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This honey garlic soy sauce chicken recipe is quick, easy, and flavorful. The savory-sweet sauce is made with pantry staples, and this dish is ready in about 30 minutes!
You may also like my Grilled Honey Garlic Shrimp or Honey Garlic Salmon.
Why you’ll love it
My Honey Soy Sauce Pork Chops recipe inspired this one. That simple garlic sauce was just too good to not pair with tender pan-fried chicken as well! The ease of this weeknight chicken dinner is why it’s in my rotation. And who can resist honey garlic? Not me.
This honey soy sauce chicken is very straightforward to make. It’s got a lot more depth of flavor that you’d guess from the short list of pantry ingredients. There’s plenty of garlicky goodness here that perfectly complements the juicy chicken in the quick pan sauce.
What you’ll need
- Chicken breasts – we’re cutting them in half lengthwise for quicker, more even cooking
- Garlic powder and pepper – to infuse an extra layer of flavor right into the chicken
- Flour – it gives the chicken that nice golden crust
- Butter – for a bit of richness
- Olive oil – for pan frying
- Low-sodium chicken broth – to make the base of the sauce
- Low-sodium soy sauce – it adds a bit of depth/balances the flavors
- Honey and garlic – everyone’s fave sweet and savory combo!
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
Pro tip
I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce and low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe. I did test it with the regular kind, and I think it may be too salty for many people. If you do go that route, maybe skip salting the side dishes.
How to make honey soy sauce chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken into 4 thinner cutlets, and season with pepper and garlic powder. Dredge in flour. Heat up the oil and half the butter in a skillet. Sear the chicken until golden, then transfer to a plate.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the broth, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and rest of the butter. Return to the stove, and let it bubble for a minute or so. Make a cornstarch slurry, then stir it into the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, and cook through.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- The chicken can splatter while you’re frying it, so I recommend using a splatter guard.
- Here is the skillet I use for this recipe.
- Cut the chicken with a sharp chef’s knife, and easily mince the garlic with a squeeze of a garlic press.
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that perfect 165F internal temperature.
Substitutions and variations
- You could swap the honey for maple syrup.
- If needed, you can skip the flour, but it does help the chicken to brown quickly.
- You can grate about a teaspoon of fresh ginger into this dish if you want to give it a little zing, or add some red pepper flakes for a kick!
What to serve with honey soy sauce chicken
- Drizzle that delicious sauce over a pile of Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream. My Easy Baked Potato recipe works too or these Roasted Red Potatoes.
- Rice or steamed vegetables is another option, or try these Easy Roasted Green Beans or Easy Roasted Asparagus.
- Craving a salad? This Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad goes with everything.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers of this garlic soy sauce chicken in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- You can freeze this one, but keep in mind the flour coating may get soggy.
If you made this honey garlic chicken recipe, please leave a star rating and review below. I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram with your S&L creations.
Honey Garlic Soy Sauce Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have four thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with the pepper and garlic powder, and then coat each piece in flour.
- Add 1 tbsp of the butter and the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan's hot, add the chicken. Cook it for 4-5 minutes/side until golden, then transfer to a plate.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and remaining butter. Return it to the heat and let the sauce bubble for about a minute or so.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of cold water, then pour it into the skillet and give it a stir.
- Add the chicken back to the pan (along with any juices on the plate) and continue cooking until the sauce has reduced a bit and the chicken is fully cooked through (about 5 minutes). You may need to reduce the heat so it's not bubbling like crazy. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If needed, you can skip the flour dredge on the chicken. It helps it nicely brown in a fairly short amount of time and also helps thicken the sauce a bit (but the cornstarch does most of the thickening).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on April 22, 2020. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
I love your recipes-I even have your cookbook, but my experience today with the ads on your page was awful!
I couldn’t read through the recipe without a full page ad popping up and blacking out the screen! It was SO FRUSTRATING!
I really wanted to try something new from your site today, but unfortunately I have decided to go to a different site to find something to make tonight because the ads on your page are so overwhelming. ☹️
Hi Jessica! A full-page ad definitely shouldn’t happen. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention, and we’re following up with you in an email and our ad network.
Recipe has potential but leave out the cornstarch because it makes it gummy and ruins the flavor
Hi Mandy! Unfortunately, that sounds like user error. If cornstarch is added directly to hot liquid instead of being mixed into a slurry first (cornstarch + cold water), it can clump, not dissolve properly, and create a gummy texture.
Thanks for your reply. I did make a slurry with the cornstarch + cold water but unfortunately the chicken has a gummy layer.