Honey Garlic Chicken

I nearly always have all of the components at home and saucy chicken recipes happen to be my family’s favorite! This dish includes lots of tender chicken that gets covered in a super delicious sweet & tangy honey garlic sauce.

It’s simple enough to make for lunch or dinner, and is so good you might get a special request to make it every week! All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

“Wow, that was the best recipe for honey chicken I’ve ever tried! The dredging the chicken in flour made it superior!

When I need a quick dinner that’s packed with taste, this Honey Garlic Chicken never lets me down. It comes together with just a few simple components I always have on hand, and the sweet, sticky sauce is seriously addictive. I love serving it over rice with some steamed veggies for an easy, better-than-takeout meal at home.

- I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but if your budget is tight, you can in addition use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead. This recipe cooks pretty fast, so you want the sauce to be ready when it’s time to add it to the skillet. - Don’t overcook the chicken.

Since the chicken is being cut into smaller bite-sized pieces, it won’t take them long to cook. - Don’t crowd the skillet. Cook the chicken in 2 separate batches if you need to.

Honey Garlic Chicken

- 2 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.14) - 1 Tbsp rice vinegar ($0.10)

- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.20) - 1 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.05) - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ($6.49)

- 1/2 tsp black pepper ($0.02) - 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)

- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.04) - 3 Tbsp olive oil ($0.48)

- 4 cloves of garlic, minced ($0.32) - 2 green onions, sliced ($0.24)

- Start by making the sauce. Combine the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch together in a small bowl.

- Cut the chicken breasts into small 1/2 inch sized pieces. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.

Then toss the chicken pieces in the flour until each piece is evenly coated. - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of oil. Swirl to coat the surface of the skillet.

Once the skillet is hot, add half of the chicken and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a separate plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and repeat with cookery the 2nd batch of chicken until cooked through. Set all of the chicken aside.

- In the same skillet add the butter and lower the heat down to medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic cloves and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

- Next give the sauce another brief stir, then pour the sauce into the skillet with the garlic. Stir the sauce and scrape up any browned bits that are stuck at the bottom of the skillet.

Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes to allow the cornstarch to activate and thicken the sauce. - Now add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and stir with the sauce until all of the pieces are evenly coated.

Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes to allow the chicken to heat through. - Remove the skillet from the heat, top with sliced green onions, and enjoy!

How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Step-by-Step Photos

Start by making the sauce. Combine the 1/3 cup honey, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sriracha, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch together in a small bowl.

Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1/2 inch sized pieces. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Then toss the chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour until each piece is evenly coated. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of oil.

Swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add half of the chicken and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a separate plate and set aside. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and repeat with preparation the 2nd batch of chicken until cooked through.

Set all of the chicken aside. In the same skillet add 2 Tbsp of butter and lower the heat down to medium-low heat.

Add four minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Next give the sauce another brief stir, then pour the sauce into the skillet with the garlic. Stir the sauce and scrape up any browned bits that are stuck at the bottom of the skillet.

Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes to allow the cornstarch to activate and thicken the sauce. Now add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and stir with the honey garlic sauce until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes to allow the chicken to heat through.

Remove the skillet from the heat and top with sliced green onions. Enjoy with fluffy white or brown rice!

Serving Suggestions

I served this honey garlic chicken with a side of white rice and some sliced green onions on top.

But you can as well enjoy it with brown rice, vegetable fried rice or even cauliflower rice. Sautéed green beans or a side of this sesame cucumber salad would in addition taste great!