This simple Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe is one of the easiest 25-minute Asian-inspired dinner ideas that rivals your favorite takeout spot any day. It’s made with juicy chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces, browned and sautéed with lots of garlic, and then coated in a 2-ingredient sweet and savory sticky glaze!
Its sheen gives it a beautiful presentation and although there are only a few ingredients, it’s impressive enough to serve your dinner guests. No one has to know how easy it is to make!
The flavor balance of sweet and tangy, sweet and spicy, sweet and sour, or sweet and savory is why sweet and sour chicken, honey garlic shrimp, or honey mustard chicken are all so popular. I encourage you to try all of them soon!
The honey garlic chicken recipe comes together in 25 minutes which makes it perfect for days you don’t feel like making a big production out of dinner, or frankly, just don’t have the time! It’s bound to become a family favorite, and not just because of its simplicity, but because it’s loaded with flavors that are so much better than any restaurant!
So, the next time you’re craving a really good saucy comfort dinner, this honey garlic chicken recipe is all you need. It’s so much healthier to make it from scratch because you’re able to control how much sodium and refined sugar you’re using. Then, complete your meal with a side of rice and veggies and enjoy a restaurant-quality dinner at home in under half an hour!
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken – I typically use chicken thighs for this recipe because I like the darker meat with a little extra flavor, however, I sometimes use chicken breast instead, which ever chicken meat I have on hands.
- Cornstarch – Using cornstarch or flour to coat the chicken before you brown it helps to create a beautiful crust on the outside to lock in the moisture. It also helps to thicken the sauce.
- Butter & oil – I like to use both butter and oil to sear my chicken sometimes. It helps to prevent too much of a sear (aka burn) but it also adds a bit of extra buttery flavor which is nice.
- Garlic – We’re using 5 cloves in this recipe. If you love garlic you’re going to love this recipe! If you don’t love garlic as much as I do, feel free to use fewer cloves.
- Honey – I typically always have raw honey on hand, as I do prefer to use unpasteurized honey for health purposes. Not just in this recipe, but for anything! Once heated, it will lose some of those beneficial properties, but I still do prefer the flavor of it. You use what you have, it’ll still be amazing.
- Apple cider vinegar – This is the tangy sour element that balances out the honey.
- Salt & pepper – To taste!
- Fresh parsley – A pop of green and vibrant finishing touch.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
Step 1: Trim the fat off the chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Add the chicken to a mixing bowl and coat with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine making sure the chicken is evenly coated.
Step 2: Melt butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken once the skillet is hot and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the outsides are evenly browned. Stir occasionally.
Step 3: Drop in the minced garlic and sauté for a minute. Then, pour in honey and apple cider vinegar. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Do a little taste test and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Cooking Tips & Variations
- If you prefer to use whole chicken breasts or thighs rather than cutting them up you can. Sometimes it’s nice to serve a whole piece of chicken for fancier occasions. In this case, for a bit more caramelization, place it under the broiler for a couple of minutes in the end.
- Swap the apple cider vinegar for lemon or lime juice if that’s what you have on hand.
- For a little heat, throw in some red pepper flakes.
- Switch up the garnish completely and sprinkle on some toasted sesame seeds instead of parsley.
- Add some grated ginger with the garlic for an even more authentic Asian flavor.
- Skip the salt and use soy sauce instead. Adds another layer of yummy flavor!
- Easily double the amount of sauce used if you like yours really saucy! If you have lots leftover, keep it stored in a jar for a couple of days and use it as a dipping sauce.
What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken
We love to eat it with golden rice and a side of veggies for a quick and easy meal. However, when I’m feeling like putting in a little extra effort, here are my go-to for awesome side dishes:
- Easy Fried Rice
- White or brown rice
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower rice
- Steamed bok choy
- Roasted veggies
Storing Honey Chicken & Reheating
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’ve made a lot, portion out the rest for meal prepping lunches and dinners throughout the week.
To reheat: If you’re only heating up a small bowl, pop in the microwave. You may need to thin out the sauce with a splash of water as it will continue to thicken the longer it sits. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
More Easy Chicken Recipes:
Juicy Chicken Thighs Spanish Rice Recipe
30-minute Bang Bang Chicken Recipe in Air Fryer
Easy Fried Rice Recipe with Eggs and Green Onion
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Peppers
Super Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Oven Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
25-minute Garlic Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces, or 2-4 chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons corn starch or flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 3 tablespoons raw honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine chicken pieces with 2 teaspoon of corn starch, salt & pepper to taste and mix well.
- Using a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces mixed with cornstarch and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring few times.
- Next, add 5 cloves of minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. After pour in 3 tablespoons of honey and 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper if needed more. Serve with golden rice with Mr.Yoshida sauce and fresh cucumbers. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This post was updated February 3, 2022. The recipe is still the same!
How many cups in one serving?
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I took the recipe suggestion of subbing soy sauce for the salt and also added a bit of sesame oil to the sauce. I steamed some green beans and mixed them in with the sauce and chicken in the end. My family LOVED it! Thank you!
Thank you so much Tori! Sounds incredibly delicious!
Wow, it’s rare that when I follow a recipe to the T it comes out perfect! It was so delicious and very easy to make. It’s going on a recipe card😊
Woohoo! So happy to hear this, Debbie!
It feels like it needs more of something but it was a great recipe and so easy!
Thank you, Jennifer!
Hey girl! Made this recipe tonight and it was scrummy goodness! My only change was adding 2Tbsp molasses for a darker color. I didn’t take a picture… by the time I thought of it the whole dish was gone! Totally adding this to the rotation! Thank you💕
Thank you, Cathy! I appreciate your feedback!