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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!
Thu says
made this for my family’s dinner, and everyone complimented it!
Noeline van Rensburg says
What can I use to replace soy sauce? I am allergic to soy…
Nagi says
Hi Noeline, coconut aminos is the next best thing 🙂 N x
Traci says
The same for me. Would you cut down the honey &/or add salt to compensate for the less salty and slightly sweet coconut aminos? If so, by how much? Thanks!
Mila says
Would agave syrup work in this recipe? Do I need to make adjustments if using agave? Thanks in advance!
Nagi says
Hi Mila, I imagine it would – I’d use the same amount of agave as honey 🙂 N x
Courtney says
This was absolutely amazing! I had to make some adjustments based off of what I have in my pantry but WOW!!! My boyfriend is super picky and he loved it.
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Courtney! N x
Sharon says
Just tried this recipe (and several of your quick dinner recipes) and everyone in the family loves it! Thanks Nagi!
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Sharon! N x
Nick says
This is an awesome and easy recipe to make! I am a newbie, never cooked before, and I was able to make it successful! If I can make it, everybody can make easily it! Thank you very much, Nagi!
Nagi says
Awesome Nick!! N x
Leslie Alldridge says
This is now my go to website. I think it’s my fourth or fifth recipietineats recipe. Tasted like restaurant quality, absolutely amazing.
Nagi says
WOOT! Thanks so much Leslie! N x
Tonye says
Yum yum finger licking good. Another effortless easy to following super delicious recipe.
Served this with jollof rice (West African rice dish) and a side of green veggies.
Nagi says
Sounds fabulous Tonye! N x
Elizabeth says
Another amazing dinner !!!
Only one complaint, I did not make enough sauce. So next time I will triple it.
Wanie Hayhurst says
Hi Nagi,
I made this with Cauliflower rice and the Cucumber Salad with herb garlic vinaigrette.
Best meal ever..we all loved it,Thank you for sharing the recipes😊
Heather says
So good! Another winner.
Nagi says
Wahoo, thanks Heather! N x
Tiffany says
i would like to make this in the crockpot. Do I just combine the ingredients (minus the flour) and pour over chicken? All the measurements stay the same right?
Nagi says
Hi Tiffany, the recipe as written won’t work in a cock pot sorry! N x
Kate says
I made this for dinner tonight along with your fried rice. We all loved them both but particularly my fussiest eater (husband). He much prefers your version of fried rice to my normal version so it looks like my version will be scrapped. The chicken was so easy to make and so tender. The sauce was divine. Thanks Nagi!
Nagi says
Perfect Kate, that’s great to hear! N x
Natalie says
Best meal I’ve ever made 😳. And I’m not the best cook 🤣🤣🤣
The kids loved it too!
I didnt Have flour so I used Panko instead.
And did cauliflower mash.
Nagi says
WOOT! Sounds great Natalie! N x
katie says
my experience in the kitchen would be best described as, “level below novice”. i typically attempt one recipe per year, consisting of minimal effort and ingredients, as i find cooking/baking very stressful and overwhelming. this recipe was perfect. i so appreciated the way the directions were clearly outlined, and the added video walkthrough was just what i needed to feel confident throughout the process. best of all? my husband LOVED the dish, and was so impressed by how much flavor it had, and how little time it took to prepare. we both agreed this dish will need added to the dinner rotation, and are excited to try it with other proteins! thanks, nagi!
Nagi says
This is GREAT to hear Katie – thanks so much for letting me know!!
Amy Williams says
Ugh so good! My stuff never looks as ‘glazed’ as your photographs, but then reducing is pretty hard on my crappy oven. I had it with your sweet potato casserole so I should probably grab some insulin. Thanks Nagi <3
Charlotte Barker says
Absolutely delicious 🤤
Steve says
Wow, just wow, the chicken was just amazing! Served with your quick garlic bread was just divine thank you. Its the baked fish tomorrow, im hooked already, thanks again.
Annette says
This was so delicious, quick and easy. While it was cooking I made your quick rice in the microwave. Everything was ready is 15 minutes. Thanks Nagi
Rosa says
Made this with mixed chicken and pork. I think I should have reduced the oil after the pork. It’s a bit oily but it’s good. I will definitely try this again. Also I boiled the pork beforehand for a few hours to make it really soft.