Honey Garlic Chicken is a quick, better-than-takeout dinner with tender bite-sized chicken pieces tossed in a sticky, sweet, and savory homemade sauce made with honey, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger. Serve it over rice with broccoli for a protein-packed meal the whole family will love, just like my hot honey cornflake chicken nuggets and one-pan honey mustard chicken dinner.
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The Best Easy Honey Garlic Chicken
This is the dinner I make when everyone's craving takeout. Small pieces of chicken get a light coating of seasoned flour, so they turn golden in the skillet and soak up every drop of sauce. Then a quick homemade honey garlic sauce simmers right in the pan until it's thick, glossy, and irresistible.
The sauce is the star: honey, plenty of fresh garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, and a little sriracha for gentle heat. It's sweet, savory, and just a touch tangy. If you love sticky, saucy chicken dinners, my healthy pineapple chicken stir-fry is another family favorite.
It's great for busy weeknights and meal prep lunches. And if you need more easy takeout-style dinners like this one, you're going to LOVE my Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken or my Healthy Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout. Sticky, sweet, and savory, with a homemade sauce you can feel good about.
- Packed with protein. Each serving has 39 grams of protein.
- One skillet. The chicken and sauce cook in the same pan.
- Kid-approved. The sweet honey sauce is a hit with picky eaters.
- Great for meal prep. Pair it with rice and broccoli for easy lunches all week.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Honey Garlic Chicken
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this honey garlic chicken:
- Chicken breasts: Diced into small, bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and soak up the sauce. Chicken thighs work too.
- Flour: A light coating helps the chicken get golden and gives the sauce something to cling to.
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce: The savory, salty base of the sauce without going overboard on sodium.
- Honey: Sweetens the sauce and makes it thick, sticky, and glossy.
- Garlic and ginger: Six cloves of fresh garlic give this dish its name, and ginger adds a warm, zippy kick.
- Rice vinegar: A splash of tang that balances the sweetness of the honey.
- Sriracha: Just a teaspoon for a gentle kick of heat. Add more if you like it spicy!
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
Start by cutting the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces and tossing them with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Cook the chicken in a hot skillet with olive oil, stirring often, until it's golden and no longer pink.
While the chicken cooks, whisk the arrowroot into the soy sauce, then add the honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sriracha, and seasonings. Lower the heat, pour the sauce over the chicken, and let it simmer until thick and sticky. Serve over rice and broccoli with sesame seeds and a drizzle of spicy mayo!
- Step 1: Cut the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to a large bowl and toss with the flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Step 2: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until no longer pink.
- Step 3: While the chicken cooks, whisk the arrowroot powder into the soy sauce. Then whisk in the honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sriracha, garlic powder, and onion powder. Lower the heat to medium-low and pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir to coat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Step 4: Serve over rice and broccoli, topped with sesame seeds and spicy mayo.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Cut the chicken small. Truly bite-sized pieces cook faster, more evenly, and get coated in more sauce.
- Whisk the arrowroot into the soy sauce first. Dissolving it before adding everything else prevents clumps and helps the sauce thicken perfectly.
- Lower the heat before adding the sauce. Honey can burn quickly, so drop to medium-low before pouring it in.
- Don't crowd the pan. If your skillet is small, cook the chicken in two batches, so it browns instead of steams.
- Adjust the heat. Add more sriracha for a spicier sauce or leave it out for little ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this honey garlic chicken.
This sauce is made with reduced-sodium soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh garlic, ginger, sriracha, garlic powder, onion powder, and arrowroot powder to thicken it.
Yes! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work great and stay extra juicy. Just cook them until they reach 165°F.
No. They share some ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and garlic, but orange chicken gets its tangy flavor from orange zest and orange juice.
Yes. Swap the flour for arrowroot powder or a gluten-free flour blend, and use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
White rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice with steamed broccoli are our favorites. It's also great with green beans or a simple cucumber salad.
Let it simmer a few more minutes, since it thickens as it cooks and cools. If it's still thin, whisk another ½ teaspoon of arrowroot with a splash of water and stir it in.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover honey garlic chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days. Keep the rice and broccoli in a separate container so they don't get soggy. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts diced very small
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- sesame seeds
- spicy mayo
- rice & broccoli to serve with
Instructions
- Prep chicken by cutting into small bite size pieces.
- Add to a large bowl and toss with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and once hot, add chicken. Cook until just no longer pink about 6-7 minutes, stir every minute or so.
- While chicken is cooking, whisk together arrowroot and soy sauce. Whisk in honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, sriracha, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Once chicken is cooked, lower heat to medium-low and pour in sauce. Stir until chicken is coated and let simmer about 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve over rice and broccoli, top with sesame seeds and spicy mayo.
- Cut the Chicken Small: Dice the chicken into small, truly bite-sized pieces before coating in the flour. Smaller pieces cook faster, more evenly, and get coated in more of that incredible sauce with every single bite.
- Whisk the Arrowroot into the Soy Sauce First: Before adding any other sauce ingredients, whisk the arrowroot powder directly into the soy sauce until fully dissolved. This prevents clumping and ensures the sauce thickens up perfectly once it hits the heat.
- Lower the Heat Before Adding the Sauce: Once the chicken is cooked, drop the heat to medium-low before pouring in the sauce. Adding the sauce over high heat can cause it to burn or seize up before it has a chance to coat everything beautifully.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
Leave a star rating below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Amber says
Made this dish exactly as is, with brown rice and broccoli. It was really good. I then realized after the first bowl that I had forgotten the spicy mayo. I added the spicy mayo, and the dish was elevated beyond belief and I couldn’t get enough it was so good. Do not skip out on the spicy mayo it makes it perfect. I will def make this again. So easy.
Erin says
Hi Amber, so happy you loved it so much!! 🙂
Julie says
We made this & this was delicious. There were no leftovers
Erin says
Hi Julie, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Julie Casieri says
Omg this is so incredibly delicious! It may be my favorite Erin recipe—and I have many! I made my own spicy mayo—omg soooo yummy!
Erin says
Hi Julie, so glad you liked it and great addition!! 🙂
jeanette says
Cooked this for my family and they loved it, especially my 18 month old solids eating machine! Had to make a few modifications as we didn't have all ingredients on hand (rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo) but it was a hit and felt like a healthier version of takeout. Will definitely be making again!
Erin says
Hi Jeanette, so happy it was a hit!! 🙂
Lauren says
Love this recipe. It’s delicious and comes together pretty quickly for a weeknight meal! Def part of the rotation in our house!
Erin says
Hi Lauren, so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Ashley says
My husband loves this meal!
Erin says
Hi Ashley, so happy it is a hit! 🙂
Jazmyne says
Soo good! Reminds me of a healthy chinese takeout dish i used to get! Yum!
Erin says
Hi Jazmyne, so happy you loved it!
Mendy McKendry says
My family and I love this recipe. It is now on our monthly (or less) rotation. Thank you!
Erin says
Hi Mendy, so happy everyone loves it!!
Clarissa says
This recipe has been on repeat in my household lately. So good and simple!
Erin says
Hi Clarissa, so happy it is a hit!! 🙂
Jennifer Strobel says
This is a new staple in our house, it is delicious! Even my toddler approves! This meal is fairly quick and easy to make and it’s full of flavor.
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so happy it is a hit! 🙂
Cassie says
This recipe was fantastic! I’ve been craving chinese food and this hit the spot and was way healthier. I also loved that this was such an easy recipe to make. Will definitely be making this again!
Erin says
Hi Cassie, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂
Jessica says
So delicious! My husbands new favorite meal. I made it with the spicy mayo and it was everything! Can’t wait to make it again
Erin says
Hi Jessica, so happy you both like it and make it your own! 🙂
Tori says
This was SO good. Seriously your recipes do not miss!!! Even my 2 year old was into the chicken.
Erin says
Hi Tori, so happy you both loved it so much!!
Kelsi says
Such a great dinner to satisfy a chinese craving! Quick, easy, and affordable to make!
Erin says
Hi Kelsi, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Bailey says
How can I make this into a freezer meal for the future?
Erin says
Hi Bailey, yes, of course! Just store in an airtight container.
Abby says
Sooo delicious! I forgot to put the siracha in and didn’t use spicy mayo and it still had amazing flavor. Will definitely be making on repeat
Erin says
Hi Abby, so happy you enjoyed it and made it your own!!
Katie says
I can't believe how easy this was to make!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy you liked it! 🙂
MIchele says
This was delicious! My husband loved it. I did not use the spicy mayo, but do not feel like the meal lacked without it.
Erin says
Hi, so happy you both loved it and made it your own!!
Amber Jones says
Made this with beef instead of chicken and its incredible! I did 100g honey w 3 stevia to cut calories and bit at it was awesome!!!
Erin says
Hi Amber, so happy you made it your own and loved it!!
Nancy Garns says
This recipe was so delicious. Followed the exact recipe except I didn’t have rice vinegar so I used apple cider vinegar as a substitute and I also added a little extra of Mikes hot honey for a little more zing. It was so so good, the sauce had just the right thickness to coat the chicken.
Erin says
Hi Nancy, so happy you loved it and made it your own!! 🙂