I make this at least once a week for dinner because it comes together in just 20 minutes! For very little effort, you get a chicken dinner that’s moist, buttery and sweet. And it’s budget and kid friendly! Rey loves this chicken because the sauce is sweet and savory. I usually like to pair this chicken with a side of white or brown rice and an Asian cucumber salad. I’m writing a cucumber recipe as we speak so check back next week for the cucumber salad recipe. Enjoy!
key ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs. If you want to save some money, buy the regular chicken thighs and skin it and de-bone it yourself using kitchen shears. You can also substitute with chicken breast but I personally prefer thighs because they stay more moist after cooking.
- Honey: This is what’s going to give this dish that sweet sticky sauce and it’s a healthier alternative to sugar. If you don’t have honey, you can substitute it with agave.
- Minced Garlic: I finely minced a tablespoon of garlic. Please don’t use the jarred stuff! The extra step in mincing the garlic yourself goes a long way.
- Grated Ginger: I grated the ginger on a microplane. This is the only ingredient that I think is optional. Sometimes I don’t have ginger readily available in my fridge so I’ve made this dish without it and it still comes out delicious.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute it with lemon juice, orange juice or white wine vinegar. I’ve personally never tried these substitutes so I’d love to hear from you how the dish turned out with these alternative acidic ingredients.
- Soy Sauce: I used regular soy sauce for this recipe. You can also substitute with low-sodium soy sauce or tamari.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter since the chicken is seasoned with kosher salt and the soy sauce additionally seasons this dish.
key steps
- Season + Flour the Chicken: Generously season the chicken with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Then lightly coat the chicken with flour. This step will help give the chicken a crispier crust.
- Sear the Chicken: Cook the chicken in butter for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Make the Honey Garlic Sauce: While the chicken is cooking, whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Simmer the Chicken in Sauce: During the last minute of cooking the chicken, pour the sauce into the pan and lower the heat. Let the sauce simmer for about 1-2 minutes until it gets thick and jammy.
what to serve with honey garlic chicken
I like to pair this chicken with white or brown rice and with a side of Asian cucumber salad. Other healthier alternatives are cauliflower rice, steamed bok choy or sautéed kale. You can also turn this dish into a delicious sandwich! I use Hawaiian buns, garlic aioli, coleslaw or thinly sliced cucumber salad and the honey garlic chicken to make this into an amazing sandwich.
Check back next week for my easy Asian cucumber salad recipe!
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Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce substitutes: low-sodium soy sauce, tamari
- 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar substitutes: lemon juice, white wine vinegar, orange juice
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Generously season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Add the flour to a plate or tray. Lightly coat the chicken with the flour and transfer to a plate. Make sure to shake off any access flour.
- Set a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add 3 tbsp of the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side. (If the chicken is browning too quickly on one side, lower the heat.)
- While the chicken is cooking, make the honey garlic sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, honey, garlic and apple cider vinegar together.
- During the chicken's last minute of cooking time, pour the honey garlic sauce into the pan. Lower the heat and cook the sauce to a simmer for about a minute. Then flip the chicken so that the other side simmers in the sauce for another minutes. Then turn off the heat.
- To plate, add the rice and chicken to a plate. Pair it with your favorite veggies and serve immediately. For garnish, I like to add some thinly sliced scallions and sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the chicken. I like to pair the honey garlic chicken with an Asian cucumber salad. Stay tuned for my cucumber salad recipe which I'll post next week! Enjoy!
Easy fast and delicius