My Honey Lemon Chicken is perfect for weeknights! Chicken breast lightly coated in seasoned flour, pan fried until golden and served with a gorgeous honey lemon sauce. At just 320 calories a serve – with plenty of sauce – and on the table in 15 minutes, this is a fantastic back pocket recipe for busy days!
This rarely happens, and it usually only lasts 24 hours, but I can officially say: I’m cooked out. Between cooking for Easter both in real life and for RecipeTin Eats and client work, the amount of food that has come out of my pokey little kitchen over the past couple of weeks is extraordinary.
My freezer is jam packed, the homeless guy is getting 2 meals almost every day, and every friend I see gets sent home with food.
So today, it’s fitting that I share something super fast to make but, as always (!!), super tasty – this Chicken with Honey Lemon Sauce.
I start off by dusting the chicken with lightly seasoned flour which serves two purposes: 1) so the chicken forms a lovely golden brown crust; and 2) it helps thicken the sauce (via brown bits stuck on the pan mixed into the sauce and popping the chicken back into the sauce at the end).
The key to this recipe is the golden brown bits left in the pan from cooking the chicken. It’s gold and it should never be wasted. Whether you’re cooking fish or protein, swish a little liquid of some sort (broth/stock, wine, lemon juice, even water), bring it to a simmer to loosen the brown bits and use a spatular to scrape it off the bottom of the pan and into the liquid.
It’s free flavour and it’s the key to making this simple Honey Lemon Sauce so tasty even though there are so few ingredients in it.
This Honey Lemon Chicken is actually a really healthy meal too, at just 320 calories per serving. Serve it with a simple side salad and a couple of slices of bread to mop up the sauce, and you’ll have a complete meal for less than 500 calories.
Something to mop up the honey lemon sauce is key! It’s rude to lick the plate (in front of others, home alone is perfectly acceptable). So make sure you have some bread to wipe your plate clean!! – Nagi x
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Honey Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken breast (2 pieces)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup / 35 g flour (any)
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml chicken broth / stock
- 1/4 cup / 85g honey
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
To serve (optional)
- Lemon slices
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally to form 4 steaks in total. OPTIONAL (for more even cooking): Pound to even thickness about 1cm/ 2/5" thick.
- Sprinkle each side generously with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in shallow dish. Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.
- Mix 1 tsp of the flour (reserved from step 3) with the water. Set aside.
Cooking
- Place butter and oil in a skillet over medium high heat until butter is melted and hot. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown, then transfer onto a plate to rest.
- Add garlic into the skillet and stir for 20 seconds or until golden. Add chicken broth / stock and bring to simmer. Use a spatula to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the liquid.
- Add honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and flour/water mixture (from step 4) into the skillet. Mix and bring to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened into a syrup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, pour Sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices if using. Alternatively, return the chicken to the pan for 30 seconds (to reheat), turning to coat in the sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
 WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Honey Lemon Chicken recipe video! Note: The recipe is missing the soy sauce which is in the ingredients, returned to the recipe by popular demand by readers who loved the original recipe!
I’ve just found your site. I’m a passionate home cook and have used many of the most popular cooking websites but I am adding this as my favourite. Only regret is that I didn’t find you sooner! Love your work girl!
I LOVE being the favourite!!! Thanks Jenny!! N x
Hi Nagi…accidentally found your site and gotta say I love the passion and ease you share with easy, creative and healthy recipe ideas. Made this Honey Lemon sauce to inspire my chicken breasts that I make so often. Great alternative to the way I usually garnish. Awesome. Thanks from Michigan.
Thanks Steve! I am happy you liked it! N x
Made this for dinner last night. YUM, YUM, YUM!!! What an easy and delicious meal. Hubby and I had the leftover mash potato and cauli with the sauce and a side of chopped Avocado..
That sounds amazing Nakigirl! N x
This is the recipe that “led” me to Nagi! I have since made about 75 of her recipes. I made this tonight after being out of rotation for a while, and it reminds me how something so simple can be SO good!! Family doesn’t eat much sauce, so I scooped up the excess sauce & it’s an elixir that has literally cleared my head from 10° freezing winter Chicagoland sniffles (combo Chicken stock, honey, lemon, garlic) – should be sold as a cure-all!! This is still probably one of my top 5 Nagi faves. Excuse me while I go eat some of her Christmas cake now …
Hi Nagi! I just found your website today and I am stunned at how great it is. I am a very health-conscious cook who looks for low-fat and low-carb recipies. I think I will find many good choices here!
One question: I’m assuming that the chicken breasts are skinned, right? If not, I will still try this using skinned chicken breasts (or maybe even thighs) as it looks so good! Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Hi Nagi, I have been looking at your recipes and loving your approach to cooking. I will make several that really sound good as soon as I can. I live on the Northern Beaches too, so we are almost neighbours! Congratulations on a great website. Cheers, Sally
This is absolutely spot on. .
So flavoursome without being overpowering.
Thankyou Nagi for another great recipe
Feel exasperated with cooking so relaxing with recipes – this recipe is perfect for some suitable for Sunday dinner! Thank you!
Yes! N x
So easy and delicious. Will be a regular on our household
Absolutely love your Ricotta Gnocchi; so light and yummy thankyou. Also the easiest for someone like me who can’t cook!!
Hi Nagi! I tried your recipe today and to tell you the truth I absolutely loved it! Delicious.
Nagi, you are my go to for any and I mean any recipe. You’re amazing. please
I made this today and it was simple and delicious! So flavorful. I used chicken tenders instead of breasts, and I returned the chicken to the pan to finish cooking in the sauce. I am adding this to my rotation. Really enjoyable!
this was very easy and delicious! I only had chicken thighs so I subbed in those, and served with roasted broccoli. So good!