This honey garlic chicken breasts recipe is sweet, savory, and irresistibly sticky in the best way. The chicken is seared until golden, then simmered in a glossy honey garlic sauce that’s perfect over rice, noodles, or veggies. It’s one of those easy dinner options you can pull together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights when you still want something homemade and full of flavor.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🍯 Perfectly balanced sweet and savory honey garlic flavor
- 🐔 Juicy honey chicken breast every time
- 🍳 One skillet cleanup = less stress
- ⏱️ Done in just 25 minutes for quick weeknight meals
- ❄️ Sauce freezes well, and you can try freezing cooked chicken for meal prep
🛒 Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- Optional: sesame seeds & green onions for garnish
💡 Works great with chicken thighs, but garlic chicken made with tender chicken breasts is unbeatable for busy nights.
👩🍳 How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts
- Prep the chicken: Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Sear: Heat oil in skillet, cook chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In same skillet, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth.
- Thicken: Mix cornstarch slurry, whisk into sauce, and simmer until glossy.
- Combine: Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, and cook for 2–3 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Serve: Over rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables.
🍽️ How to Serve This Dish
- With steamed jasmine or basmati rice
- Tossed with stir-fried vegetables for a healthy plate
- Over noodles with extra sauce for a takeout-style dinner
- Chilled and sliced for easy dishes in lunch bowls
🧂 How to Perfect Your Honey Garlic Chicken
- Use fresh garlic for the best flavor minced, not jarred
- Don’t overcrowd the pan so the chicken sears, not steams
- Let the sauce simmer a few minutes to thicken naturally
- For more tang, add extra vinegar; for more sweetness, add extra honey
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Burning garlic keep heat medium-low when sautéing
- Adding cornstarch too early wait until sauce is simmering
- Overcooking chicken honey chicken is best juicy, not dry
🧊 Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Store in airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Try freezing cooked chicken with sauce for up to 2 months
- Reheat: Warm gently on stovetop or in microwave with a splash of water to loosen sauce
If you love sticky-sweet skillet dinners like this, you’ll also enjoy our Creamy Ranch Chicken and Rice another quick weeknight meal that’s rich, comforting, and picky-eater approved.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes! Thighs work beautifully for honey garlic chicken just adjust cooking time.
Q: Can I bake this instead of pan-cooking?
Yes, you can make a baked version similar to honey garlic chicken bake just pour the sauce over chicken in a baking dish and bake at 375°F until done.
Q: Can I make it ahead?
Yes! Store sauce separately or make the whole dish and refrigerate. It’s one of those easy dinner options that reheats beautifully.
Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry
- sesame seeds optional garnish
- green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Whisk into sauce and simmer until thick and glossy.
- Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and cook for 2–3 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Serve over rice, noodles, or vegetables, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.