Description
Tender, juicy chicken breasts coated in a sticky-sweet honey garlic glaze that’s perfectly balanced with savory and tangy notes. This easy 30-minute meal is perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or casual entertaining. The glossy, caramelized exterior gives way to succulent chicken that pairs beautifully with rice, vegetables, or salad.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5-2 lbs total)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Fresh parsley or green onions, chopped (for garnish)
- Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. If any breasts are particularly thick (over 1 inch), butterfly them or pound to even thickness for consistent cooking. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and apple cider vinegar until well combined. In a separate small cup, mix cornstarch with water until smooth to create a slurry. Set both aside.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and let it melt, swirling to coat the pan. Once butter is sizzling, add chicken breasts. Cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom.
- Flip and Continue Cooking: Flip chicken breasts using tongs and cook the second side for another 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if browning too quickly. The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer at the thickest part.
- Create the Glaze: Once chicken is fully cooked, reduce heat to low. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Add remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the honey-garlic sauce mixture. Stir constantly for about 1 minute as the sauce bubbles.
- Thicken the Sauce: Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet, stirring continuously. The sauce will thicken noticeably within 30-60 seconds, becoming glossy and syrupy. If sauce becomes too thick, add a tablespoon of water to thin it out.
- Coat the Chicken: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the glaze over them generously. Flip them once or twice to ensure they’re completely coated in the sticky glaze. Let them simmer in the sauce for 1-2 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Serve: Transfer glazed chicken to a serving platter. Drizzle any remaining sauce from the skillet over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Even Cooking Tip: If your chicken breasts vary significantly in size, consider cutting larger ones into cutlets or purchasing similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Don’t Overcook: Chicken breasts can dry out quickly. Remove from heat as soon as they reach 165°F—carryover cooking will bring them a few degrees higher.
- Sauce Consistency: If your glaze is too thin, simmer it a bit longer. If too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time.
- Make it Spicy: Add ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the sauce, or drizzle with sriracha before serving.
- Low-Sodium Option: Use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons, adding more to taste if needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Pan-Seared
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with glaze (about 6 oz)
- Calories: 315
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 685mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 115mg