Honey Garlic Chicken Breast

Honey garlic chicken breast is sweet, savory, and ridiculously easy to make on a busy weeknight. With tender chicken coated in a glossy, sticky sauce made from honey, garlic, and soy sauce ready in 30 minutes.

Love More Chicken Recipes? Try My Creamy Chicken Florentine or this Stuffed Chicken Breast next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast and foolproof – From start to finish in 30 minutes, perfect for hectic evenings
• Sweet and savory perfection – The honey and garlic combination is pure magic
• Kid-approved comfort – Even picky eaters love this sticky, flavorful chicken
• Minimal cleanup – Just one skillet and a handful of ingredients
• Restaurant-quality at home – That glossy, caramelized sauce looks and tastes incredible

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken:

• 1½ pounds (700 g) chicken thighs or chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces (thighs stay juicier, but breasts work beautifully too)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (this is the secret to that sticky sauce!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

For the Honey Garlic Sauce:

• ⅓ cup honey (use real honey, not the fake stuff)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium recommended so you can control the saltiness)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar (adds that perfect tangy balance)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (fresh is best—don’t skip this!)
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional, but it adds wonderful aroma)

For Serving (Optional):

• Cooked rice or noodles
• Sliced green onions
• Sesame seeds

Why These Ingredients Work

The cornstarch is your best friend here—it creates a light coating on the chicken that helps the sauce cling beautifully instead of sliding right off.

Honey gives you that gorgeous glossy finish and sweet base, while soy sauce adds depth and that umami richness we all crave.

The vinegar is key for balance; without it, the dish would be too sweet. It cuts through the honey and brightens everything up.

Fresh garlic is non-negotiable—it’s what fills your kitchen with that irresistible aroma and gives the sauce its signature flavor.

And if you add that little bit of sesame oil? It takes the whole dish to another level with its nutty, toasty notes.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large skillet or frying pan (non-stick works great)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Mixing bowl for coating the chicken
• Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Garlic press or microplane (optional, but makes mincing easier)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Season the Chicken

Pat your chicken pieces dry with paper towels—this helps them brown better. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then add the cornstarch and toss everything together until each piece is evenly coated.

Don’t worry if it looks a little dusty; that coating will turn golden and gorgeous.

Step 2: Brown the Chicken

Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the chicken in a single layer.

If your pan isn’t big enough, work in batches—crowding leads to steaming instead of browning. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

The chicken should have a beautiful caramelized crust. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Sauce

In the same pan (don’t wipe it out—all that flavor stays!), lower the heat to medium. Add the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, water, and sesame oil if using.

Stir everything together and let those flavors get acquainted.

Step 4: Simmer

Let the sauce bubble away for 2–3 minutes until it starts to thicken slightly and becomes fragrant. Your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing at this point.

Watch the garlic carefully—it can go from golden to burnt quickly.

Step 5: Combine

Return the chicken to the pan and toss everything together until each piece is coated in that glossy, sticky sauce.

Cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken like a glaze.

Step 6: Serve

Remove from heat immediately. Serve over fluffy rice or noodles, and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

You Must Know

The cornstarch coating is absolutely essential—it’s what makes the sauce stick to the chicken instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. Don’t skip this step or your chicken will be naked and sad.

Also, keep a close eye on your heat once you add the sauce. Honey can burn surprisingly fast, so medium heat is your friend. If the sauce gets too thick too quickly, just add a splash of water to loosen it up.

Personal Secret: I always make a little extra sauce (just double the sauce ingredients) because everyone in my house fights over it.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Use cornstarch generously – It’s the secret to restaurant-quality texture and that glossy coating
• Don’t overcrowd the pan – Give your chicken space to brown; steamed chicken won’t get that golden crust
• Prep your sauce ahead – Mix the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl before you start cooking for easy pouring
• Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly – Take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking
• Taste and adjust – Add a splash more vinegar if it’s too sweet, or honey if it’s too tangy
• Watch the garlic like a hawk – Burnt garlic tastes bitter, so keep the heat moderate once you add the sauce
• Use fresh garlic, not jarred – The flavor difference is night and day
• Let the sauce reduce – Patience for those 2–3 minutes gives you that perfect sticky consistency

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Want to switch things up? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the sauce for a sweet-and-spicy kick.

Fresh ginger (about a teaspoon, grated) alongside the garlic makes it taste more like takeout. If you love citrus, squeeze in some fresh orange juice or add a bit of orange zest to the sauce—it pairs beautifully with honey.

For extra vegetables, toss in some broccoli florets or snap peas during the last few minutes of cooking. They’ll soak up all that delicious sauce.

You can also swap the chicken for shrimp or tofu if you want to change the protein entirely—just adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Make-Ahead Options

This dish is best served fresh and hot, but you can definitely prep ahead to make dinnertime faster.

Cut your chicken into pieces and coat it with cornstarch, then store it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can also mince your garlic and mix your sauce ingredients together in a small jar—just give it a shake before using.

If you want to make the entire dish ahead, cook it completely, let it cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of water when reheating.

I don’t recommend freezing this one because the sauce texture changes and the chicken can get rubbery.

What to Serve With Honey Garlic Chicken

This chicken is a superstar over steamed white rice or fluffy jasmine rice—the rice soaks up all that incredible sauce. Fried rice or coconut rice would be amazing too.

For vegetables, keep it simple with steamed broccoli, roasted green beans, or sautéed bok choy. A crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing cuts through the sweetness beautifully.

If you want to make it more substantial, serve it over lo mein noodles or rice noodles. For a complete meal, add an egg roll or some pot stickers on the side.

And if you’re feeding a crowd, a simple Asian-style coleslaw with sesame dressing is always a hit.

Allergy Information

This recipe contains soy (in the soy sauce) and may contain gluten depending on your soy sauce brand. For gluten-free, use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce—it works perfectly.

If you have a sesame allergy, simply skip the sesame oil and sesame seeds; the dish will still be delicious. The recipe is naturally dairy-free and nut-free.

For a lower-sodium version, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce the amount slightly, then taste and adjust. If honey is an issue, you can substitute with maple syrup or agave nectar, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Storage & Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken considerably as it sits, so don’t worry if it looks gloopy cold—it’ll loosen right up when you reheat it.

To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or chicken broth to bring the sauce back to life. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.

Add a little water if needed to get that glossy consistency back. I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cornstarch coating and honey-based sauce don’t freeze well—the texture just isn’t the same when thawed.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My sauce is too thick and sticky, what should I do?

Just add water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir it in while the pan is still warm. The sauce will loosen right up.

Honey-based sauces thicken as they cool, so this is totally normal. You can also add a splash of soy sauce or broth if you want to boost the flavor while thinning it out.

Can I make this without cornstarch?

You can, but I really don’t recommend it. The cornstarch is what makes the sauce cling to the chicken in that glossy, sticky way we all love.

Without it, the sauce will just slide off and pool at the bottom of your plate. If you absolutely must skip it, try using flour instead, but the texture won’t be quite the same.

How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?

The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) if you want to be precise with a meat thermometer.

But honestly, if you cut into a piece and the juices run clear (not pink), and the meat is white all the way through, you’re good to go. Just don’t overcook it or it’ll get tough and dry.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Did your family love it as much as mine does? Any special tweaks you made?