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!
This was a winner at our house!!
Wahoo! Great stuff CLD!
Instead of the vinegar could I substitute with white wine?
You could, or try lemon – N x
I’ve made this twice now & my whole family love it! Tastes a lot like Honey Chicken you might get from a Chinese takeaway in my opinion, only less sticky & more saucy
Perfect Michelle – and so much better because you know what’s actually in it 🙂
Love this recipe made it a few times. I was wondering could I cut the chicken up into bite size pieces and make this you think? Thanks for the great recipe!!
I tried this recipe last night. I loved it! Was very tasty. I’m new to cooking, but it was super easy to follow. Thank you so much! The chicken was not very soft. Does that mean I over cooked it?
Hi Dg, sounds like it may of overcooked a little, try cooking a little less next time – N x
I have made this a few times. But I use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. It is very delicious! It was super easy and quick to make! I love this recipe! Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you love it Rhonda!
Question. I don’t have vinegar is there anything else you can substitute for this or would be ok to omit? Thank you!
Hi Aisha, do you have any type of vinegar at all?
I’m allergic to soy sauce. Is there a simple alternative?
Hi Kristin, there’s a mushroom based soy or I’ve heard coconut amino is a good alternative – N x
Quick and easy! This recipe received rave reviews from the family with comments of “ we need to have this again! “
Wahoo! That’s great!
I made the garlic honey chicken oh my yummy. Thanks
I’ve been trying to find an easy chicken breast recipes that I actually like for literally years. This is the first one that I’ve truly enjoyed. I tossed some pre-cooked Brussels sprouts in when I flipped the chicken so they would heat through and soak up some of the sauce as well. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. This will be a repeat for me!
Great Allen!!
Another awesome dish, and one that is very forgiving….I cooked my chicken WAY longer than I should have, and it was still delicious! Going into the “family favourites” pile for sure x
I’m so glad you loved it Rana!
Forgot to rate it.
Thanks so much!!
Cannot fine light soy sauce using dark should i water it down with chicken broth? Any suggestions?
Hi Bozo, I talk about this in the recipe notes 🙂
I went ahead and made it with dark soy sauce since I couldn’t fine light. In our family if its a 10 we make again this was 10++++ Thank you Once again you didn’t disappoint us!!!
Made the honey garlic chicken last night, was absolutely amazing! The best chicken I have ever cooked! The family LOVED IT! Tried a few of your recipes now and they are all great! Recipe Tin Eats my favourite website when I’m looking for something new to make!
Aww thanks so much Anne!
Will without a doubt become staple recipe that I will be making for years to come
Woot! That’s great to hear Trevor!
Could you make this in the instant pot?
I haven’t tried to be honest Vanessa! Would love to know if it works – N x
This was super easy and really delicious! I served it with a wild rice blend and a side salad. I’d repeat this often!
That’s great Michelle!!
I will be making the honey Gallic chicken tonight. Im leaving a comment in order not to lose your a page.
Let me know what you think Ada!
This really was an easy, quick, and delicious recipe! I found it better to mix the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl prior to tossing over the chicken in the pan.
Hi Allison, I’m so glad you loved it, you could always mix the sauce ingredients prior if you prefer – N x
Can I substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts with this recipe?
Hi Erin, you sure could, you’d just need to adjust the cooking time – N x