and enjoy!
💭 Recipe tips and notes
Adjust the level of spice to taste preference. Marinades are very easily adapted to preference, so if you like it spicy then add extra ginger!
Cut the chicken breasts to roughly equal sizes. If you are using chicken breasts you are dicing yourself into smaller pieces, try to do so into roughly similar sizes for a similar cook time.
Check the internal temperature! Always be sure the chicken has an internal temperature of 165F at its thickest part using a meat thermometer.
🍽 How to serve grilled honey and ginger chicken
Outdoor grilling always needs lots of sides in my opinion! Our table is always covered in bowls and plates of tasty sides. Some ideas:
- Salads - light and fresh vegetable and fruit salads such as my apple radish salad and pear and fennel salad go perfectly with meat dishes. And my mango slaw is always a crowd-pleaser!
- Grain-based salads - such as my quinoa arugula salad and kale wild rice salad.
- Pasta salad is always a requested option, especially my roasted vegetable pasta salad.
📖 A note for my low histamine readers
The advice from the SIGHI is that 'meat and fish should not be left outside of the fridge before landing in the pan'. Try and make the marinade first, and then quickly add the chicken and transfer straight back to the fridge.
In terms of marinating time, this is likely to be individual in relation to sensitivity to histamine formation. If in doubt, skip marinating time and simply cook right away. The chicken will still be flavourfl.
🥣 More delicious chicken recipes
Find a variety of chicken recipes, including my popular recipe of rosemary chicken fillets as well as the flavorful herb cream cheese stuffed chicken, air fryer boneless chicken thighs and ginger chicken pilaf traybake. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Honey Ginger Garlic Chicken
Equipment
- Container or zip-lock bag
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into smaller pieces, or boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the honey ginger garlic marinade
- 3 tablespoon honey runny liquid honey
- 3 cm ginger grated, increase amount to spice preference!
- 2 tablespoon apple juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced or finely diced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a container that can be sealed or a zip-lock bag. Stir to combine.
- If using chicken breast, I suggest to slice into 2-3 pieces lengthways to make chicken strips.
- Place the chicken in your container and use your fingers to coat evenly in the marinade. Set aside in the fridge for at least an hour, or longer to preference.
- Pre-heat the BBQ and oil the grate. Use tongs to add the chicken to the grill and cook for 7-8 minutes each side or until it is white meat throughout and has an internal temperature of 165F. Brush on any remaining marinade as you turn the chicken. Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes then serve with sides of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
- If cutting chicken breasts into smaller pieces, try and cut to roughly even sizes for ease of having a similar cook time.
- Make sure to give the marinade a good stir to combine the honey in with the other ingredients before adding the chicken, then coat evenly.
- If using boneless skinless chicken thighs, you will likely need to cook for a few more minutes than chicken breast strips.
- For a guide to cooking chicken on the BBQ, this post on how to barbecue chicken by Great British Chefs is helpful.
- My low histamine readers may wish to skip the marinating time and simply coat the chicken fillets and then grill right away.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- garlic, which scores 1. There is a note, 'in small amounts, usually well toleratd after cooking'.
- ginger, which scores 1. There is a note, 'small amounts are well tolerated'.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
Sabryna says
Just tried this out for dinner tonight! SOOO stinkin’ good! My husband and kids loved it too. We already can’t wait to make it again… maybe tomorrow 😏
Claire says
So lovely to hear that all the family enjoyed it!
Alayna says
I'm always shocked that your recipes don't have more comments! Your blog has been my bible since going LH.
I made this chicken with the stone fruit caprese salad twice already this week and am currently making more for dinner tonight! This chicken is so flavorful, even without the marinating time. Its hard to believe that a low-histamine recipe can taste this good!
Claire says
Hi Alayna, so glad you are enjoying the recipes and they work for you! Hope you are enjoying the chicken and find lots of other recipes you like too. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!