This homemade Honey Garlic Chicken is perfect to serve over rice or steamed vegetables. The sweet and savory blend of honey, soy sauce, and garlic makes this 5-ingredient sauce irresistibly delicious on tender morsels of chicken.
Don’t miss the video tutorial below to see how simple it is to whip up this mouthwatering, sticky chicken at home!
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We love simple chicken recipes from General Tso’s Chicken to Lemon Chicken. If you’re looking for easy and flavorful dinner ideas, be sure to add this Honey Garlic Chicken recipe to your Pinterest board. Its perfect blend of flavors makes it a quick, delicious meal everyone will love.
Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
My entire family loved this sweet and sticky Honey Garlic Chicken! It’s so much better than frozen versions from the grocery store because it’s made with real, juicy pieces of chicken breast without being overloaded with heavy breading. The fact that it’s naturally sweetened with honey makes me love it even more! My kids cleaned their plates and even went back for seconds!
This recipe is super easy to make! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is far better (and healthier) than any takeout in town. You have complete control over the ingredients in your meal, and this recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd or to create intentional leftovers for lunch the next day!
Honey Garlic Chicken Video Tutorial
Watch me make this Honey Garlic Chicken. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, this step-by-step video will have you serving up this tender, juicy chicken coated in a sticky honey garlic sauce in no time. You do not want to miss this one!
Is Honey Garlic Chicken Spicy?
When I first made this recipe, I thought I had added too much sriracha (1 Tbsp), but surprisingly once I tossed the sauce with the chicken, I could barely detect the spiciness at all, and neither could my kids (which was a relief because they aren’t fans of spicy foods).
I love that you can easily adjust the heat in this sauce to your liking. If you’re a fan of spice, feel free to add more sriracha or even a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to give the sauce an extra kick!
Ingredients for Honey Garlic Chicken
The key to making great Honey Garlic Chicken is creating the perfect balance of flavors with quality honey and soy sauce. Allowing the sauce to thicken creates a deliciously sticky glaze that clings to the chicken, ensuring every bite is bursting with so much flavor.
- Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ pieces.
- Soy Sauce – provides a salty contrast to the sweetness of the honey, creating a well-balanced flavor profile. It also helps tenderize the chicken and gives the sauce its dark color. I prefer a low-sodium soy sauce. Feel free to use a gluten-free version to make this recipe GF.
- Honey – adds a natural sweetness that complements the savory soy sauce and garlic. The sticky honey gives this dish its distinctive sticky glaze.
- Corn Starch – Used to thicken the sauce and lightly coat the chicken, creating a nice golden crust. Coating the chicken in starch also helps the sauce stick to the chicken.
- Sriracha Sauce – adds a little spice to the dish. You can add it to taste.
- Garnish – I suggest topping this dish with sesame seeds if you have them. You can also try almond slivers, parsley or cilantro.
Variations
While this recipe is written for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the delicious Honey Garlic Chicken sauce works wonderfully with a variety of proteins, including:
- Chicken tenders
- Chicken thighs
- Chicken wings
- Stir Fry recipes
- Tofu “steaks” for a vegetarian option
- Shrimp or Fish
Make it spicy – Feel free to add more Sriracha for extra heat, or even a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick. For a fresh twist, try adding ½ tsp of fresh ginger (minced) along with the garlic.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
I like to start with the sauce so it can simmer and develop it’s sticky sweet flavors while you prep the chicken.
- Prepare the Sauce – In a medium saucepan, combine water, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and minced garlic. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken the Sauce – In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan and stir until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
- Coat the Chicken – Add the chicken pieces into a large zip-top bag and sprinkle the top with cornstarch. Seal the bag and toss the chicken inside until evenly coated with cornstarch.
- Cook the Chicken – Set a large non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom with oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and sauté for a few minutes on each side until cooked through. Avoid crowding the pan and cook in batches or use two skillets to speed up the process.
- Add the Sauce – Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, if needed.
- Garnish and Serve – Serve over white rice, if desired, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
What to Serve With Garlic Honey Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken pairs beautifully over a variety of sides. Some of our favorites include:
- Rice: Whether you prefer classic White Rice, low-carb cauliflower rice, savory Fried Rice, zesty Cilantro Lime Rice, or hearty brown rice, rice is the perfect base for this dish.
- Vegetables: Try Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Carrots, or Roasted Cauliflower
- Stir-Fried Vegetables: asparagus, green beans, bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini.
- Noodles: Egg noodles or ramen noodles
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze in a freezer storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: (from frozen) Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat until heated through.
This Honey Garlic Chicken recipe is a quick and delicious option that will elevate your weeknight dinner with its rich flavors and satisfying texture. Using just a few simple ingredients, you can create a dish that’s ideal for busy evenings or meal prep, making it a family favorite in no time!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you love this Garlic Honey Chicken recipe, be sure to check out these other easy-to-make chicken dishes that will keep dinner exciting.
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Baked Chicken Breast
- The Best Chicken Salad
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Chicken Piccata
- Pizza Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken
- Popcorn Chicken
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Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 to 2½ lbs chicken breast, (2 large or 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces)*
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 cup filtered water
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce, *or gluten-free soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey, or more to taste
- 1 to 2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce, or added to desired spice level*
- 3 cloves garlic, (1 Tbsp minced)
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 Tbsp cold water
- Sesame seeds and chives, optional garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and minced garlic. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- In a small dish, stir together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan and stir until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the chicken pieces into a large zip-top bag and sprinkle the top with cornstarch. Seal the bag and toss the chicken inside until evenly coated with cornstarch.
- Set a large non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom with oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and sauté for a few minutes on each side until cooked through. Avoid crowding the pan and cook in batches or use two skillets to speed up the process.
- Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Serve over white rice, if desired, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Made this tonight and it was a hit! I used gochujang instead of sriracha and it also worked! Thanks for this recipe! ☺️
That’s a good idea! Thank you for sharing.
This is one of my now favorite recipes! It was so good and so simple to make…..didn’t change a thing (as usual). Absolutely a winner with my husband. Thank you, Natasha for another fantastic recipe. You are an amazing cook and every recipe I’ve tried of yours, never disappoint. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you for your good comments and feedback. I appreciate it!
My second attempt. I wish I had taken a copy of my first. This is just basic now. Love your recipes, you and your book. Do you have lots of cups to measure wet and dry goods? Could you please give me weights in grams for recipes that you post live. Too late for your book which I love. A list to put in my book?? This is shorter so hope it gets through to you.
Hi Betty! Most of my recipes have a metric conversion button at the top of the recipe card. Click on that button and it will convert the ingredient list for you. Some of the older recipes may not have this feature, but we are working to update and add it to all of our recipes.
My cookbook is still available for purchase, you can find it some local book stores, Barnes and Noble. You can even find it on Amazon. I’ll will link it here: Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook (affiliate link).
Hey Natasha! I love reading & trying out your recipes..they’ve always turned out great!!!
Reading this one, I was thinking of adding some fresh or canned pineapple chunks. Do you think that would work? Maybe too sweet?
Thank you! 😊🙏
Thank you, I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes! I think adding pineapples chunks will work, make sure to use fresh pineapple or drain canned so it doesn’t add too much extra syrup sweetness.
So far not one of your recipes has disappointed anyone in this house. Made this recipe tonite and all I heard through dinner was mmmmmmmm this is so good. Its a keeper! Thank you Natasha for sharing ❤️
Aww, that’s so great, Colleen! Thank you for sharing that with me.
Hello you don’t season the chicken with salt and pepper??
Hi Betty, the soy provides a salty contrast. I hope you love this recipe. But we do have this note on step 5: “Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.”
Hi Natasha! If I’d like to make extra sauce, would you recommend I double all ingredients (minus the chicken)? Just wondering if the slurry is just to coat the chicken or thicken the sauce.
Hi Amira! It’s used to thicken the sauce and lightly coat the chicken, creating a nice golden crust. See step 2 for quantities used to thicken the sauce. You’ll want to double that.
Thanks! The extra sauce will be used to coat vegetables. Do you have any vegetable suggestions that pair well with this dish?
Hi Amira! You can go to this portion of the recipe “What to Serve With Garlic Honey Chicken” for more tips and suggestions!
Hi Natasha. I have a question. It might sound weird, but what is filtered water? Is it regular water from the tap?
Hi Pattie! It’s water that has passed through a filter to remove impurities like chlorine, heavy metals, chemicals, etc.
My husband and I loved it! 1 TB sriracha was quite spicy—too much for the kids but for me it was great. Also definitely more of a 45 min meal, not 20.
This chicken is amazing! I made it for my family and it was a huge success!
This was a huge hit! The chicken was moist and delicious. I made a shrimp version too. Will be making again soon; everyone loved it!
Making this tonight first time….It looks delicious….You are wonderful Chef blessed by God
Thank you
I hope you love it!
Very tasty and easy sauce! I cooked drumsticks in the air fryer (coated with cornstarch) until they were crispy, put them in a casserole dish, poured the sauce over them and baked them for another 20 minutes @ 350 degrees. They were delicious! Thank you.
Made it for dinner & my family loved it!
Sharky took the green onions !
I’m fixing this on Saturday , can’t wait it looks yummy !
I hope you love this recipe, Diana! Sharky sure is sneaky!
I love this recipe!! Easy and so much flavor as so many of your recipes are. I love that this is quick on a work day or busy weekend. A delicious homecooked meal I love to add broccoli on the side with a fresh loaf of bread.
Can flour be used in place of corned starch?
Hi Wendy! Flour can still work, but the coating will be softer and less crispy. You may also need to use more to thicken the sauce.
Loved the flavor!! But I really like crispy chicken with this kind of sauce. What would you recommend?
Hi Nat, this chicken should juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. If you want more crisp you can look at alternate methods of cooking the chicken. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I made this with fresh sea bass, I wish I could give it ten stars… both my grown sons said “we need to keep this one!” We will try it with halibut next. Was out of garlic so used roasted garlic powder. We used Braggs for the soy sauce. Thank you so much, simple and delicious.
Will I have to adjust soy if it’s not low sodium?
If you’re using regular soy sauce which is saltier, you can use a little less or add it to taste.