If you need a fast, flavorful dinner, this Honey Glazed Chicken Breast delivers. Juicy chicken is coated in a sticky honey-garlic glaze that cooks right in the skillet, so there’s no marinating and minimal prep. It’s quick, family-friendly, and perfect for adding a little excitement to your weeknight chicken dinners.
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Honey Glazed Chicken Video
You’ll love the simple scoring method for this chicken – there’s no marinating necessary, plus the chicken cooks faster and more evenly, so you can serve glazed honey chicken in under 15 minutes, perfect for a satisfying weekday meal.
Honey Glazed Chicken Breast Recipe
This might be my new favorite chicken breast recipe; in fact, my whole family is smitten with it (my teenage son hasn’t stopped requesting it). It’s an easy request to say “yes” to because it’s so simple to make and quick to prepare.
The sauce here is perfection, so all you need is a bed of cooked white rice and simple veggies like Roasted Cauliflower to go with it. It’s perfect for any busy weeknight, but the sauce makes it taste fancy.
Chicken is one of my favorite lean proteins to cook and eat, from Baked Chicken Breast to Air Fryer Whole Chicken. It’s simple to prepare, and you can change it up in so many different ways to keep dinner interesting.
Honey Chicken Ingredients
Turn a package of chicken into a perfectly sweet-and-savory dinner with just a few pantry staples.
- Chicken breast – about 1.5lbs or 3 medium breasts. Ideally, they are of similar sizes to cook evenly
- Flour – helps the sauce to thicken and stick to the chicken. Swap with GF 1:1 flour or cornstarch for gluten-free Honey-Glazed Chicken
- Butter – helps add richness and body to the sauce.
- Garlic – 4 minced cloves – what incredible savory flavor to offset the sweetness of the honey
- Apple cider vinegar – tangy acidity that bridges the sweetness and the savory richness of the sauce. Swap with rice wine vinegar or even white vinegar.
- Soy sauce – Salty and flavorful!
- Honey – the perfect level of sweetness for the glaze. You can easily substitutute with maple syrup, and it works just as well.
Can I Use a Different Cut of Chicken?
It’s easy to swap the chicken breast with chicken thighs if that’s what you have on hand. Thighs should reach a final temperature of 170-175˚F. You can also use chicken tenders, which cook faster, just keep an eye on your pan to be sure you don’t overcook.
How to Make Honey Glazed Chicken Breasts
This 15-minute glazed honey chicken breast recipe has such incredible finger-lickin’ flavor, so it’s sure to be your new favorite!
- Score the chicken – Use a sharp knife to make criss-cross lines through the top of the chicken breasts. This is called the cross-hatch method. It helps the chicken cook faster, more evenly, and also allows the seasonings and glaze to penetrate into the chicken for more flavor.
- Season and dredge – sprinkle salt and pepper, and then press the chicken lightly into a plate of flour. Shake off the excess.
- Sear the chicken in butter in a large skillet, score-side down over medium-heat for 5 minutes, and then flip to cook another 4 minutes on the other side. The chicken should be almost cooked through, or about 10-15 degrees before the final cooking temperature.
Natasha’s Pro Tip to Prevent Butter Splatter
When melting the butter, swirl the pan until the butter is melted. This helps prevent sputtering from the milk solids being trapped under the fat.
- Make the Glaze – add the remaining butter and garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Stir and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes until thickened, spooning it over the chicken as it cooks. When the chicken is cooked through (165°F), remove it from the heat.
- Finish – plate the chicken breast by spooning sauce over the top, and then sprinkle fresh chives.
What to Serve with Honey Glazed Chicken Breast
This versatile honey-glazed chicken breast recipe is the perfect headliner to a tasty meal, so try these easy side dishes to build a complete menu.
- White Rice, or Quinoa
- Fried Rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Korean Carrot Salad
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Asian Chopped Salad
- Roasted Broccoli
If you’re wondering what to make with chicken breast, this recipe is the perfect answer! Glazed Honey Chicken Breast cooks up in 15 minutes and just needs simple sides for an easy, crowd-pleasing meal. Try this recipe, and I know it will become part of your weekly rotation!
Honey Glazed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, medium, about 1 1/2 lbs*
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, or cornstarch for gluten-free
- 4 Tbsp butter, divided (or 3 tbsp olive oil)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- Fresh chives, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Score the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and score the top in a shallow diamond pattern, cutting about ⅓ of the way through (don’t cut all the way through).
- Season and Dredge: Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, pressing it into the scored grooves, then shake off the excess.
- Sear the Chicken: Set a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter, swirling the pan as it melts to prevent splatter. Add the chicken, scored-side down, and cook 5–6 minutes until golden. Flip and cook another 4 minutes, or until nearly cooked through. They will finish cooking as they simmer in the sauce.
- Add Garlic and Glaze: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the garlic to the pan and sauté briefly until fragrant. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Let the sauce simmer 2–3 minutes until thickened, spooning it over the chicken as it cooks. The thickest part of the chicken should reach 165˚F.
- Finish: Garnish with fresh chives and serve warm with the extra sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- To Refrigerate – once cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze – store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat – Heat in a skillet until warmed to 165°F. Add a splash of water to loosen up the sauce and add moisture.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
After you see how easy it is to prepare this Glazed Honey Chicken recipe, you’ll want to try these other easy chicken dinner ideas:
- Chimichurri Chicken
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Marsala
- Chicken Korma
- Pizza Chicken
- Monterey Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan
- Honey Garlic Chicken
10/10 had chicken tights in my freezer so I used them instead and it was delicious. My 4 year old ( usually refuses eating meat) ate all his portion asked for second ate it and asked for thirds. I was speechless like I should make it every week if this is how I can make him eat meat. Awesome recipe, easy to make, all family happy win win ! Thank you so much!
That’s wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe especially your 4 year old. It’s hard to please kids sometimes so that’s a huge win!
Made this last night and it was so easy and so dang delicious. This will be a recurring meal in my repertoire! This ones a keeper!
That’s wonderful! So glad you found one for the rotation.
Thank you so much for this! The flavors were amazing. I added a teaspoon of red pepper flakes at the very end because I love them with soy and honey, but I tasted the glaze before I made that addition, and it was equally wonderful both ways. This recipe is definitely in the repeat queue for when I need something quick that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
I’m so happy you loved it, Kevin! Thank you for sharing.
Great recipe!!!! Thanks so much Natasha for sharing. Your recipes never fail. Oh and my husband said it’s a keeper ❤️
Thank you so much, Colleen! I’m happy you found a keeper!
My teenage son says
“This is outrageous “
Went back for seconds and said
“ This is freakin amazing, momma you did good”
I’m not a good cook and I saw this recipe pop up on my Facebook feed and thought it looked pretty easy and I had all the ingredients.
This will be at least a twice a month dinner.
Wow! That is the best compliment, I’m so happy you both loved it, Shelly
That’s so awesome! I’m happy that your son enjoyed them a lot!
Any ides about how to lower the carbs in this delicious recipe.
Hi Vicki! I don’t have a replacement to suggest for the sweeteners (maple/honey) and flour which is where majority of the carbs are coming from.
I made the honey chicken glazed chicken for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I followed your recipe as written. Even my wife loved it and she doesn’t care for chicken breasts. I will be making this again.
This chicken is so good my husband is raving to everyone about it! Great taste will be making this for dinner many times in this house. Thank you for making this house so happy at dinner time now!!
So good, Natasha 🤤 You’re so good at what you do. I only had thighs, so I used those and it turned out great! Your recipes are always reliable, thank you 💛
Thanks so much, Kacie! I’m glad you loved the recipe.
Delicious! I added a pinch of red pepper flake for just a hint of heat.
I’m so glad you loved it, Stacey!
Quick,easy, and delicious that’s music to my ears! I served over rice and peas flowed the recipe as written.
I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for the feedback.
Perfect easy choice for quick tasty dinner
It really is, and the best part? My kids approve of this honey glazed chicken. I hope you and your family love it too!
Where can I find the counter top stove?
Love all your videos. Have your Cookbook. Love it! I tell everyone about you!
Hi Clara! It’s linked in my amazon store front here.
Hi, I was also wondering the type of counter top stove you use, the only one I could find in your store front was not the one in the video that looks more like a propane bronze one.
Love the recipe, and your site and have many successful meals, thankyou !! Thanks for your help as I would really like the counter top stove you used in this video.
Hi Donna, I use this Butane Burner (affiliate link).
Brilliant
We thought so too!
This dish would go great with wipped mashed potatoes and parmesan asparagus. Both recipes in your cook book.
That would be delicious paired with the honey glazed chicken. You have great taste!
That looks awesome.. I may try it with boneless skinless thighs cause thats my favorite lol But your breast does look good! I saw that little shark come up close to the pan as you were adding the honey and vinegar. Soo cute lol
I hope you love it, Tracy!
Hi Natasha,
I keep kosher meaning I don’t mix dairy ie butter in this recipe with meat.
What can I use in place of butter for this recipe?
Hi Shirley! You can use vegan butter or replace with oil.
Wow, that was fast and easy. I was getting ready to make lunch, but checked e-mail first. I received the link to your new post/recipe, and having everything on hand I decided to make it. Good stuff Natasha! Another winner! I did see sharky just after you put the honey in the pan.
Hi Kent, I’m so happy to hear you had everything on hand and loved the honey chicken! Thanks for the lovely review!
Will thighs work? I don’t like breast meat.
Hi Jerry! Yes, chicken thighs will work too. It tends to take a little longer to cook through so just keep an eye on it and be careful not to overcook it either. Use a food thermometer to check for doneness.
I just took chicken out of the freezer . I’m making this tonight. Thank-You Natasha.
I hope this honey glazed chicken becomes a new favorite for you! You are most welcome!