Honey Garlic Chicken Breast is one of those recipes I make on repeat because it never lets me down. Thin chicken cutlets get dredged in flour, seared until golden, then coated in a sticky garlic honey sauce made from just five pantry ingredients. There is no cornstarch and no marinating. From the time I pull out the cutting board to the time it hits the table, I am looking at about 15 minutes.
Olivia’s Personal Note
This is the one chicken recipe in my house that has never once gotten a complaint, and if you have a picky eater at your table, you already know how rare that is. My son Thomas asks for this sauce on everything. Rice, noodles, even plain steamed broccoli gets the honey garlic treatment.
What makes this version different from a lot of honey garlic chicken recipes is what is missing. There is no cornstarch slurry to mix up and no bottled stir fry sauce. I dredge the cutlets in flour before searing, which does two things at once. It gives the chicken a light crust, and that crust is what grabs onto the sauce so it actually clings instead of sliding off. The sauce itself looks a little loose right when it comes off the heat. That is normal. It thickens up as it cools, so do not panic and start adding cornstarch if you do not see a thick glaze in the pan right away.
This is a weeknight recipe through and through, but I have also served it for a casual dinner with friends over a big bowl of rice with my Air Fryer Green Beans on the side. If I am feeding a bigger crowd, I will double the sauce and serve it over my Mashed Potatoes so nobody is left without enough to soak up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Chicken Breast: I always use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and slice them in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets. This matters more than it sounds like it should. A whole chicken breast takes long enough to cook through that the outside can dry out before the inside catches up, but a thin cutlet sears fast and stays juicy.
Soy Sauce: I use regular soy sauce, but if you need this gluten free, tamari works as a one to one swap with no other changes needed. I recommend a low sodium variety here, since the sauce reduces and the saltiness concentrates as it simmers.
Honey: This is what gives the sauce its signature sticky sweetness and that glossy finish once it cools. I have tested this with maple syrup as a substitute, and while it is still good, the sauce comes out noticeably less glossy and the flavor leans more one note sweet rather than that rounded honey flavor.
Sriracha: I treat this as adjustable heat, not a fixed amount. Start with the amount in the recipe card if you are cooking for kids, then taste and add more once the sauce is simmering if you want it spicier.
Let’s Make Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
Before you start, season and flour your chicken cutlets ahead of time so they are ready to go straight into a hot pan. This sauce comes together fast once the chicken is searing, so having everything prepped saves you from scrambling.
1. Dredge in flour. Coat each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess. You want a light, even coating, not a thick crust. Too much flour here will clump in the pan and give you a pasty sauce instead of a glossy one.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat most of the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F. I sear over high heat on purpose. It is what creates that golden crust quickly without overcooking the thin cutlets in the process.
3. Sauté the garlic. Lower the heat to medium high and add the garlic along with the reserved teaspoon of butter. Stir for about a minute, just until fragrant. I keep a close eye on this step because garlic goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds.
4. Build the sauce. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, and honey. Stir everything together and bring it to a simmer for about a minute, until it just starts to thicken. The sauce will still look thinner than you expect at this stage. That is exactly how it should look, since it continues to thicken as it cools.
5. Coat the chicken. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over each piece, turning to coat both sides. If the sauce feels too thick to coat the chicken evenly, a small splash of water loosens it right back up.
6. Serve. Transfer the chicken to a plate and drizzle any remaining sauce from the pan over the top. I like to finish mine with fresh parsley or green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Slice your cutlets evenly for the most consistent cook. If one piece is noticeably thicker than the rest, it will still be cooking through while the thinner pieces are already done, and you will end up pulling some pieces too early or overcooking others.
Do not crowd the pan. Searing four cutlets at once in a pan that is too small steams the chicken instead of browning it. I sear in two batches if my skillet is on the smaller side, since the slight wait is worth it for a better crust.
Let the sauce finish in the pan, not on the plate. The sauce continues to thicken for a minute or two after you take the skillet off the heat, so resist the urge to add extra honey or cook it down further while it is still in the pan. It firms up more than people expect once it sits.
Honey Garlic Chicken Breast
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless and skinless (2 pieces)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to create four thinner pieces. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and coat the chicken pieces, shaking off any excess flour.
- Heat most of the butter in a large skillet over high heat, reserving about 1 teaspoon for later. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high. In the same skillet, add the garlic along with the remaining teaspoon of butter. Stir the garlic for a brief moment until fragrant.
- Pour in the vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, and honey. Stir the mixture or shake the pan to combine, bringing the sauce to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for 1 minute until it slightly thickens.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and coat each piece in the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water and stir to loosen it up.
- Remove from heat and plate the chicken. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the top and serve immediately. Enjoy your delicious honey garlic chicken!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Superb!
Thank you! It is SOOOO GOOD!
Hi Olivia
Honey Garlic Chicken. Served with your.maple, bacon Brussel sprouts.
Wow! What flavour!
Great served to gather.
I cooked that combo twice. Last week!
And I’m looking forward to forward to cooking it again tonight too!
That sounds amazing! 😍 I love that combo — so happy you enjoyed it (twice already!). Thanks so much for sharing, and enjoy it again tonight! 💛
This turned out great! I made it with rice and broccoli on the side. The sauce adhered well to the chicken and there was just enough left to add some extra flavor to the rice.
So happy you loved it! 😊 Rice and broccoli are perfect sides, and I love that the extra sauce worked for the rice too. Thanks so much for sharing! 💛