This grilled honey ginger chicken has a deliciously zingy marinade that is so easy to make. Made without soy sauce, yet so full of flavour, it's perfect as summer BBQ food to enjoy with friends and family!
Love ginger chicken? Do check out my turmeric ginger chicken thighs recipe too!
It's finally BBQ season, which means lots of fun weekend get-togethers with friends and family. Of course, outdoor grilling means lots of flavourful dishes and my coconut chicken skewers and pesto chicken skewers are always popular in my home! And have a peek at my Italian herb chicken thighs that can be grilled too!
This honey ginger chicken recipe is a super simple dish but full of flavour. We use a tasty honey ginger marinade that comes together in minutes and then get the chicken on the grill for that good sear and sizzle (as my dad calls it!). The ginger gives lots of 'zing' and if you wish then up the quantity for extra spice!
Love these sweet and spicy flavours? Perhaps you may also like to see my honey ginger salad dressing for your BBQ side salads!
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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 as it has such a zing. It goes perfectly with sweet honey.
Tasty grill food. When summer comes around, the grill comes out in my home, and that means lots of tasty grilled chicken fillets such as these, as well as skewers and kabobs. The best part? So easy to do with very little 'hands on' time.
Dairy-free and gluten free. This grilled 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 - I use mini chicken fillets in this recipe, but you can also use chicken breasts and cut into smaller pieces, or boneless chicken thighs.
- Ginger - you want fresh grated 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 mini fillets for chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs. I find using mini fillets easier for this recipe, but you can cut chicken breasts into smaller pieces.
Swap thyme for another herb. It will change the flavour, 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 flavour.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Just three main steps to make these ginger honey chicken fillets, and all very easy to do:
Step 1
Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a container that can be sealed or a zip-lock bag. Give it a good stir to combine.
Step 2
Place the chicken in the container or bag and use your hands to move the chicken fillets around so they are well coated in the sticky honey 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 fillets 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 fillets.
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 adaptable 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.
🍽 How to serve this grilled honey 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 flavourful.
🥣 More delicious chicken recipes
Find a variety of chicken recipes, including my most-popular recipe of rosemary chicken fillets as well as the flavourful 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 ⭐ if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Honey Ginger Chicken
Equipment
- Container or zip-lock bag
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken fillets or chicken breasts cut into smaller pieces
For the honey ginger 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.
- 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.
- Adjust the amount of garlic and ginger to taste. Add more if you like spice!
- Always check for an internal temperature of 165F using a meat thermometer at the deepest part of the chicken to know it is thoroughly cooked.
- 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.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It 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.
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