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Home » Recipes » Quick Chicken Recipes

15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Jun 12, 2025 | Published: Sep 12, 2016
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This 5-ingredient, 15-minute honey garlic chicken with an addictively delicious sauce is a perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe!

It uses on hand ingredients, is simple to make and tastes fantastic. Serve with rice and a vegetable for a complete meal.

A saucy honey garlic chicken skillet with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top and a bowl of rice to the side.


 

"My husband and my son love this recipe and ask me to make it almost every week since I discovered it a few months ago. It’s so easy and so good." - Hannah

This post has been updated with new photos and a new recipe video.

You might know by now that quick and easy is the name of the game most nights at my house.

This honey garlic chicken recipe fits the bill perfectly.

Just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes are all you need to whip up this dinner.

No dredging needed, no specialty ingredients or sauces and we're taking the shortcut of cubing the chicken so it's small and cooks up quickly.

Close up of a saucy honey garlic chicken skillet with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.

In fact, you probably have all of the ingredients on hand already to make this tonight.

And just wait until you taste the sauce. Oh that 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!

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.

There's also this 15-minute honey garlic pork chops if you're always looking for more pork chop recipes like me.

Back to today's recipe. Let's get cooking.

Ingredients laid out in separate bowls for making a honey garlic chicken recipe.
Cubed chicken breast pieces being cooked in a skillet.
A soy sauce mixture added to cubed chicken breasts cooking in a large skillet.
Saucy cooked chicken pieces in a large dark skillet.
Cooked chicken pieces in a soy sauce mixture in a large dark skillet.
A saucy honey garlic chicken skillet with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.

Recipe Notes:

Be careful not to overcook the chicken. We are cubing the chicken into small pieces 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 a forgiving dish!

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 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. 

Thickening: If your sauce doesn't seem thick enough, try adding a quick cornstarch slurry in the last 1-2 minutes. Mix 1-3 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and add it to the pan to help thicken the sauce. I don't ever need this but it's a nice option and better than having to dredge the chicken in flour beforehand.

Honey garlic chicken pieces served over steamed rice with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top and the skillet of chicken in the background.

To make a complete meal for dinner, 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. For us it's usually broccoli, green beans or snow peas. You could also use a steam-in-the-bag veggie.

And voila, dinner is ready and on the table in no time!

Finally, let's finish this off so we can eat.

Topping Ideas: 

  • 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
Honey garlic chicken pieces served over steamed rice with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.

I hope you give this a try soon for your new favorite go-to weeknight dinner!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Close up of a dark skillet with a saucy honey garlic chicken dish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.
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4.42 from 3136 votes

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!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Yield: 4 servings

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 or white 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.
  • Turn the chicken pieces over to begin cooking on the other side. Add the sauce to the pan and toss to coat the chicken pieces. Cook until chicken is cooked through, 4-5 more minutes. (The small pieces cook quickly, which is the point, so be careful not to overcook them.)
  • Serve with steamed rice and top with green onions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired.

Notes

Thickening: If your sauce doesn't seem thick enough, try adding a quick cornstarch slurry in the last 1-2 minutes. Mix 1-3 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and add it to the pan to help thicken the sauce.
Some people also double the sauce to make sure they have TONS!
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 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until warmed through. (Make sure to store and reheat with the sauce!)

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 665mg | Sugar: 13g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

You can also check out my easy chicken recipes for more dinner time inspiration, like this easy cream cheese chicken or quick chicken curry. Dinner doesn't have to be hard!

And if you love easy, delicious and healthy recipes like I do, sign up for my free e-newsletter to get more meal-time inspiration sent straight to your inbox.

Here's one of the older photos of this recipe:

Close up of cooked cubes of chicken breasts in a honey garlic sauce with red pepper flakes.
Pin

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beryl

    August 16, 2020 at 10:57 pm

    Delicious, quick, and easy! Will be keeping this recipe in my back pocket. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      August 17, 2020 at 5:00 pm

      Yay, so glad to hear it was a winner! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  2. Elina Steve

    August 21, 2020 at 2:23 am

    Can chopped onions be added to this recipe?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      August 21, 2020 at 8:46 am

      Yes, you can definitely add onions! I'd start them at the beginning, with the chicken, so they get tender. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  3. Michael

    September 04, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    I was born with a cookbook in my head , believe or not I made this recipe from my head years ago ! That’s how I cook ! Blows me away to see it in print ! You must of got into my head while dreaming ? As you must already know, there so many variations to this Quick ricipe , the greatest thing about it is quick it to make ‘ Great for people who can’t stand at the stove because of back problems ! I always wake up and the the thing in the morning my thoughts go to what can cook tonight ! And the recipe is right there, maybe I’m sneaking into your dreams at night, ha !

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      September 07, 2020 at 3:14 pm

      Haha, that's funny we both came up with this yummy easy recipe Michael! 😊

      Reply
    • Bernard Schyvie

      June 17, 2021 at 11:34 pm

      haha I also made this from my head years ago! crazy how we all had the same idea. I have back problems too. maybe this chicken is the answer that my doctors haven't given me on how to cure my back pain. I feel connected. to you.

      Reply
  4. Milan Hayes

    September 15, 2020 at 3:09 am

    I made it as written except I used chicken breasts. My extremely, extremely picky family raved about it!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      September 15, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      I'm so happy to hear this was a hit with your family Milan! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  5. Elsa

    September 22, 2020 at 2:44 am

    Kathryn… I'm not a great chef but I follow your recipe easily. This food is very delicious! My whole family loves this dish. Great. Thanks! Fast and simple.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      September 22, 2020 at 1:00 pm

      I'm so happy to hear you all enjoy this, Elsa! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  6. Chelsea

    October 29, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    Okay – well the photos looked amazing. But it tastes even better than I imagined it would. SO SO divine! This is now on repeat at our home. Family gave it 10 out of 10!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      October 30, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Woo hoo! So happy to hear this was a hit with your family! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  7. Kelly

    October 30, 2020 at 3:08 am

    Delicious, quick, and easy! Will be keeping this recipe in my back pocket. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      October 30, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Yay, I'm so glad you loved it Kelly! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  8. Brenda Johnson

    October 31, 2020 at 12:22 am

    Brown sugar

    Reply
  9. Jake

    November 11, 2020 at 1:15 am

    I'd agree about the "quick and easy is the name of the game" especially during these days that the kids' classes and my work days are getting earlier. so I have to be able to cook recipes fast without sacrificing the taste. Thanks for this! Although I did use a bit less of some ingredients to balance out the taste haha

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      November 11, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      Glad you found this and it was helpful as a quick dinner on a busy day! 😊

      Reply
  10. John

    November 11, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    Thank you to the person who made this chef was bit late but still that you for this wonderful meal amen

    Reply
  11. ray merk

    November 11, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    WHOOOOO HOOO this chicken dish is absolutely amazing and only cooks in 15 minutes!!! The hubby, dogs, and my boys were left salivating in the kitchen. It left my twin sister begging for more! I will definitely add this to my weekly schedule. mmm mmm mmm

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      November 14, 2020 at 9:59 am

      I'm so happy you all loved it! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  12. Karens

    November 16, 2020 at 2:37 am

    Yum! This looks so delicious and full of flavor! I can’t wait to make this! My family is going to love this!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      November 17, 2020 at 7:17 am

      I hope you all love it! 😊

      Reply
  13. Rachel

    November 18, 2020 at 2:47 am

    I love how easy this is to make! Everyone at my house loved it.

    Reply
  14. Jacks

    November 27, 2020 at 2:07 am

    This looks awesome!

    Reply
  15. Danielle

    November 30, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    Very good flavor, but not enough sauce. The chicken soaked it all up right away (I had my burner completely off at the time I poured the sauce in). It would be nice to have some to drizzle on the rice. From the sounds of the recipe, it wasn’t supposed to work out that. It’s a simple recipe, so I have no clue where I went wrong.

    Reply
  16. Dustin

    December 01, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    I followed the recipe exactly and it was so yummy! Everyone loved it.We will definitely be making this again soon!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      December 03, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      I'm so happy to hear you loved it Dustin! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  17. Jason

    December 02, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    So good and so easy! Husband commented twice on how good they were. Will make again! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      December 03, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      I'm so glad you all enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  18. Ramona

    January 07, 2021 at 9:42 am

    This chicken recipe looks absolutely fantastic, I will make it tonight.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      January 08, 2021 at 1:34 pm

      I hope you enjoyed it Ramona! 😊

      Reply
  19. Jess

    January 08, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    This looks so good! I wonder why the calorie count is so high though if it's only a few tbsps of everything and then divided by 4?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      January 08, 2021 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Jess! I just re-ran the numbers through the nutrition calculator that I subscribe to for my site and they came out a bit lower. I also made sure to delete the optional serving ideas, which may have thrown the numbers off earlier. Thanks so much for checking! 😊

      Reply
  20. Sierra

    February 05, 2021 at 7:11 pm

    Hi! This meal is so delicious. My favorite restaurant is Panda Express and it's almost exactly like their glazed chicken:) I'm not good at cooking, at all, but each time I make this I get more confident. I made it tonight and it's still my favorite! I love the tangy glaze that has a sweet and salty hint to it. Thank you for posting such a wonderful dish that's so easy to make!! It's currently my comfort food for a long, stressful day:D

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      February 09, 2021 at 8:34 am

      Oh I'm so happy to hear you love it Sierra! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm all about some easy meals, and I feel like every little kitchen success helps build that confidence. 😊

      Reply
  21. Monica

    April 09, 2021 at 6:53 am

    Looks easy and delicious really! Chicken and garlic are the perfect combination.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      April 09, 2021 at 8:18 am

      They do go so well together! Hope you enjoy this Monica!

      Reply
  22. maggie cullen

    May 05, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    Looks like a great recipe. Can I use garlic powder?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      May 06, 2021 at 9:07 am

      Hi Maggie! I haven't tried that and I don't think it will give you the same results as using fresh or jarred minced garlic for this sauce.

      Reply
  23. Rosy

    May 14, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    I have a question.. do you really need to use low sodium soy sauce? Would it make a huge difference in taste if you just use regular soy sauce? I'm asking because low sodium soy sauce are expensive in my country. I also wanna ask if it's ok to cook this with other parts of chicken.. with bones and skin and how much salt and pepper did you use to season the chicken? 1/4 teaspoon each? Sorry for so many question.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      May 17, 2021 at 1:08 pm

      Hi Rosy! I prefer low-sodium soy sauce because it's much less sodium overall. It has less of a salty flavor, but yes, you can use regular. I would recommend going light on using salt on the chicken in that case. Otherwise, for seasoning, you just want to sprinkle all of your chicken evenly with salt and black pepper. And yes, you can substitute other types of chicken, but the cook time will be different. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. Grissel

    May 23, 2021 at 9:35 am

    Yumm, I love the combination of honey and garlic. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      May 24, 2021 at 6:53 am

      Such a good combo, right?! 😊

      Reply
  25. Richard Pooldaily

    June 07, 2021 at 12:25 am

    AMAZING! My family LOVED this recipe. I made 1.6 pounds of chicken, so I doubled both the cornstarch mix and the sauce. It was perfect. The extra sauce was great for my hubby and kids (served theirs on a bed of white rice). 5 STARS ALL THE WAY.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      June 08, 2021 at 11:29 am

      I'm so happy to hear you loved it Richard! Thank you so much for sharing! 😊

      Reply
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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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