Honey Garlic Chicken
This honey garlic chicken skillet has tender, seasoned chicken breasts with an easy-to-make glaze that manages to be sticky and smooth, sweet and savory all at once. Best of all, it takes just about 20 minutes.
A little glaze goes a long way
Simple chicken breasts get the star treatment here from a sweet, sticky, downright irresistible glaze. It can be our little secret that a sauce so remarkable is so quick and easy to toss together from just four ingredients.
This honey glazed chicken is one of those recipes that I look forward to putting on our menu as often as possible. It’s so quick to make — 20 minutes flat — and the taste is out of this world. I don’t know which is more exciting: the prospect of eating it myself, or the prospect of serving a main dish I am confident both kids will also enjoy.
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
- Chicken Breasts. If your chicken breasts are sliced thinly, it really helps them to cook quickly and evenly without drying out. You can buy “thin-sliced” breasts at most grocery stores, but it’s also easy to just cut thicker breasts in half through the middle so each piece becomes two.
- Flour. I like to dredge the chicken breasts in a small amount of all-purpose flour before pan-frying them, which helps them develop a nicely browned outer crust. In this recipe, it also helps to slightly thicken the glaze. You can use a gluten-free flour, if you prefer, or leave this out entirely, too.
- Sauce Ingredients: apple cider vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and fresh garlic. I definitely recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.
- Parsley. For an optional garnish at the end.
- Staples: Olive oil, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper. You can use either sweet or smoked paprika for this. My kids prefer sweet, so that’s our default. It’s just used to lightly season the chicken, so the difference is fairly subtle.
How To Make Chicken with Honey Garlic Glaze
When I say this recipe takes just about 20 minutes, I mean it. It’s one you can count on for those ultra-busy nights when you still want to get a hot meal on the table.
- Season and dredge the chicken in a bit of flour.
- Whisk together the glaze.
- Sear chicken in a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Pour over the sauce and let it bubble as the chicken comes up to temperature.
Be sure to generously spoon the sauce over the chicken breasts as they finish cooking together. This ensures the best flavor, and is pretty fun, if you ask me. 🙂
Pro Tip: This same honey garlic sauce is delicious paired with salmon or shrimp!
What is the recommended internal temperature for chicken breasts?
When chicken hits 165° F, it is cooked through and ready to eat, according to the USDA. If you let the chicken continue cooking as it climbs above this temperature, it can quickly dry out, and there’s no going back. The best way to avoid this? Invest in a simple instant-read meat thermometer. This makes it easy to watch for that benchmark and pull the chicken off right away. No guesswork.
How do I get a nice golden crust on my chicken breasts?
Two tips here: be sure your chicken breasts are seasoned evenly on both sides, and be certain that the pan and cooking oil is already hot when you place the chicken breasts in the skillet. This helps them to sear quickly on the bottom and delivers that appetizing golden crust.
What To Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken
Serve honey glazed chicken alongside your favorite veggies. Roasted baby carrots, steamed or roasted broccoli, or roasted or baked potatoes all go well. We also like it a lot with steamed green beans or a simple green salad.
Another excellent idea? Rice, quinoa, or a few pieces of bread to mop up all the extra delicious sauce and juices!
Storage & Reheating
This chicken recipe keeps and reheats very well. This is one meal that I’m always happy to make in bulk, because any leftovers disappear without question.
- Store individual portions or a larger amount in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, then reheat on 50% power in the microwave until warmed through. These are our favorite containers!
More Chicken Breast Recipes
Chicken breasts are a super popular meal starter for good reason. They’re quick and easy to cook, and a fairly economical source of lean protein. But we all need some extra inspiration to keep chicken exciting!
Some of our favorite recipes include a honey mustard chicken skillet, creamy Tuscan chicken, lemon rosemary chicken, and this simple bourbon chicken skillet. We also love using this Greek marinade for chicken breasts, then either cooking them on the skillet or on the grill.
Prefer something hands-off to bake in the oven? Italian dressing chicken is always a hit.
If you try this Honey Garlic Chicken, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika see note
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10-12 cranks fresh-ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce low-sodium preferred
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- parsley fresh or dried, for an optional garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken on both sides with an even sprinkling of paprika, salt, and pepper. Place flour in a small plate.
- Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup; set aside.
- Warm olive oil in a medium-large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil heats up, dredge chicken through the flour on both sides. Shake gently to remove any excess, then add chicken to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown on the outside and almost, but not quite fully cooked through.
- When chicken is nearly done, reduce heat to medium and pour sauce evenly on top. Let the sauce bubble for about 1 minute, while drizzling spoonfuls from the bottom of the skillet over the chicken. If the sauce gets too thick, add a few drops of water.
- Remove from the heat, sprinkle with parsley, if desired, and serve right away.
Notes
- You can use either sweet or smoky paprika for this recipe. My kids prefer sweet paprika, so that’s our go-to.
We have made this about a dozen times in the past year and we love it! (Including the super picky 12 year old) We’re actually having it again tonight. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I used smoky paprika and we devoured this recipe! Definitely a new go to for my rotation!
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoy it, and thank you very much for taking the time to leave this note!