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Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey garlic chicken is pan-seared chicken breasts glazed in a sticky, golden honey-garlic sauce that clings to every surface and pools in the skillet. This sweet garlic chicken dinner uses a quick butter-garlic base and a cornstarch slurry for a deeply amber, blistered finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Honey Garlic Sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.333 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 sliced green onions for garnish
Serving
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, then heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear for 5-6 minutes per side until deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Make the honey garlic glaze
  1. In the same skillet, cook the minced garlic with butter for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring to prevent browning. Add honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and stir to combine.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze with glossy amber color.
Coat and finish
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and turn to coat in the honey garlic glaze, spooning sauce over the tops. Cook for 1-2 more minutes until glazed and blistered at the edges.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve immediately over steamed rice.

Notes

For maximum cling, let the glaze simmer until it looks noticeably thicker and glossier before returning the chicken. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin when thawed. If you need a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce for the same sweet-garlic flavor.