This 5-ingredient, 15-minute honey garlic chicken with an addictively delicious sauce makes a perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe!
We are somehow back to Monday and this will be M’s first full, 5-day week of kindergarten. ????
We’ve also got fall activities ramping up and both my husband and I have busy work schedules this time of year.
So quick and easy is the name of the game most nights! (Though, yes, that’s pretty much always the case 😉 )
This honey garlic chicken recipe fits the bill - just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes are all you need to whip up this dinner.
And just wait until you taste the sauce. Oh that sauce! I literally eat it from the pan with the spoon.
I also drizzle it over everything on my plate - the chicken, the rice, the veggies... All of it gets coated in this delectable sauce.
It’s got sticky sweet honey, the salty rich soy sauce, a kick of garlic and a hint of spice from the red pepper flakes.
It gets glazed on to the chicken and simmered down and concentrated slightly so it’s ready to drip and drizzle all over your plate. Please, put it ALL over your plate!
So freakin’ good!
I also use this sauce in my slow cooker honey garlic chicken recipe, if you want to check that one out for a hands-off dinner you can start earlier in the day. ???? Or try this Instant Pot honey garlic chicken for a different version.
And sometimes I take this dinner a step further and make honey garlic chicken stir fry. It's loaded with veggies and ready in about 25 minutes.
There's also this 15-minute honey garlic pork chops if you're always looking for more pork chop recipes like me.
But back to today's recipe.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make honey garlic chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making honey garlic chicken:
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken. The pieces are small so they cook fast, which is kinda the point with this dinner. But you don't want them to go too far and be overdone.
- On the other hand, that sauce is seriously so good, it’ll disguise your chicken if it gets a little overdone. It's nice to have a forgiving dish!
- You could substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts if you prefer, but the cooking time will be longer.
- I do use and recommend low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the amount of sodium in this recipe. You could also substitute a gluten-free tamari if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- To make a complete meal, just add some steamed rice and a veggie. ????
I use brown rice, which takes a little longer, so I get that started first then I prep my chicken and get it cooking.
While the chicken is going, I get a veggie ready to steam (broccoli, green beans or snow peas usually - you could also use a steam-in-the-bag veggie) and dinner is ready and on the table in no time!
You could also keep it low-carb and serve it with some of my easy cauliflower rice.
Or serve over quinoa or some rice noodles or a long, thin noodle like angel hair. Anything to sop up more of that sauce!
Want some topping ideas? You know I’m all about it.
Toppings for honey garlic chicken:
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- Chopped peanuts
- Lime wedges to squeeze over the chicken
- An extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes
- Drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick ????
Mix and match and choose your favorites.
Hope you have a great week and hope you give this a try soon!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken
This 5-ingredient, 15-minute honey garlic chicken with an addictively delicious sauce makes a perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (or canola oil)
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes (about ½ inch)
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, adjust for heat)
For serving (optional):
- Brown rice, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, lime wedges to squeeze over chicken
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Lightly season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper. (Go easy because the soy sauce has plenty of sodium.)
- Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, in a small bowl until well combined.
- Add the sauce to the pan and toss to coat the chicken pieces. Cook until chicken is cooked through, 4-5 more minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice and top with green onions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired.
Notes
Tip: Be careful not to overcook the chicken. The pieces are small so they cook fast, which is kinda the point with this dinner. But you don’t want them to go too far and be overdone. On the other hand, that sauce is seriously so good, it’ll disguise your chicken if it gets a little overdone.
You could substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts if you prefer, but the cooking time might be a little longer.
I do use and recommend low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the amount of sodium in this recipe. You could also substitute a gluten-free tamari if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
For serving: To make a complete meal, just add some steamed rice and a veggie. Or serve this over quinoa, cauliflower rice or a thin noodle.
Leftovers, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until warmed through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 360Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 665mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 54g
Liliana Smith
Hi, this recipe sounds delish but i dont bave soy at the moment. Anything to substitute it with? Thanks
Kathryn
Hi Liliana! The only substitute I know for soy sauce is Bragg's Amino, which is a pretty speciality product. Otherwise, there's not much that works well in its place. I hope you try this recipe once you're able to pick some up!
isra
Thank you for your wonderful tips Kathryn.It will definitely useful for me and my family.
Kathryn
I hope you enjoy it! 😊
Christina
This was super easy and absolutely delicious! It will be a repeat in my house for sure. The only change I made was using roasted garlic. So so tasty. Thanks!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you loved it Christina! Thanks so much for sharing! And that roasted garlic substitution sounds delicious! 😊
Trevus
Made this last night. Super simple and fast. Finished in lest than 30 minutes.
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this Trevus! 😊
Paul
would sautéed onions and mushrooms hurt the recipe honey, I just feel it would enhance it dramatically thank you
Kathryn
Absolutely not! This is meant to be a super simple base recipe, but you can definitely add onions, mushrooms, broccoli works great too. Depending on how much you add, you may want to make a little extra sauce (it's SO good and you want enough to cover everything!)
Rachel
Is it ok to use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Kathryn
Hi Rachel! Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs here. Just keep in mind that they take longer to cook so you'll want to keep an eye on them and perhaps use a meat thermometer to make sure they get cooked through. Hope you enjoy!
Bailey
Perfect for a college student on a budget! Thank you!
Kathryn
You are so welcome Bailey! I'm all about simple and affordable recipes!
Elizabeth Snider
Dido
Carlo
I was scrolling through trying to find a recipe that was quick, simple and delicious. You nailed it, Kathryn. After reading the reviews and substitutions. This is going to be a no brainer for me. I’m excited to try this recipe tonight. Looks like this will be on a weekly menu for a single gentleman like me. Budget friendly and perfect combination of ingredients .
Kathryn
It's definitely a great go-to - I hope you enjoy it Carlo!
Angela
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe. I don't often leave comments on blogs, but this was GREAT!
When I came across this recipe this morning I almost didn't try it because all my chicken is frozen, and I didn't have any pepper flakes, but then I thought I have a pork loin just waiting for inspiration to turn it into something great. Am I ever glad I tried this.
So I used pork for the meat, and instead of pepper flakes I used a teaspoon of sambal oelek. I served it with broccoli and brown rice.
The sauce is amazing. I'm definitely going to put this recipe in the regular rotation. Going to have to plan ahead and have thawed chicken next time! 🙂
I was really surprised how fast the whole meal cooked. Everyone always says "it's on the table in minutes" but his really was just 20 min. Next week I'm going to have a prep day and have all the sauce ingredients measured out in a half pint jar, a big batch of rice done and the meat (thawed!) and cut up so it will take even less time to cook the day of.
Thanks again,
Angela
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you loved this Angela! Thanks so much for sharing! And I love the idea of your substitutions - I'll have to try it that way next time 😊
Angel
Made this for dinner tonight and my family of 5 gave it a big thumbs up! Since I have 3 growing teens I doubled the recipe. I also made extra sauce and put just a dash of cornstarch to thicken. Definitely going in my regular rotation.
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you all enjoyed it Angel! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Amon Woodley
Can you use garlic salt instead??
Kathryn
Hi Amon, I wouldn't recommend garlic salt. That would add a lot more sodium and make the dish too salty.
Vanessa81
I really want to try this recipe right now for supper, I don't have any money though, is there anything that I could use for a substitute?
Vanessa81
Haha...I meant honey!
Kathryn
Haha 😊 I think the best substitute here would be agave syrup, but I haven't tried it and I'm not sure it would be the same. I use maple syrup and honey interchangeably a lot in baking, but I just don't think that would work well for this dish. Would love to hear if you try it!
Chantel Kamlan
Thank you, thank you Kathryn!!! This was ready in a jiffy, all 5 of my kids loved it (11, 8, 5, 3, and 16 months!). PLUS, it's gluten free for my husband!! New favorite at our house!
Kathryn
I'm so, so happy to hear you all loved it Chantel! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Keith Jobson
Cooked this tonight. The wife licked her plate.
Kathryn
Haha, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Keith! 😊
LaQuitta Cole
I just made this and can I say it is amazing!! Quick, delish and definitely in our rotation from now on! Thank you!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! 😊
Randy Lee Chipman
I used this recipe but added a twist and used a little bit of red wine vinegar and it tastes amazing
Randy Lee Chipman
Oh and everyone loves this recipe
Randy Lee Chipman
Oh and everyone in my house loves this recipe
Kathryn
I'm so glad it was a hit Randy! Thanks so much for sharing 😊
Betty
So I tried the sauce as a marinade and I also didn’t have the peppers. However, I put in everything else and it retained the flavor greatly. Great recipe. Thumbs up
Kathryn
So glad to hear you enjoyed it Betty! Good idea to use it as a marinade too!
Laura
Oh my goodness!! THANK YOU for this recipe! It is so quick and simple. I have fussy eaters that don't like garlic so replaced it with ginger. It has gone down a treat. New favourite for us!
Kathryn
Oh yay, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Laura! Thanks so much for reporting back 😊
Katie
I made this chicken today for lunch served over rice. It was amazing! It was so simple and delicious. I can't wait to make this again. Thank you.
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you loved it Katie! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Andia
Thank you for a great recipe. I tried this last night. My older son, who usually doesn't eat anything with a saucy appearance, ate it and liked it. My husband, who eats anything I make, but usually doesn't comment much about it because he eats for nutrition not taste, told me to make 10 lbs. of this next time. That means that he noticed the taste, and really liked it.
Kathryn
Oh I'm so happy to hear that Andia - thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Leah
I am admittedly the worst cook ever. I tried this recipe tonight. It was so easy to make, even I couldn't mess it up. It tasted great and everyone enjoyed it! I will definitely make extra sauce the next time though. Thank you for this great recipe!!!!!
Kathryn
Haha, I'm sure you are not Leah! But I'm so happy you tried this recipe and loved it!! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Fontai
Omg it came out amazing!! Thank you so much I already can’t wait to make it again.
Kathryn
Oh I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Ashley
In a pinch I googled recipes for 15 minutes. Found this one and had all the ingredients at my house.
It was delicious. Definitely keeping the recipe for the future when I need an easy day! Thank you!
Kathryn
Oh I love when you find a recipe and already have everything on hand! So happy to hear you enjoyed this! 😊
Ashley
This recipe was great, I can eat this everyday! Thank you for sharing!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Ashley! 🙂
Jen
We eat so much chicken in my household that I am constantly on the lookout for new recipes to make. I am so glad I found this one, it was quite delicious. I actually substituted Teriyaki as we had run out of Soy. It probably wasn't the exact same taste, but delicious nonetheless!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you loved it Jen! And that's great to know about the teriyaki substitution!