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 should be able to double the sauce right? I’d like to serve over rice but I want to make sure there is extra! Sounds delicious!
Yes definitely!
My very picky family loved this recipe! My husband was impressed how tender the chicken was.
I’m so glad it was a hit Christine!
This was so delicious! I used thin boneless skinless chicken breasts and
doubled the recipe. It was easy to make!!
Wahoo, that’s great Colleen!
I tend to follow recipes very loosely but I followed this fairly closely since I’ve never made honey garlic anything before… I will DEFINITELY make it again!
Wahoo, thanks so much Steph!
Question for you – does “Light Soy Sauce” mean the Low Sodium one commonly found in supermarkets or the Light Soy Sauce found in Asian markets?
Hi Stephanie, light soy is the one found in asian markets, it’s actually saltier than regular soy, lighter in colour and looks thinner that regular or dark soy – N x
Just such a beautiful recipe.
Thanks so much Kerry!
This was the most flavorful, moist, delicious chicken breast recipe I have ever made!
That’s so great to hear!
This looks delicious!! Could I make this in the Instant Pot?
You want a frying pan that will crisp up the chicken and an instant pot is not that good at doing that…IMO
While looking for inspiration for dinner tonight it was luckt thst I cane across this recipe/video on FB! So quick and easy. I was hoping it wasn’t going to be too sweet and it was perfect! My son and I really loved it so I’m printing it out for him so he can make it for himself when we go on holidays next week.
Thanks for another quick, easy and yummy recipe Nagi😊
That’s awesome to hear Maria!
I meant to say that it was lucky that I came across this recipe/video.
Apologies for the typos!
Just made this tonight and it was awesome! My son finished his plate and my wife said this was one of her favorite dishes. Such an easy and delicious recipe.
Wahoo, that’s great Aaron!
I love this. I added a little cornstarch to thicken this up.
I’m so happy you loved it!
This dish is absolutely amazing, even my kids want seconds. We make this multiple times a month. Thank you so much!!!
That’s so great to hear Stefanie!!
I’m a total food snob and look at alot of recipes online, cook them and then wonder what someone was thinking.
THIS. WAS. DELICIOUS. Printed out copies for my kids and sent them in the mail so they could add to their cookbooks.
Thank you for making our meal delicious!
hi, is the soy sauce salty or sweet?
Husbae enjoyed this recipe it was fabulous. Thank u Nagi can’t wait to try more of ur recipes
Thanks so much Baby!
I made this tonight for dinner. It was quick and easy and absolutely delicious!! I will make this again. The chicken was tender and the sauce was perfect!
That’s so great to hear Lesley!
SO DELICIOUS! Super quick and easy and was a huge hit with the family! Love your recipes Nagi xx
I’ve never made a comment on a recipe before, but I’ve never made something like THIS!! As a college student I don’t have much time or cooking expertise, but this was one of the quickest, easiest, and most importantly TASTIEST recipes I’ve ever made!! I’ve sent it to a few of my friends and am saving this for later.
Wahoo thanks for the feedback Molly!
Delicious! Saving this in my bookmarks so I can make it again.
Need to make a larger quantity for a holiday meal. Can it be baked in the oven instead of stovetop?
Awesome!! Love the sauce!! A new and easy favorite!!
Woot!!