Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts – epic 15-minute recipe with tender chicken drowned in a magical 5-ingredient Honey Garlic Sauce! This is the dream back-pocket quick dinner for the busy nights, made completely from pantry staples. It is so incredible that just a few simple ingredients can translate to such a lovely sauce for chicken!
BONUS: This is quite a flexible recipe, you can make it with beef (or chicken), pork or shrimp/prawns too — or even tofu!
I have to admit, although I typically go for juicy chicken thighs (better flavor, juicier!), week after week I am tossing chicken breasts into my shopping cart. Over the years, I’ve built up a whole range of quick and easy chicken breast recipes, and this Honey Garlic Chicken is one that I go back to time and again. It’s just THAT good! Try our Garlic Chicken Stir Fry next.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts Recipe
15-Minute: Great for busy weeknights, this 15-minute recipe is quick to put down, great for when you’re short on time or eating on the go.
Kid-Friendly: The sweet and savory sauce is popular with little ones and grown-ups alike. Don’t be shocked if the whole crowd heads back for seconds!
Versatile: You can have it over rice, with some of your favorite veggies on the side or stirred up with a simple salad to make it a complete and satisfying meal.
Minimal Ingredients: You’ll use only a few basic pantry staples—honey, soy sauce, garlic—so you won’t have to rush to the store to buy anything fancy. If you like this, you'll love our Teriyaki Chicken Skewers.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Breasts: Slicing them in half horizontally gives you thinner pieces that cook quickly and evenly.
All-Purpose Flour: Helps to brown the chicken a bit so that the sauce coats better. If you’re gluten-free, replace them with almond flour or a gluten-free blend.
Butter: Provides the richness in the sauce. If you’d rather, you can use olive oil instead.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is integral here for a kick of flavor. So, adjust to taste if you want a milder or stronger garlic flavor.
Soy Sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce to control saltiness. Tamari works well as a gluten-free option.
Honey: Counteracts the salty soy sauce and garlic with a hint of sweetness. Maple syrup is an option to use in its place. For another easy option, see our Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad.
See? Told ya you’d have it all! 😉
Full ingredient list with amounts and instructions found in recipe card below
How to prepare Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts
First up, let’s prep those chicken breasts. Take two big chicken breasts, cut each one in half horizontally, and create four thinner pieces. This trick enables them to cook quicker and more evenly. Generously season both sides of each piece with salt and pepper. It makes a huge difference in flavor from the very start, trust me.
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Now, let’s dust these chicken tenders with flour. Spoon some flour onto a shallower dish — nothing fancy needed here. Dredge each piece of chicken through the flour until it is lightly coated all over. Dust off any excess; you’ re just looking for a light coating to help form a bit of a crust when we sear them. This will ensure that delicious sauce adheres to each bite.
Okay, time to get searing! Heat a large skillet over high heat. Melt most of your butter — save a teaspoon or so for later. Then, once the butter is nice and melted, in goes the chicken pieces. You want to hear that nice sizzle immediately! Evaporate 2-3 minutes for the first time, until it is golden. Then turn them over and cook for just 1 more minute. The main goal here is that golden crust! When the chicken is nicely seared, remove it and set aside for a minute.
Now it’s time to kick up the flavor a notch. Reduce the heat a little, to medium-high. Create a little space in your skillet, add the garlic and that last teaspoon of butter you saved. As the butter melts, use it to stir around the garlic — be careful not to let it burn. We just want to soften it up and release that beautiful, aromatic quality.
Next up, it’s sauce time! Add the vinegar, soy sauce and honey directly to the skillet with the garlic. Give the pan a little shake or stir it all together with a spoon. Put the mixture on the heat and let it come to a simmer. You’ll watch it bubble away as it thickens up into a lovely, glossy sauce. It takes about a minute, maybe two. Turn the heat on high and watch it closely — this part happens quickly!
Once the sauce is thickened a bit, put the chicken back in the skillet. Turn each piece over a few times until they’re completely coated in that sticky, delicious honey garlic sauce. If the sauce is a little too thick for your taste, simply add a splash of water to loosen it and stir it in.
And there you have it — your Honey Garlic Chicken is good to go! Remove the skillet from the heat, and plate the chicken, spooning any leftover sauce over the top. It’s great with rice or some steamed veggies on the side, and the whole dish comes together super fast. Devour that sweet and savoury goodness! You might also like our General Tso’s Chicken.
And THAT’S IT!
Want to grill it? No worries! So use this same recipe but put the chicken on the BBQ instead.
Just look how the sauce clings so nicely to the chicken? That’s all due to that light dusting of flour we gave at the beginning — it makes for a nice crust when they’re pan-fried.
What goes with Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts
And there’s a lot of that tasty sauce to spoon over vegetables and soak into rice or whatever accompaniments you prefer. The flavor is strong, so a little bit of this stuff goes a long way!
I like to serve this with fluffy white rice, and a crispy cucumber salad on the side. It’s also great with mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, or even over pasta. And despite the soy sauce in the mix, it doesn’t taste overtly Asian-y, so it goes with just about anything—even Mac and Cheese! Yes, really! Try our Melt in Your Mouth Chicken Breasts next.
Give this recipe a try — you’ll be blown away by how quickly it assembles (under 15 minutes!), and how very few ingredients can transform into something so completely delectable.” Believe me, you’ll be making it again and again once you try it. Happy cooking! If you like this, you'll love our Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken.
Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
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Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless and skinless (2 pieces)
- Salt and pepper as needed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter or 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white or other clear vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce light or all-purpose
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to create four thinner pieces. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in flour, lightly coating all sides. Shake off any excess flour.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat and melt most of the butter, reserving about 1 teaspoon for later. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side until golden, then flip and cook for 1 more minute. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining teaspoon of butter and garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring to prevent burning.
- Add vinegar, soy sauce, and honey to the skillet. Stir to combine and let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, turning each piece to coat in the sauce. If needed, add a splash of water to adjust the consistency. Simmer for another minute to let the flavors meld.
- Serve the chicken hot, drizzled with extra sauce. Great with rice or steamed vegetables.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
1 comment
This is the kind of post that works well for a wide audience because it stays straightforward, balanced, and enjoyable without trying too hard, which makes it easier for readers with different points of view and opinions to stay involved in the conversation.