Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy recipe that’s perfect for a busy weeknight. It is way better than ordering Chinese takeout, with the simplicity of making it from the comfort of home. The tender chicken cooks quickly and the sauce is amazing with its sweet honey and tangy garlic flavors.
You will love this easy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken
If you’re looking for a delicious recipe to add to the list of homemade Chinese dishes, you need to try out this honey garlic chicken. The flavor in this chicken is insane. It honestly tastes better than takeout.
Surprisingly enough, it’s also so easy to make! In the time it takes you to call your favorite restaurant and place your order, you could already have this recipe underway from the comfort of home. It’ll save you the wait time and a few bucks to make it at home.
This recipe makes a wonderful chicken rice bowl too! Just serve over a bed of fluffy rice and add in some vegetables. The sauce is tangy, yet sweet. It makes my mouth water just typing about it. I can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try!
Garlic Honey Chicken ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Butter
- Sesame or olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Honey
- Chili sauce – make sure you of how spicy or hot the sauce you choose. Some are spicier than others. See tip below.
- Soy sauce
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Cooked rice
Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe Substitutions & Additions
Sesame Oil: If you don’t have sesame oil, you can substitute olive oil in its place. If you prefer, sunflower oil or avocado oil would work as well.
Rice: Any type of rice would be great served with your Crispy Honey Chicken. I love Jasmine rice with any type of Chinese cuisine, so I use that most of the time. But, you could use any type of white or brown rice or try my Better Than Takeout Fried Rice for the best fried rice ever, or Cauliflower Fried Rice for a low-carb version.
Red Pepper Flakes: If you like a bit more heat in your food, you can totally add red pepper flakes to this dish! It adds a nice spicy flavor.
Vegetables: My family loves to add broccoli, green peppers, and pea pods to this dish! Just add them towards the end of cooking and mix them in with the sauce.
Heat Level: Some chili sauces are hotter than others and some are sweeter with a little kick. Depending on what type of chili sauce you purchase, you may want to start off with a smaller amount and slowly add more in until you reach your optimal heat level.
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How to make Asian Honey Garlic Chicken
1. Sprinkle your chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Sear: In a large skillet melt the butter and cook the chicken until turn golden brown on all sides.
3. Saute: Using the same large skillet, saute onion until it becomes translucent and add minced garlic. Saute for one minute more.
4. Add honey, chili sauce, and soy sauce.
TIP: Depending on what type of chili sauce you purchase, you may want to start off with a smaller amount and slowly add more in until you reach your optimal heat level. Some chili sauces are hotter than others and some are sweeter with a little kick.
5. Return the chicken to the pan.
6. Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce.
8. Serve the chicken over rice or your choice of side. Sprinkle the chicken with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
How to Serve Honey Garlic Chicken Chinese Recipe
- Rice: Honey garlic chicken is delicious served over a bed of fluffy rice. You can choose any type of rice that you like. I love to serve it over white jasmine rice.
- Veggies: It also goes great over a vegetable medley! If you are watching carbs and want to keep this dish a bit lower on the carb count I recommend serving it over veggies.
- Veggie Rice: You can also use veggie rice as well, such as cauliflower or broccoli rice! That way you get a similar texture and taste as rice, but less the carbs.
How to Store Asian Honey Garlic Chicken
Leftover crispy honey chicken should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply pop it in the microwave. I recommend making fresh rice to eat with the leftovers if you can! It’s so much more delicious.
Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken FAQs
No, honey chicken and orange chicken are not the same; honey chicken is a dish featuring chicken pieces coated in a sweet honey-based sauce, while orange chicken is cooked with a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce made from orange juice, soy sauce, and other flavorings.
Other Easy Asian Inspired Dinners
Mongolian Beef | Easy Sesame Chicken | Chicken Lo Mein | Firecracker Chicken | Sticky Sesame Cauliflower | Egg Roll in a Bowl | Korean Beef Bowl | Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Sweet Chili Pineapple Chicken | Thai Noodles
Asian Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cups + 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- Green onions chopped, for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add half of the chicken, cooking until it is cooked through or begins to turn golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken from the pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel and keep warm. Drain the skillet. Using the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, repeat these steps for the remaining chicken.
- To the same large skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add the minced garlic. Saute for one minute more.
- Add honey, chili sauce, and soy sauce. Bring to a low boil and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Return the chicken to the pan and heat through, stirring to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Serve the chicken over rice. Sprinkle the chicken with the chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Should be called something other than “honey, garlic! Way too spicey and hot.
Ii made this tonight. It’s delicious, however, in the picture it looks thick and sticky while mine is liquidity.
What kind of chili sauce for honey garlic chicken?
Wish someone would answer you because I’d like to make it too.
So sorry! Missed this! Any store bought chili sauce will do the trick! I actually just made this using this brand https://rstyle.me/+SpebJ7jIO8ubCRNfqfgQ3Q it is chili garlic. Delish!