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 have never left a recipe review in my life, ever. I am writing now because I am so impressed! I am not the best chicken cook, I will admit but have been trying to play with new chicken recipes. I found this recipe on short time and few ingredients. It was so easy and quick to make! Not to mention delicious! My very picky boyfriend told me 4x how good the chicken was and went back for seconds, which is saying a lot for him! I am so glad I came across this recipe! This is definitely a 10/10 in my book! Thank you!
I and my family like this recipe. Tasty and easy. Thank you!
This is mine and my entire family’s favorite meal!! So delicious!! And so easy!!
Was a great hit with the family made it with the chicken and will be trying very soon with the shrimps . Always appreciate a great shared recipe. Thank you very much .
Hi !!
Just found this mouth watering recipe online. Can’t wait to try it !! Could I serve this with wide egg noodles or vermicelli instead with the sauce or even quinoa or couscous ?!
Yes 100% Dessy! N x
So I cooked this tonight for family dinner and while I wasn’t over the moon for this recipe and told my husband I wouldn’t make this one again, he wanted to know why not – he thought it was quite good and what he wouldn’t make again was the rice I served it with (my recipe creation) and the kids had no problem eating this either – absolutely no complaints and ate it all (the chicken, not the rice – daughter didn’t like my rice).
I’m glad it was a hit Marianne! N x
This was quick and heavenly! I’ll be sure to make this again.
That’s great to hear Karen! N x
I made this dish for my family and they loved it! i’m in love as well and it was my first time cooking with chicken! I’m so happy with this recipe and I see myself making this again in the future! Thank you so much!
Wahoo, that’s awesome to hear Elizabeth! N x
My family absolutely loved this recipe! My son, who doesn’t do much cooking said he will make this for our family next week because he wants to learn how to cook it!! It was quick and easy to make, as promised and better than what we could get in a restaurant! Thank you for your recipes. Can’t wait to try more 🙂
That’s great to hear Kim! N x
made this for my family’s dinner, and everyone complimented it!
What can I use to replace soy sauce? I am allergic to soy…
Hi Noeline, coconut aminos is the next best thing 🙂 N x
The same for me. Would you cut down the honey &/or add salt to compensate for the less salty and slightly sweet coconut aminos? If so, by how much? Thanks!
Would agave syrup work in this recipe? Do I need to make adjustments if using agave? Thanks in advance!
Hi Mila, I imagine it would – I’d use the same amount of agave as honey 🙂 N x
This was absolutely amazing! I had to make some adjustments based off of what I have in my pantry but WOW!!! My boyfriend is super picky and he loved it.
That’s great to hear Courtney! N x
Just tried this recipe (and several of your quick dinner recipes) and everyone in the family loves it! Thanks Nagi!
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Sharon! N x
This is an awesome and easy recipe to make! I am a newbie, never cooked before, and I was able to make it successful! If I can make it, everybody can make easily it! Thank you very much, Nagi!
Awesome Nick!! N x
This is now my go to website. I think it’s my fourth or fifth recipietineats recipe. Tasted like restaurant quality, absolutely amazing.
WOOT! Thanks so much Leslie! N x
Yum yum finger licking good. Another effortless easy to following super delicious recipe.
Served this with jollof rice (West African rice dish) and a side of green veggies.
Sounds fabulous Tonye! N x
Another amazing dinner !!!
Only one complaint, I did not make enough sauce. So next time I will triple it.
Hi Nagi,
I made this with Cauliflower rice and the Cucumber Salad with herb garlic vinaigrette.
Best meal ever..we all loved it,Thank you for sharing the recipes😊
So good! Another winner.
Wahoo, thanks Heather! N x