Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

This 12-minute recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken has juicy chicken breast cutlets in a tasty honey garlic sauce with only five ingredients. This sauce is made with things you probably already have in your kitchen. When you simmer it with seared chicken, it turns into a delicious glaze that makes a simple meal taste amazing. It’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Honey Garlic Sauce would definitely be one of my top five most-used sauces. It’s easy to make but hard to resist, and it turns golden and sticky as it cooks. This dish is even better when you sear the chicken and then finish it in the skillet until it turns brown.

This Honey Garlic Chicken is a great choice for a weeknight meal because it only takes 30 minutes to make and cook in one pan. I love simple meals like this one, as well as my favorites like Creamy Garlic Chicken and Honey Lime Shrimp. This recipe will definitely become a regular part of your dinner plans!

I wanted to try the sauce with chicken too because my honey garlic salmon recipe has been so popular. Chicken is a staple in our house because it’s easy to make and the kids love it. This recipe is a nostalgic nod to a honey garlic chicken I used to make when I first started cooking, and it still tastes great every time!

Why You’ll Love These Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

This Honey Garlic Chicken Breast recipe is great because it’s easy to make and tastes amazing. You only need one pan and 20 minutes to make it. Here are some reasons why you should try it:

• Quick and Easy: It only takes 20 minutes to make, so it’s great for busy days when you don’t want to give up flavor.
• Few Ingredients, Big Flavor: A few simple things like chicken, garlic, honey, and soy sauce make a dish that tastes great.
• One-Pan Wonder: This is a great meal for weeknights because everything cooks in one pan and is easy to clean up.
• You can eat it with rice, noodles, or veggies for a full meal that will fill you up.
• Everyone loves the sweet-savory sauce, which makes it a hit with families.

What you need to make Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

When making Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts, here’s how to get the most flavor out of each ingredient:

• For the best texture, choose fresh chicken breasts that are boneless and skinless. If they are thicker, cut them horizontally to make sure they cook evenly and faster.
• Garlic: Slicing garlic fresh gives it a stronger taste than mincing it. Don’t be shy; the garlic is what gives the dish its sweet and savory flavor.
• Honey: The quality of the honey can make the sauce sweeter and more complex. A good honey adds a floral richness that goes perfectly with the soy sauce.
• Soy Sauce: If you want a strong umami flavor, use a good soy sauce. A low-sodium option is a great way to cut down on sodium without losing taste.
• Using both butter and olive oil makes the dish richer and helps the chicken brown perfectly for the perfect finish.

How to Prepare Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

How to Get Ready:

Start by putting a lot of olive oil and butter in a big pan and heating them up. This mix not only cooks the chicken all the way through, but it also gives it a deep flavor and helps make the outside golden and crunchy.

How to Get the Chicken Ready:

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make thinner pieces that cook evenly and quickly. Add a lot of salt and pepper, then coat with flour. This thin layer makes a great crust and will help the sauce get thicker later.

How to Cook the Chicken:

Put the chicken in the hot pan and cook each side until it is golden brown and almost done. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside, keeping all of the tasty juices in the pan.

How to Make the Sauce:

Add a little more butter to the pan, then stir in the minced garlic and cook until it smells good. This is where the flavor magic begins! Add soy sauce and vinegar to deglaze, and then add honey. Let the sauce cook on low heat until it gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Last Touches:

Put the chicken back in the pan, cover it well with the sauce, and heat it up again. You’ll have beautifully glazed chicken that will impress anyone at any meal.

Chicken Breasts with Honey and Garlic

Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts: Juicy, soft chicken covered in a thick, sticky glaze of honey and garlic. This simple dinner for a weeknight is full of flavor and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Great for getting ready for meals or a quick family favorite!

• Time to get ready: 15 minutes
• Time to cook: 15 minutes
• Number of servings: 4

Things you need

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter divided
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup honey
• Kosher salt to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• Green onions cut into thin slices to use as a garnish

How to do it

1. Get the cooking base ready: In a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
2. Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thinner pieces. Season each piece with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour, coating evenly.
3. Cook the Chicken: Add the floured chicken to the heated pan, cooking for 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and almost fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan, reserving any juices.
4. Make the Sauce: In the same pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic, stirring constantly for 30-60 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
5. Deglaze and Finish the Sauce: Pour in the soy sauce and seasoned rice vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in the honey, along with a few cracks of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Combine and Warm: Return the chicken and any reserved juices to the pan, letting it simmer in the sauce for about a minute until fully warmed through.
7. Serve: Plate the chicken, garnished with thinly sliced green onions for added freshness and color.

Choices for storage

Enjoy your Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts even more later! Here’s how to keep them:

• In the fridge, you can keep it for up to three days in an airtight container. If you want to keep the food moist, reheat it gently in a pan or microwave with a splash of water.
• Freezer: You can freeze portions in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to three months. Before reheating, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

Changes and Replacements

You can use this Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts recipe in a lot of different ways. Here are some ideas for how to change it up:

• Alternatives to protein: For a tasty change, use turkey breasts instead of chicken or pork chops instead of chicken.
• If you’re vegan, you can use firm tofu slices or tempeh instead; just change the cooking time as needed.
• Changes to the sauce: Use tamari instead of soy sauce if you want a gluten-free option. Add chili flakes or a splash of sriracha if you like things spicy.
• Honey Swaps: For a different sweetness that goes well with garlic and soy, try using maple syrup instead of honey.