Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and cracked pepper on both sides. I do this step while my oven preheats because dry chicken browns better than wet chicken—moisture prevents that caramelized exterior that makes people ask for the recipe.

Whisk together honey, sriracha, soy sauce, olive oil, minced garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and lime juice in a medium bowl until completely combined. The mixture should smell simultaneously floral and assertive, not aggressively hot or cloyingly sweet.

Arrange chicken thighs skin-side up in a 9x13 baking dish and pour the sauce over them, ensuring each piece gets coated. I use my hands here—it feels weird, but you catch spots a spoon misses, and the tactile process helps me notice if any chicken is folded under itself.

Bake uncovered at 425°F for 30–32 minutes until the thighs register 165°F internally at the thickest point. You're looking for the edges to look caramelized and slightly darkened, not pale or steamed-looking. I stick a thermometer into the thickest thigh away from bone—that's always the last piece to finish cooking.

While the chicken rests for 3 minutes after removing from the oven, whisk cornstarch and water together in a small cup until smooth, creating a slurry with no lumps. Stir this into the pan juices—the sauce will thicken immediately from thin glaze to something that actually clings to each bite.

Return the baking dish to the oven for exactly 2 minutes to let the thickened sauce bubble slightly and set. This brief second bake transforms a good dish into something memorable because the glaze caramelizes onto the chicken rather than pooling at the bottom.

Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro right before serving—this timing keeps both ingredients fresh-tasting rather than wilted by residual heat.