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!
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
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😊
I meant to say that it was lucky that I came across this recipe/video.
Apologies for the typos!
That’s awesome to hear Maria!
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!