Honey Garlic Chicken is a 25-minute, one-skillet dinner with golden chicken breast in a sweet, sticky honey garlic sauce everyone devours!
Want more honey garlic goodness? Try my Baked Honey Garlic Chicken, Honey Garlic Chicken Foil Packets, and Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs!
This Honey Garlic Chicken is my takeout-inspired dinner when I want big flavor without leaving the house!
Thin chicken cutlets get lightly coated, seared until golden, then tossed in a glossy honey garlic sauce that clings to every bite.
I love that it all comes from pantry staples, so most of the time I can whisk it together with what’s already in the cupboard.
Serve it over a pile of Baked Rice with some Roasted Veggies on the side and you’ve got a one-skillet chicken dinner that feels fun and “special,” but is still totally doable on a busy weeknight!
What others are saying:
“My husband couldn’t get enough of it…even started eating off of my plate! This is a delicious, simple recipe that doesn’t take long at all to make. Little ingredients and big flavors. We are already planning to make again next week and add some veggies.
Thanks so much! This is amaaazing!!” Noelle
Honey Garlic Chicken ingredients:
- Honey: Use plain, clear honey, not flavored or creamed!
- Chicken broth: gives the chicken plenty of moisture and acts as a flavorful base for the honey garlic sauce. I recommend using low-sodium so the sauce isn’t too salty!
- Soy sauce: I always use low-sodium soy sauce as well, so I can control the saltiness of my sauce. If you use regular soy sauce, you may want to adjust the amount of salt you add later!
- Minced garlic: You can use freshly minced garlic, store-bought minced garlic, or even finely chopped garlic.
- Cider vinegar: I prefer to use apple cider vinegar, but if all you have is white vinegar, that will work as well.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: If you have super-thick breasts, make sure to slice them in half so they cook more quickly and stay tender. You can swap these for boneless, skinless chicken thighs without changing the recipe.
- Canola oil: Any neutral high-heat oil, like canola or vegetable oil, will work for searing the chicken!
How to make Honey Garlic Chicken:
Any dinner I can make in under 30 minutes is a dinner I can get on board with! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients.
- Coat chicken in cornstarch mixture and brown in the skillet.
- Add the sauce to the pan and simmer until thickened and chicken is cooked through.
Tips for the best Honey Garlic Chicken:
- Do not overload the pan: Sear the chicken in batches if needed, so it can brown instead of steaming in crowded pan space!
- Let the sauce bubble: The sauce needs a gentle simmer to thicken and turn glossy, so give it a minute or two before deciding to add more cornstarch.
How to store leftovers:
Leftover Honey Garlic Chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out!
Serving suggestions:
I love serving Honey Garlic Chicken over rice so all that sticky sauce has somewhere to go. We usually do a big bowl of fluffy Fried Rice or simple Instant Pot Brown Rice on the side and spoon the chicken right over top!
To round out the plate, add Air Fryer Broccoli or Honey Glazed Carrots and a basket of warm Homemade Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls to swipe up any extra sauce!
Honey Garlic Chicken
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, (or more for more heat, optional)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (roughly one pound)
- ¼ cup corn starch
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Whisk together sauce: honey, chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon corn starch, vinegar, salt, and pepper flakes if using. Set aside.
- Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice in half the long way, to form two thin chicken breast pieces (see video for clarification)
- Place ¼ cup corn starch in a shallow dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly coat both sides of chicken in corn starch and shake off any excess. (You can skip this step, but it does give the chicken a nice crust)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until starting to brown. You may have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. If there is much oil left, drain before continuing with the recipe.
- Remove chicken from pan and add sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits.
- Add chicken back to the pan, stirring constantly until thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Check the largest pieces of chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure they are 165 degrees F.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- If your sauce is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking together equal parts cornstarch and water. Whisk that into the sauce, very little bits at a time, until it has reached your desired texture. Keep in mind that the sauce will also thicken as it sits.
- If your sauce is too thick, add a splash of water or chicken broth to thin it out.
- Coat the chicken. Coating the chicken in the cornstarch mixture is optional, but it really does result in a crispier chicken since the cornstarch can help absorb moisture as the chicken cooks.
- Drain the oil. After you brown the chicken, drain any excess oil from the pan so that your sauce doesn’t end up greasy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tag @thereciperebelVariations and Substitutions
- Use chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and stay very juicy! Just cook until they reach a safe internal temperature.
- Make it saucier: Double the sauce ingredients if you like extra sauce to spoon over rice or veggies.
- Turn it into a stir fry: Add sliced peppers, snap peas, or broccoli to the pan after searing the chicken, then pour in the sauce and cook until everything is crisp-tender.
- Dial the heat up or down: Leave out the red pepper flakes for a kid-friendly version, or add more pepper flakes or a swirl of sriracha for extra spice.
- Gluten-friendly option: Use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce and check labels on your broth to keep the dish gluten-free.
Marilyn says
Can I make this 4 hours earlier and reheat it in the oven?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Marilyn! Sure it can be made ahead of time. Enjoy!
Jodi says
We love this recipe. I use water instead of the chicken broth and coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce. We toss it right in the slow cooker without the added step of cooking it on a skillet first and don’t use the corn starch. It’s a favorite of ours now. We make it weekly.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jodi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Noelle says
My husband couldn’t get enough of it…even started eating off of my plate! This is a delicious, simple recipe that doesn’t take long at all to make. Little ingredients and big flavors. We are already planning to make again next week and add some veggies.
Thanks so much! This is amaaazing!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Noelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Stacy says
Made this tonight for my family. Sauce has great flavour and thickness. Chicken cooked quickly cutting the breasts as suggested. This will be added to my favourites list fast, easy and delicious!
The Recipe Rebel says
So happy to hear! Thank you Stacy!