20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken – Easy Weeknight Dinner

This 20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken is the answer to the 6 p.m. panic: thin-cut chicken breasts seared until deeply golden, then glazed in a bubbling honey-garlic-soy sauce that thickens in under two minutes. The whole thing happens in one skillet, and the sauce is sticky enough to coat every grain of rice you pile beside it.

The trick is slicing the chicken breasts horizontally into cutlets so they cook through in about 4 minutes per side without drying out. While they sear, you whisk together honey, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a splash of chicken broth, then pour it in at the end so the garlic stays fragrant instead of bitter.

I make this on nights when I want something that tastes like takeout but hits the table before delivery would even be dispatched. Serve it over jasmine rice with steamed broccoli, and spoon the extra pan sauce right over the top.

About the Ingredients

1.5 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large)

Slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets so they cook evenly in minutes. No chicken breasts? Boneless thighs work beautifully; sear them 5 minutes per side instead.

1 tsp kosher salt

Use half the amount if you only have fine table salt, since it packs more densely. Diamond Crystal and Morton differ a lot here, so taste the sauce before adding more.

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fresh-cracked pepper blooms in the hot pan; pre-ground works in a pinch but tastes flatter. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Avocado oil or another high-smoke-point oil is a great swap for the sear. Buy a mid-range extra virgin; you want flavor, not a $30 bottle, for a hot skillet.

1/3 cup (113g) honey

Clover or wildflower honey keeps the flavor mild; buckwheat honey is too assertive here. If your honey is crystallized, warm the jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.

4 garlic cloves, finely minced (about 1 tbsp)

Fresh garlic is non-negotiable for this sauce; jarred garlic tastes metallic. Mince it finely so it melts into the glaze instead of burning.

3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Tamari makes it gluten-free, and coconut aminos work if you're soy-free (reduce honey by 1 teaspoon). Low-sodium matters because the sauce reduces and concentrates.

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Apple cider vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar both work; avoid seasoned rice vinegar, which adds sugar. The acid keeps the honey from tasting cloying.

1/4 cup (60ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Water plus a pinch of bouillon is a fine substitute. Broth gives the sauce body so it glazes rather than caramelizes too fast.

1 tsp cornstarch whisked with 1 tbsp cold water

Arrowroot powder works 1:1 as a gluten-free swap. Whisk it into cold water first, or it will clump the moment it hits the hot pan.

2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Toasted sesame seeds add a nutty crunch; toast them in a dry pan for 60 seconds if yours are raw. Skip the scallions and use chopped cilantro if that's what's in the fridge.

Tips & Tricks

Don't crowd the pan

Sear the cutlets in a single layer with breathing room, or they'll steam instead of browning. Cook in two batches if your skillet is smaller than 12 inches.

Add the garlic off the heat

Pull the pan off the burner before stirring in the garlic and honey mixture so the garlic turns sweet and fragrant rather than bitter and burnt.

Let the sauce bubble, not boil dry

Simmer the glaze for 60 to 90 seconds until it coats the back of a spoon, then take it off the heat immediately; honey scorches fast past that point.

Rest before slicing

Give the chicken 3 minutes on the cutting board so the juices redistribute and don't run out into the pan sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the chicken

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets, and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Drying the surface is what lets the chicken brown instead of steam.

2. Whisk the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken broth until smooth. Keep the cornstarch slurry separate in a tiny bowl; you'll add it at the end.

3. Sear the first side

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat (about 375F/190C) until it shimmers. Add half the cutlets and cook 4 minutes without moving them, until the underside is deep golden brown and releases easily.

4. Flip and finish

Flip the cutlets and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the center registers 160F (71C) on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.

5. Bloom the garlic

Reduce the heat to medium-low (about 300F/150C), add the garlic to the pan, and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pulling the pan off the heat for this step protects the garlic.

6. Glaze the sauce

Pour in the honey-soy mixture and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat (about 350F/175C). Cook 60 to 90 seconds, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and coats the back of a spoon.

7. Thicken and return the chicken

Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, whisk it into the bubbling sauce, and cook 20 to 30 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, turning each cutlet to coat.

8. Garnish and serve

Scatter the scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the top and serve immediately over rice, with extra sauce spooned from the pan.

Delicious Variations

Spicy Honey Garlic

Add 1 teaspoon of sriracha or gochujang to the sauce for a sweet-heat version that's great over rice bowls.

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Swap in 1.5 lb boneless thighs and sear 5 to 6 minutes per side; the darker meat holds up to the sticky glaze even better.

Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes, stir-fry 5 minutes, then add the sauce and 3 cups of mixed vegetables for a one-pan dinner.

How to Store 20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

Give this 20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken a spot in your weeknight rotation and watch the pan come back empty. Make it tonight, then leave a rating and a comment telling me how you served it.

20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken is sticky, sweet-savory skillet chicken ready in one pan, with a glossy sauce that clings to every golden-brown bite.

★★★★½ 4.8 (213 ratings)

10 minPrep time10 minCook time4Servings342 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1.5 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup (113g) honey
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced (about 1 tbsp)
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp cornstarch whisked with 1 tbsp cold water
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

📋 Instructions

1. 1Prep the chicken — Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets, and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Drying the surface is what lets the chicken brown instead of steam.
2. 2Whisk the sauce — In a small bowl, whisk the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken broth until smooth. Keep the cornstarch slurry separate in a tiny bowl; you'll add it at the end.
3. 3Sear the first side — Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat (about 375F/190C) until it shimmers. Add half the cutlets and cook 4 minutes without moving them, until the underside is deep golden brown and releases easily.
4. 4Flip and finish — Flip the cutlets and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the center registers 160F (71C) on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
5. 5Bloom the garlic — Reduce the heat to medium-low (about 300F/150C), add the garlic to the pan, and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pulling the pan off the heat for this step protects the garlic.
6. 6Glaze the sauce — Pour in the honey-soy mixture and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat (about 350F/175C). Cook 60 to 90 seconds, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and coats the back of a spoon.
7. 7Thicken and return the chicken — Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, whisk it into the bubbling sauce, and cook 20 to 30 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, turning each cutlet to coat.
8. 8Garnish and serve — Scatter the scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the top and serve immediately over rice, with extra sauce spooned from the pan.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your honey is very thick or your pan runs hot, add the broth first and taste before adding extra honey; the sauce should be sweet but still savory enough to spoon over rice.

Servings: 4

Cuisine: American-Asian fusion

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 342 kcal · 31g protein · 27g carbs · 12g fat