These Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls are quick, easy, and delicious! Tender chunks of chicken are tossed in a sweet and sticky garlic sauce and and ready in about 15 minutes. Serve over rice and add your favorite fresh vegetables to make it a meal.
This Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy meal the whole family will love! With just a few simple ingredients, this dish comes together in no time and delivers big flavor.
Honey Garlic Chicken is a dish made of chicken pieces simmered in a honey garlic sauce. It is usually served with rice and vegetables, and it is absolutely delicious! You can do honey garlic chicken bowls or serve it over your favorite pasta or with a salad.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cut the chicken in bite size pieces. Try to cut them about the same size so they cook uniformly so you end up with moist chicken.
- Flour: The flour provides a coating to help brown the chicken and seals in moisture.
- Olive oil: Adding olive oil prevents the chicken from sticking to the pan.
- Minced garlic: Fresh garlic or from a jar--whatever you have on hand.
- Honey: Lightly spray your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before measuring honey. Clean up will be a breeze!
- Soy sauce: Either regular or low sodium soy sauce would work. Soy sauce adds a bit of salty umami flavor to the chicken.
- To serve: Rice, green onion, Thai basil, and/or sesame seeds.
How to Make This Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
- Prepare. Place the cubed chicken breast and flour in a large bowl (or bag) and toss until the chicken is fully coated with flour.
- Sear. Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer and leave it alone for a few minutes without moving the chicken around so a golden brown crust can form.
- Cook. Heat the chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally after the initial sear. When the chicken is cooked through, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Make sauce. Next, whisk together the honey, water, and soy sauce. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to coat the chicken.
- Thicken sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until it is bubbling and thick.
- Finish. Serve immediately with your choice of sides and garnishes.
Tips for Success
Here's how to make sure your Honey Garlic Chicken Bowl recipe turns out perfect!
- I'm using chicken breasts in this recipe, but chicken thighs would work too!
- Flour helps dry out the surface of the chicken, so we get a crisp exterior.
- Olive oil helps sear the chicken. Feel free to use sesame oil or another neutral cooking oil.
- Garlic is one of the main flavors for our chicken– make sure to mince it well! We don't want any huge bites of raw garlic.
- Honey adds sweetness and delicious flavor to our sauce. I recommend a good quality, local honey if you have one. You can also try this recipe with hot honey for a spicy kick!
- Water helps thin the sauce, so it isn't too thick. Feel free to add as much or as little as you like to achieve your desired consistency.
Substitutions and Variations
- Try adding some red pepper flakes if you like your honey garlic chicken spicy!
- If you don't have any soy sauce, try using tamari or coconut aminos instead.
- You can add some chopped bell peppers or other vegetables to the pan during the last few minutes of cooking for a delicious stir fry.
- Try using bone-in chicken thighs to make this recipe even more flavorful and juicy! Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Boneless chicken thighs will work as well--I recommend this for picky eaters!
- You could even make this with pork tenderloin that has been cut into bite-size pieces or use shrimp as a protein alternative.
- For an Asian twist, try adding some rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili sauce.
- Add chopped green onions before serving for extra flavor.
Simple Sides for Pairing with This Easy Honey Garlic Chicken
If you want to keep things super simple, pair your honey garlic chicken with brown rice or stir-fry veggies for an easy weeknight dinner. If you're up for putting in a little more effort, here are some easy side dish ideas that will go well with the flavors in this recipe for a complete meal:
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Cauliflower rice
- Green beans
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Broccoli and red pepper stir fry
- Steamed white rice
- Zucchini or squash noodles
- Sauteed mushrooms with parsley
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Honey garlic roasted carrots
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store: Leftover chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- To reheat: Add the chicken to a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until warmed through. You can also microwave leftovers for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
- For best results: I suggest reheating in a skillet, as it helps keep the chicken moist and juicy! To make things easier, you can preheat your oven to 350F and warm up multiple servings on a baking sheet. Just be sure not to overcook the chicken--it's best served when still tender and juicy!
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, this recipe can be frozen for up to three months. To freeze, place the chicken and sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag and store it in the freezer.
When ready to eat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then reheat as described above on a skillet over medium-high heat until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can make Honey Garlic Chicken in an Instant Pot. Start by browning the chicken with some oil and garlic in the pot.
Then add all of the other ingredients to the pot except for honey and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once done, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before adding honey and stirring everything together. Once combined, serve immediately over a bed of rice or your favorite side dish!
If your Honey Garlic Chicken sauce is too thin, you can thicken it a few different ways. The easiest way is to mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water and then add it to the pan until the desired consistency is reached.
You can also cook down the sauce by simmering it for 5-10 minutes until reduced.
Finally, adding butter or cream to the sauce will give it more body and flavor. Once thickened, let the honey sauce simmer for an additional minute before serving it on top of the cooked chicken and rice or noodles!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
- Pineapple BBQ Chicken Foil Packets
- Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.
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Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- Rice, chopped green onions, Thai basil, and/or sesame seeds, to serve
Instructions
- Place the cubed chicken breast and flour in a large bowl (or bag) and toss until the chicken is fully coated with flour.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer.
- Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally. When the chicken is cooked through, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Next whisk together the honey, water, and soy sauce. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to coat the chicken.
- Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until it is bubbling and thick.
- Serve immediately with your choice of sides and garnishes.
Notes
- Storage: Leftover chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Reheat: Add the chicken to the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat until warmed through. You can also microwave leftovers for 1-2 minutes until heated throughout.
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