This Sheet Pan Miso Honey Chicken Recipe is a delicious Japanese dish that comes together in under an hour for a quick and easy meal. This recipe for miso butter chicken combines the savory richness of miso paste with the sweetness of honey and ginger to produce delicious bites of tender, juicy, crispy, chicken that goes great with a variety of side dishes.
I’ve been feeling a little ho-hum lately in the kitchen, on the lookout for new dishes to try and new tastes to explore. And while I’ve used miso paste in loads of stir fry and ramen dishes, I’ve never actually used it as a rub for chicken until I whipped up this miso-glazed chicken recipe that is. (And now, my friends, there’s no going back!).
This is a great marinade/rub for chicken. The savory paste really coats the chicken skin and when baked, produces incredibly juicy chicken thighs with an incredible flavor. Made on a single sheet pan, the total time for this chicken dinner takes under an hour. Paired with some colorful vegetables, soba noodles or brown rice, this is an easy weeknight meal and will soon become a family favorite!
In This Post
Why I Love This Recipe
Sometimes, we all need a little kitchen inspiration, and this sheet pan miso honey chicken certainly delivers. Here's why I adore it:
- So simple. This miso-baked chicken recipe is EASY! It involved hardly any prep time and used only a handful of ingredients.
- Fast. This miso chicken recipe doesn’t require any marinating and comes together super quickly. It can be on your table in under an hour!
- Delicious taste! Part sweet, part savory, the flavor combination here is spot on, and the miso paste gives this dish an umami savoriness I love.
- Versatile. Miso butter chicken goes with so many great sides! I love it with a big bowl of Asian noodles and these garlic green beans.
- Tender and juicy! The combination of skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks ensures a crispy exterior and juicy interior that's simply unbeatable.
Ingredients for Miso Chicken Recipe:
- Chicken. I used skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, and drumsticks for this miso recipe, but you could also use chicken breast. If you do substitute chicken breasts, be sure to adjust your cooking time as breast cuts are often a little thicker than chicken legs or thighs. Skin-on works well here since it makes the chicken more flavorful and also helps the honey miso glaze adhere better to the chicken.
- White miso paste (shiro miso). Did you know miso comes in three colors/varieties? White, which is the mildest, yellow miso paste, which is a bit stronger in flavor, and red miso paste (aka miso), which is the most fermented and strongest miso flavor. You could use any type of miso in this recipe, but I used white miso paste since I didn’t want the miso flavor to overpower the sweetness of the honey and the spiciness of the ginger.
- Butter. Mixing the butter with the miso creates a delicious paste that adds tons of flavor to this Japanese roast chicken, and helps make the skin nice and crispy.
- Rice vinegar. The vinegar adds a little bit of acidity to the miso glaze.
- Spices. Ground ginger, salt, and pepper give this miso roast chicken recipe just the right amount of spice.
- Honey. Honey gives this honey miso chicken a touch of sweetness. For the same effect, you could also substitute maple syrup, or even brown sugar for the sweetener in this miso sauce.
- Toppings. I love sprinkling sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the top of the chicken once it's finished to give it some nice color and extra flavor.
How To Make Sheet Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks
Making this miso recipe couldn’t be easier!
- Make the miso butter. Start by making your butter/miso paste. Combine the butter, white miso paste, honey, rice vinegar, and spices in a small bowl. This should be easy to mix with a spoon and will create a thick paste for your miso chicken thighs.
- Coat the chicken pieces. Next, wash the chicken thighs and drumsticks, and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, then add the flavorful miso sauce to the bowl. Using your hands, rub the butter/miso paste onto each piece of chicken, making sure to thoroughly coat each one. Tip: For extra flavor, rub the paste underneath the skin of the chicken too!
- Bake. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place the coated chicken onto the baking sheet in a single layer and bake the miso chicken in the oven, on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, turning the chicken at least twice to prevent it from blackening on the side. (Keep a close eye on the chicken. If it looks like it is starting to blacken quickly, just put a piece of foil over the top to prevent it from burning.)
- Allow the chicken to rest. Once the miso glazed chicken is deep brown color, and the skin is nice and crispy, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Add your toppings. Add some sliced green onions and sesame seeds to the top of the chicken before serving.
- Serve! Serve with brown rice, soba noodles, bok choy, sweet potatoes or greens for an easy, complete meal.
Variations and Substitutions
- Soy sauce swap. If you're out of miso paste, soy sauce can be a flavorful alternative. Simply adjust the quantity to taste.
- Add some spice. The miso paste does have some red pepper included, but you can amp the heat up even more by adding a tablespoon of chili sauce. You could also use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger for some added warm spice.
- Try different cuts of chicken. While this recipe calls for chicken thighs and drumsticks, feel free to use chicken breasts or skinless thighs if you prefer. Just be mindful of adjusting the cooking time accordingly.
- Vegetarian option. For a vegetarian twist, try substituting tofu or tempeh for the chicken. Marinate the tofu or tempeh in the miso honey sauce for at least 30 minutes before roasting or pan-frying until golden perfection.
Helpful Tips
- Stick with skin on chicken. You can vary the type of chicken you use (breasts, thighs, drumsticks) but try to use chicken with the skin on. The chicken will be so much more flavorful as the miso sauce will stick to the skin of the chicken.
- Rub the miso sauce under the skin for extra flavor. For some pumped-up flavor, rub the miso marinade under the skin.
- Know your oven. Every oven heats differently so watch your temperature and be sure not to over or undercook your chicken, especially if you’re subbing out different cuts (like using chicken breasts instead of thighs or drumsticks.)
- Be careful not to burn the chicken skin! Miso sauce will blacken quickly so keep turning the chicken as it cooks to avoid it from burning on one side. If it looks like it is starting to blacken, put a piece of foil loosely over the top of the chicken to prevent it from burning.
- Meal prep! If you're looking to save a bit of time, prepare the miso honey paste ahead of time. You can coat the chicken and store the chicken in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. Then just add the chicken to the sheet pan for a quick and easy meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. However, keep in mind that the skin helps lock in moisture and adds flavor, so you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to prevent the chicken from drying out.
While this dish is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, you can prep the miso honey sauce and marinate the chicken ahead of time. Simply store the marinated chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.
Miso paste is commonly available in the international or Asian section of grocery stores or Asian markets. Look for different varieties such as white, yellow, or red miso paste, depending on your preference.
Yes, you can substitute brown sugar for honey or maple syrup in the miso honey sauce. Adjust the quantity to taste, keeping in mind that brown sugar may lend a slightly different flavor profile to the dish.
If you have excess miso honey sauce, you can brush it over vegetables before roasting for a flavorful side dish. It also makes a delicious glaze for grilled tofu or seafood.
Miso chicken will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator, or up to 2 months in the freezer. When ready to reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat for 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
Yes! You could easily add asparagus or bok choy to the pan while the chicken is cooking. These tend to cook faster than the chicken, so wait to add them until the chicken has about 15 minutes of cooking time left (at about the 15-25 minute cooking marker). Simply toss with a bit of sesame oil and sprinkle with salt before adding them to the sheet pan.
What to serve with Miso Chicken
The beauty of this sweet and savory miso dish is that its delicious savory flavor goes great with a variety of different side dishes. Here are just a few ideas for what to serve with this ginger miso chicken:
- Rice
- Soba noodles
- Garlic green beans
- Bok Choy
- Honey sriracha brussels sprouts
- Simple green salad
- Roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes
- In a stirfry.
- Alongside miso soup or ramen
This Sheet Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks recipe is sure to become one of your favorite sheet pan meals. If you make this flavorful chicken recipe, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your creation!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Chicken And Yellow Rice
- Easy Red Chicken Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Sausage And Potatoes
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps
- Easy Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches
- Mediterranean Grilled Chicken
- Spicy Fried Chicken Drumsticks
- Easy White Chicken Chili In The Crockpot
Recipe
Sheet Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoon butter, softened
- ½ cup white miso paste
- 2 tablespoon sweet honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8-10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine the butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined and it forms a thick miso paste.
- Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Add the chicken pieces to a large bowl and coat each piece with the miso paste,
- Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the miso chicken to the sheet pan in an even layer and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping the chicken over at least 2 times during the cooking process. Watch the chicken carefully to make sure the skin is not burning. If the skin starts to blacken, loosely cover the chicken pieces with a piece of foil to prevent it from burning.
- Remove when skin is crispy and golden brown and chicken is fully cooked (160 degrees) and allow the chicken to sit for 5 minutes.
- Top with sliced scallions/green onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
- Place parchment paper on the pan under the chicken to protect your pan and catch the drippings.
- Be sure to flip the chicken at least 2 times when cooking to ensure all sides are crispy and golden.
- When coating the chicken pieces, be liberal with the sauce and rub it both over and under the skin for maximum flavor.
- For garnish, add chopped scallions and/or sesame seeds to the finished dish.
Serve with rice, Asian noodles, a green salad, bok choy, green veggies, or potatoes.
AK says
Amazing. Halved the miso paste for 5 drumsticks, the flavor was great and the meat was so tender. Making again tonight!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you! So glad you liked it!
Claire says
I absolutely loved this recipe! The miso sauce was amazing and it really blends well with the other flavors. I can't wait to make this again!