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 looks INCREDIBLE. I was wondering how these are leftover?
Hi Jordan, they make great leftovers, I usually just cover and re-heat in the microwave
I made this receipt tonight. I was terrific. I noticed it yesterday when I was looking for salmon recipes. I think it would work fine with salmon too, But, anyways, this is going to be a regular.
Yes it would be great with Salmon too ☺️
Nagi your recipes are absolutely amazing!!! I made this tonight and it was hands down delicious! Restaurant quality yet so simple and easy. The sauce was amazing, and the chicken was succulent and tender! Thanks You Again for a great easy dinner. Hubby thanks you too!!!!
I’m so happy you both loved it Liberty!
This is amazing. So very easy and quick to make. Love your recipes
I tried the curried rice recipe and it is delicious. Enough left over for another meal and the cooking time was spot on. Thank you
Awesome!
I made the chicken at the top of this page and we loved it here! I will make these again for sure
I’m so glad you loved it Lesley!
absolutely delicious! made this tonight for the first time and it was a hit!
I’ so glad you loved it Britta!
Made this tonight for the first time. Will definitely make again. Do need to buy the lighter soy sauce as I only had the dark.
I’m a single Dad love your site easy to follow recipes kids love garlic honey chicken
That’s great Bob!
To say that this was yummy would be a great understatement! The only word being said as people tucked into this was, “Oh”, “Ooh”, “Oooh”.
Our family agree, Nagi, you have very good taste. Another winner.
Thanks so much John!!
Nagi you need to have your own TV show these recipes are amazing made the honey garlic chicken everyone couldn’t get enough
😂 I’m so glad you loved it… Not sure about the TV SHOW!
Wow Nagi this was so easy and soooooo yummy once the family had a sample while l was cooking it they were like vultures circling there pray definitely picking out some more delicious recipes big thanks to my friend Belinda for recommending you
My family said that this recipe is a keeper! I did change it up a bit. I used boneless pork chops, doubled the sauce ingredients and used equal parts honey and pure maple syrup. So good! Thanks!!
Great to know, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Even my particular husband liked this recipe. Delicious and easy.
🙌 Terrific Deb!
Hi my name is Darrell and I am single and learning to cook for myself instead of eating out can you help me with some easy fast meals that I can prepare for the week on the weekends so all I have to do is come home and take them out of the freezer.
Thanks
Hope you can help me;)
Hi Darrell, my favourite freezer meals are things like stews, soups, lasagna, pasta bake, shepherds pie/cottage pie, pork carnitas… Just to name a few ❤️
Trying to subscribe to get newsletters and you fantastic e cook books but WiFi signal just not strong enough, will keep trying
Hi Serena, I’ve just subscribed you, you should have an email confirming your address ☺️
Thank you for making real, easy recipes that we all LOVE to eat!!!
Thanks so much for the feedback Christina, I truly enjoy hearing what people think ❤️
I’ve just cooked this, and it’s delicious! Thank you, Nagi, for a wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome Barbara!!
Hi Nagi, a friend posted your Honey Garlic Chicken recipe, & it sounds delicious. I am impressed with how easy your recipes are, & even moreso that you include nutrition data, which most don’t & it is so important for all who want to eat healthy, or have health issues like my Hubby who is diabetic. Thanks, & I’m looking forward to enjoying this & your other recipes!
That’s so nice to hear Gina, I hope you love my other recipes too!
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs (since we prefer dark meat) and it was fantastic! The sauce was delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!