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Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey garlic chicken with pan-seared, caramelized chicken breasts glazed in a sticky golden sauce that pools and clings in the skillet. Sweet garlic chicken made on the stovetop for an easy Asian chicken dinner with blistered amber glaze and garlicky sheen.
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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
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Honey garlic sauce
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 0.3333333333 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
  • sesame seeds for garnish
  • green onions sliced, for garnish
  • steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, then remove when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Make the honey garlic glaze
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic in the butter for 1 minute until fragrant. Add honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and stir to combine.
Thicken to a sticky sauce
  1. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan as it thickens.
Coat and finish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the honey garlic glaze. Cook for 1-2 more minutes until the glaze is glossy and clings to the chicken.
Garnish and serve
  1. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve the honey garlic chicken over steamed rice.

Notes

For the clingiest glaze, let the sauce simmer until it visibly thickens and coats the back of a spoon before returning the chicken to the pan. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can thin when thawed. Dietary swap: use tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) in the honey garlic sauce if you need gluten-free chicken.