Honey Garlic Chicken is an epic 12 minute chicken breast recipe with a magic 5 ingredient Honey Garlic Sauce! This is a terrific back pocket quick dinner idea for busy nights that’s made with pantry staples. It’s quite amazing how so few ingredients can transform into such a tasty sauce for chicken!
BONUS: This can be made with any protein – beef, pork, lamb, shrimp/prawns, even tofu!
Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
This sauce for chicken breast is a variation of my Honey Garlic Salmon which has been popular with readers for many years.
If I were ever to do a summary of my top 5 Most Used Sauces, Honey Garlic Sauce would probably be right at the top of the list. I love it because it requires so few ingredients that are pantry staples, and when simmered with a seared protein in a skillet so it becomes all bubbly and syrupy…. oh WOW.
It’s just DA BOMB!!! ( <– Who talks like that at my age???! I do. Only in extenuating circumstances. Excitement over crazy delicious secret-weapon sauce falls under this category. 😎)
Terrific quick chicken breast recipe
Though I personally have a preference for chicken thighs over chicken breast (better flavour, juicier!), I find myself putting chicken breast in my shopping trolley week after week.
Thus over the years, I’ve built up a wide variety of quick and easy chicken breast recipes – and this Honey Garlic Chicken is one of my favourite quick dinners that I find myself making over and over again.
What you need
See? I told you that you’d have everything! 😉
How to make Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
Split chicken breast in half – so 2 breasts makes 4 pieces;
Dust chicken with flour (gives the chicken a slight crust so the sauce clings to it better!)
Sear chicken, add butter, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, honey.
Simmer until the sauce thickens. Turn chicken to coat in the amazing honey garlic sauce.
And THAT’S IT!
Want to BBQ it? Use this Grilled Honey Soy Chicken recipe instead.
Notice how the sauce is clinging to the surface? That’s because we dusted the chicken with flour so when it’s pan fried, it creates a crust.
What to serve with Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
There’s enough sauce to drizzle over veggies and soak into rice or whatever you serve it with. The flavour is strong enough such that you don’t need loads – a bit goes a long way!
It’s pictured above with Cauliflower Rice (tossed with a squeeze of lemon, parsley, salt and pepper) with Cucumber Salad on the side.
Even though it’s got soy sauce in the Honey Garlic Sauce, this doesn’t taste specifically Asian-y. But it’s versatile enough that it will go just as well with Fried Rice as it will with a Macaroni Salad or even Mac and Cheese. Yes really! Try it once and you’ll understand (it only takes 12 minutes, you’ve got the time!!) – Nagi x
Honey Garlic Chicken breast recipe
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 500g / 1 lb chicken breast , boneless and skinless (2 pieces)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup flour (Note 1)
- 3 1/2 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter (or 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white or other clear vinegar)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Cut the breasts in half horizontally to create 4 steaks in total. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in a shallow dish. Coat chicken in flour and shake off excess.
- Melt most of the butter in a large skillet over high heat – hold back about 1 tsp for later.
- Place chicken in skillet and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until golden. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute.
- Turn heat down slightly to medium high.
- Make a bit of room in the pan and add garlic and top with remaining dab of butter. Stir garlic briefly once butter melts.
- Add vinegar, soy sauce and honey. Stir / shake pan to combine. Bring sauce to simmer, then simmer for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
- Turn chicken to coat in sauce. If the sauce gets too thick, add a touch of water and stir.
- Remove from stove immediately. Place chicken on plates and drizzle over remaining sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Honey Garlic Chicken breast recipe originally published February 2018, it has since been improved with new photos and video but no change to recipe (I wouldn’t dare, readers love it as it is!).
More quick and easy chicken breast recipes
Life of Dozer
The fish down at the beach taunt Dozer endlessly, splashing around and leaping out of the water. Sometimes he’ll be in the water swimming non stop chasing fish for an hour! It’s brilliant – no effort required on my part!
So good. I did double the sauce. Easy and quick and delicious
This was so quick, easy and delicious! The chicken was so tender!! I thought we would need more garlic, but i trusted the recipe and it was perfect!!
Such a good recipe, delicious & so quick & easy!! I cooked 2 batches & just following the recipe, the first batch came out a little sweet for my liking. I added about a Tbsp (maybe a lil more) of sriracha to the second batch, AmAzInG!! This is a keeper for sure!
Fantastic recipe! Smelled amazing as it cooked and tasted just as good. Super easy to make. My four boys gobbled it up!
I made this for dinner and it was the bomb. Only thing I changed was I used balsamic vinegar and sprinkled sesame seeds on the top.
Thank you for sharing
I don’t have white vinegar, are there any possible substitutes? Is it possible to cook this without it?
Hi Alona, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar will also work here. N x
Golly, this is a keeper! My spouse is liking what I do with your recipes. Your tutorial on sauces, ‘Charlie’ and others has helped me out a ton. Best explanations I have ever read. Thank you so very much.
Delicious as usual, teamed with the macaroni cheese as suggested. Loved by all
Great recipe. To change it up a bit next time I’m adding ginger and orange zest
Hi Nagi,
I’m so happy I found your site. I’m in California and I was searching for chicken stir fry and came across How to tenderize Chicken for stir fries. I followed the instructions and it came out just perfectly soft. Then, I made your Honey Garlic Chicken Breast and we ate some for lunch. Couldn’t even wait for dinner time. I like how you have quick recipes with a lot of flavor. Thank you,
Debbie
Two words…..D.. licious.
I made this tonight and served it with Brown rice and Nagi’s baked zucchini with Panko and Parmesan.
Wrap your lips around it people 🙂
Love it!!!!
I made this tonight and the family enjoyed it. The chicken breast was tender and moist, and the sauce was lovely sweet and golden. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks, Nagi and Dozer
I made this for the first time tonight and everyone loved it!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us all ❤
Made this tonight and it is the best easiest quick recipe. My husband is picky and he loved it
Have made this at least half a dozen times – perfect chicken breast each time!
SOY SAUCE IS NOT GLUTON FREE
Hi Hope, you can buy gluten free soy sauce – it’s readily available – try this one: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/370455?cmpid=smsm:ds:GOOGLE:Woolies_8458_BAU_Shopping_Smart_F%26B_WW-0001:PRODUCT_GROUP&gclid=CjwKCAjw-5v7BRAmEiwAJ3DpuBtV5w1JL6itUXmNLKVgfAZdy3B0uDjifDRI0TOQXp_uCtpRFfV09RoC4yIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds N x
I made this but I added some chilli 🌶 it was amazing. I think i cooked mine a little longer though as it was a thicker sauce than yours but thats how i wanted it. It was just like the honey chilli chicken from the Chinese here. Delicious. I’m making it again now 😋😋
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made this several times and will make again tomorrow. Thank you!!
Not only is this delicious but it also makes your house smell phenomenal! Another great recipe, thanks Nagi!