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!
I followed the recipe and my sauce didn’t look nearly as red. Any tips?
Hi Danielle, it could just be the different brands you used for your ingredients. As long as it tastes great though!! N x
Hello Nagi! Thanks for the recipe. Can you please let me know which cooking pan are you using?
Hi Meghan, just a standard pan here – Scan pan (Not non stick) N x
Wow! This was so simple to make and delicious – even better the next day as leftovers. I added some tiny cooked /seasoned tiny broccoli florets at the end of cooking and it turned out great. Served w/brown rice. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I ask a question is their any way to make in a instan pot?
I just found your website and am so glad! I just made this sauce tonight and so delicious. Definitely a keeper!
As usual, your recipes never disappoint! I can’t believe how much flavor it has with so little ingredients! I literally tried like half of your recipes by now because your recipes are perfect ❤️
Can you use salted instead of unsalted butter? And can raw honey be used instead of regular honey? Thank you and I cannot wait to make this tomorrow!!
Yes 100%! Just omit the salt from the recipe and salt to taste. N x
This chicken was very good! We loved the sauce! Perfect dinner with brown rice and broccoli!
This chicken is absolutely wonderful! My family loved it. My husband and eldest son requested for me to make it only two days after I made it, and on a weekly basis. Thank you so much for this recipe!
It was great, next time I will cut back a little on the soy so that the honey will come through little better. I will definitely try again.
Hi Nagi
Is this sauce very garlicy?
I ask because I purchased a ready cooked (garlic) chicken by mistake from my supermarket and it was awful – too strong. Since then any chicken with garlic has totally turned me off.
Luv & hugs to you and gorgeous Dozer x x
Hi Jayne – it’s not overly garlicky – I’m sure you’ll love it! It beats anything from the store!! N x
Absolutely awesome! I’m so angry with myself for not finding this recipe earlier! I made the Cilantro Lime Rice to accompany the chicken breasts and it was just fantastic! Make this today and you won’t regret it!
Perfect Steve! N x
I made the Honey garlic chicken just now for the first time. It was great! My husband raved over it! I used almond flour instead of regular flour which cave a slightly nutty taste and texture! Thanks for now a goto recipe!
That’s great to hear Leshia!! N x
Amazingly delicious breast and easy to make. Thanks Nagi!
Loved this garlic honey chicken recipe and so did my husband. Also, so easy and delish. I will use again, and again, and again. Thank you.
Hi, Nagi! Greetings from Indonesia 😁
I would like to know the apple cider vinegar that you use for all of your recipes. Is it the one with “the mother” like Bragg or the one like Heinz? Thank you so much. Looking forward to hearing your feedback.
might try this tonight. Can i use white wine vinegar?
Love love this recipe! Mu husband is a nut for anything with honey. He said print this one RIGHT now! Also once a week rotation would be great. Easy dinner for a Friday night after a long work week! Thanks!
Hi! Made this for my family the other night and they loved it! I loved it so much that i want to make it again but I was wondering if you have measurements to scale for 1 serving? Thank you!
Hi Michael, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! If you hover your mouse over the servings size you can scale it to one serving. N x
I made this last night and it is now my new favourite chicken recipe. So quick, so easy, soooo tasty! Thank you, Nagi!