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 delicious!!! Omg we loved it in our home thank you! Although I used 1 tsp of lemon because I didn’t have vinegar. Just amazing!!!
That’s great to hear Paula!! N x
Oh have to try this, i’d say it would be a lovely coating for chicken wings…
Yes 100%!! N x
My daughter and I just made the Honey Garlic Chicken and it was easy! The flavor was great! I doubled the sauce to drizzle over sauteed veggies. Thank you for posting this recipe.
I took pics too. I couldn’t figure out how to post them on here.
I’m so glad it was a hit Jeanette!! N x
Your food looks amazing!!!
Thanks so Much Diana! N x
Delicious and so easy! Made this for dinner tonight and loved it. Definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Laura, that’s great to hear! N x
This was amazing. My picky 2 and 3 year olds rate every bite! Thank you for this delicious and easy dinner!
That’s great to hear Miccah!! N x
It was so easy and delicious! Can’t wait to make it again.
I’m so glad you loved it Rose. N x
I can’t eat soy – will it drastically change the recipe to leave it out?
Hi Wendy, yes the soy is the salty component that balances the flavours here, can you have tamari? N x
You could perhaps try it with coconut aminos-I buy it at Sprouts. We don’t use soy sauce either.
Does this absolutely need flour? I dont have any 🙁
Nope! Just skip it, even just using the sauce is great! 🙂 N x
Loved it. I’m so glad that I found your site. This was the first recipe I tried and it was delicious and so simple. Will recommend to all my friends.
Thanks so much Fiona! N x
The Honey Garlic Chicken breasts were a hit! Amazingly moist and the flavor combo and ingredient proportions were spot-on. Thanks!
That’s great to hear Lisa! N x
I’ve made this chicken multiple times for my family, always a hit.
Perfect Megan!! N x
Hi Nagi, I’m cooking for our family of 6, can I apply the same ingredients and technique using diced chicken breasts as opposed to whole? I tend to find it goes further. Thanks a lot.
Hi Nathan, you sure can – however, it will cook quicker if diced 🙂 N x
Can I make this with chicken legs?
You’d need to bake it 🙂 Mix the sauce together, then toss chicken in it, bake 45 minutes at 180C/350F, basting with pan juices (if pan is drying out, add water – the chicken should leech enough liquid though) N x
Can I use the liquid amino acids instead of soy sauce?
Hi Diana, yes you can – I haven’t tested much with them though so not sure if the amount will be 1 for 1 – N x
Hi Nagi,
I have cooked this twice! Ohhh my family just loved it!! I doubled the mixture to get more glaze as it is delicious!!
Thanks again 👍
Perfect Lynn!!! N x
I made this and I just loved it. You have me hooked on diving further into your collection of recipe. I made the glazed stovetop carrots. Loved those also. Ready to make the Creamy carrot soup. I have your website on my task bar. Thank You!
I LOVE hearing this Linda, thanks so much! N x
We made this with Maple Syrup from our farm instead of Honey… We’re also in the middle of the stay at home order and this recipe was exactly what I needed to fill up my soul today!
Wow! So good and easy to make. Thanks so much! You are amazing😁
It looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. X
I hope you love it Sam!! N x