Description
This Honey Soy Chicken Foil Packets recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken leg quarters infused with a flavorful dry rub and glazed with a rich honey-soy sauce. Cooked slowly in foil packets to lock in moisture, then broiled to achieve a sticky, caramelized finish, this dish combines sweet, savory, and spicy notes perfect for an easy yet impressive dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Dry Rub
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes (or cayenne for spicier, or paprika for mild)
Honey Soy Glaze
- 1/2 cup honey
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 8 slices fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes (or cayenne for spicier, or paprika for mild)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Additional
- Handful of vegetables of your choice (green beans, onion, peppers, tomato)
- Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil
Instructions
- Prepare the dry rub: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). In a bowl, combine salt, sugar, ginger powder, garlic powder, and chili flakes to make the dry rub. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Assemble chicken packets: Cut four sheets of heavy-duty foil about 16 inches (40 cm) each. Place one chicken leg quarter in the center of each sheet. Evenly distribute the dry rub over the chicken legs and rub it in well to coat thoroughly.
- Seal the foil packets: Fold up the long sides of the foil so the ends meet over the chicken, then double fold the ends to seal the packets, leaving space inside for heat circulation. Also double fold the short ends to fully seal and contain the juices.
- Bake the chicken: Place the foil packets on a foil-lined sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes to ensure juicy, tender chicken.
- Prepare the honey soy glaze: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, soy sauce, fresh ginger slices, and chili flakes in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce to simmer. Stir regularly and cook for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside to cool and thicken further.
- Remove chicken from foil: Carefully take the chicken out of the oven. Open the foil packets cautiously to avoid hot steam. Lift the chicken out and place it back on the foil-lined baking sheet, discarding the foil packets and juices.
- Prepare vegetables (optional): If you like, arrange your choice of vegetables alongside the chicken on the baking sheet to roast while broiling.
- Broil with glaze – first round: Turn your oven broiler on. Brush a thick layer of the prepared glaze over each chicken leg. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the glaze bubbles and thickens.
- Broil with glaze – second round: Remove the pan from the oven, apply another layer of glaze, and broil for another 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is sticky, blistered, and caramelized.
- Serve: Serve the honey-soy glazed chicken hot as a delicious main dish with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Make sure to use heavy-duty foil to prevent tearing during baking and to properly seal the packets.
- Adjust the chili flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Vegetables can be added at the broiling step to roast and absorb flavors from the glaze.
- Be cautious when opening the foil packets to avoid steam burns.
- For best results, use fresh ginger slices in the glaze for added aroma.
