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 (60g) flour (Note 1)
- 3.5 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter (or 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white or other clear vinegar)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup (90g) 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 recipe is a SMASH HIT! How simple, how tasty, how quick, how scrumptious! Everyone needs to try this – It’s that good!!!
I’m so glad you loved it Nicky!! N x
Phenomenal! The chicken breasts were perfectly moist and tender – a perfect combination with the slightly crisp crust and heavenly sauce. I could not believe the results. NAGI, you are such a gifted teacher, communicator and chef. I can’t thank you enough for instilling in me such culinary confidence through your recipes and thorough guidance! (P.S., my son and I are big Dozer fans, too!)
So good!!
Made it and loved it. Sauce was a little thin so next time will mix in a little cornflour. Thanks Nagi, the first of your recipes sent to me.
So delicious! My family loved it..
This was so good! My whole family (including one very picky eater) loved it and asked for more. Doubling the recipe next time. Thank you!
That’s great to hear Karli! N x
I made this with Soy Curls, easy and delicious.
So good my family eat the left over sauce with bread. So quick and easy and so very yummy. If I could I would give you 10 stars.
This is easy and absolutely fabulous!
Thanks Nagi
On Nagi. You always .make me look like a rock star. This was fast and DELICIOUS.
Great recipe! My husband said it was restaurant good! Thanks for posting
OMG!! This is AMAZING!! So quick to make and sooooo tasty.. thanks Nagi
You’re so welcome Lynsey!! N x
Absolutely delicious , love it
absolutely loved this recipe – the flavour was outstanding. I’ll make this again.
great
Delicious. Had it with snow peas and over Konjac rice from Coles. A healthy yummy dish made in minutes.
Sounds perfect Shehneela!!! N x
Best chicken recipe ever! I love how to ingredients are simple yet delicious! I don’t need a ton of ingredients to make a dinner, it’s already in the pantry! Love!
Made this tonight. Absolutely delicious! My husband and I loved it. It’s a “keeper”. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Nagi..
Great recipe. Easy to follow. Great taste. Thanks..
Eddie