Description
Sweet Honey Butter Chicken is a quick and flavorful skillet dish featuring tender chicken pieces coated in a savory-sweet honey butter garlic sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this recipe combines simple pantry ingredients to create a rich, glazed chicken that pairs beautifully with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or avocado oil)
For the Sauce:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- â…“ cup honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- Coat the Chicken: Toss chicken pieces with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated to create a light crust that will help thicken the sauce and lock in moisture during cooking.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they develop a golden brown crust and are cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to keep warm.
- Sauté the Garlic: Reduce heat to medium, melt the butter in the same skillet, and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Prepare the Sauce: Stir in honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Let the sauce simmer for 2–3 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly and the flavors to meld together.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss thoroughly in the sauce to coat each piece. Simmer everything together for another 2–3 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the sauce flavors.
- Serve: Serve the sweet honey butter chicken hot over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Adjust the honey quantity to your taste for more or less sweetness.
- Chicken thighs provide more flavor and moisture, but breasts can be used for a leaner option.
- Make sure not to burn the garlic when sautéing; cook just until fragrant.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.
