Honey Garlic Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken is always the winner when it comes to an easy and delicious dinner. Perfectly seared tender and juicy chicken pieces with an amazing sauce. It’s a balanced flavor with a bit of sweetness and tanginess and lots of garlic and dried chilies.
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what’s for dinner
What’s for dinner is always the big question around my house. My two older girls are living with us and they still get excited when I cook dinner. You can easily tell when something is cooking, as soon as you open the door you’ll smell the fresh garlic and onion sauteing in the pan. Then you wonder, is it pork or is it beef? Nope! It’s Honey Garlic Chicken! And that my friend is what’s for dinner tonight. It’s best served with steamed white or brown rice. Some sauteed bok choy and mushrooms are nice sides too.
You might want to check out my Chicken and Bok Choy recipe. If you’re a big fan of meal prepping don’t skip this one.
ingredients and substitutions
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Less sodium soy sauce is what I always use. I feel like I can control the salt, if it needs more then I can add more.
- Oyster sauce is one of my favorite flavor enhancers. It is excellent for seasoning Asian-inspired dishes. The brand (Sun Luck) I use has clean ingredients. My philosophy is “if I can read all the ingredients written on the back label then I’m more comfortable using it”.
- Honey is one of my favorite sweeteners. It’s very earthy and tastes good with any type of sauce I make.
- Rice vinegar is essential for balancing the flavor. It gives a nice tanginess to your dish and it’s a good neutralizer too.
- Brown sugar is perfect with any sauce you want to be thickened. I love the molasses flavor and the dark color it gives to the dish.
- Sesame oil is always added at the last. A little goes a long way.
FOR THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS
- Dried chilies are my favorite spice when it comes to the level of heat on my dish. I used Chaotian Dried Chilies, these are medium hot, and that’s how I like it. You can use more or less depending on how hot you want your dish. Make sure finely chop them.
- Garlic is very aromatic and I love garlicky flavor when stir-frying. Finely chop them or grate them to avoid biting big chunks.
- Green onions are mild and give a nice finish to your dish.
- Ginger is another aromatic that gives flavor to the dish. It has a hint of spiciness but a very earthy flavor.
- Cilantro is a nice herb to garnish your dish.
- Sesame seeds are nutty and always look great on Asian dishes.
- The slurry is a combination of some sort of starch and water. It thickens the sauce and gives that nice glossy finish. I used cornstarch and water for this dish.
- Chicken breast is perfect but you can substitute it with any meat you like.
- Oil for frying.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- This recipe also works with beef. Buy a tender-cut beef like sirloin steak, rib-eye, or top round. Cut them about 1/4 inch thick (a bit thinner than chicken). Don’t overcook the beef, it only takes 30 seconds on each side or until browned. The thinner you slice the beef the faster they cook.
- Or you can use shrimp. As soon as they turn pink or start curling then they’re ready.
- If You can’t find dried mild chilies, you can eliminate them or just add red chili pepper flakes.
- You can add more veggies like broccoli, bell pepper, or cauliflower.
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how to make Honey Garlic Chicken
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and sesame oil. Use a small whisk and mix the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Make the slurry. In a separate bowl, combine water and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set it aside.
- Season the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1/2 an inch thick. Place them in a clean bowl, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and one tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken in batches. Heat a wok or nonstick skillet with oil. When the oil is hot enough (300ºF), add the first batch of chicken pieces. Cook for two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and continue cooking the rest of the chicken. Set them aside.
- Start to stir-fry. Use the same pan, and if it starts drying, add more oil. Add garlic, ginger, and dried chilies, and saute until aromatic. Add the cooked chicken back into the pan, and stir to combine.
- Add the sauce, and continue stirring until the chicken is well coated. Add the slurry, and constantly stir until the sauce is thickened.
- Finish cooking. Sprinkle the green onions, cilantro, and sesame seed. Remove from the pan and serve immediately with steamed white or brown rice.
watch how to make Honey Garlic Chicken
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Honey Garlic Chicken
Perfectly seared chicken with a sweet and tangy sauce.
Equipment
- Wok or nonstick skillet
- Bowls
- Spatula
- knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch thick (see video)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons oil
FOR THE AROMATICS
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 5 dried chilies, chopped
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and sesame oil, and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Make the slurry. In a separate bowl, combine water and cornstarch, and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set them aside.
- Season the chicken. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl, and add sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Toss to coat.
- Cook the chicken in batches. Heat a wok with oil, when the oil is hot enough (300ºF) add half of the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat until all the chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove from the pan and set them aside.
- Use the same wok, when it's drying, add more oil. Saute garlic, ginger, and dried chilies, and constantly stir until aromatic.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the pan, and stir until combined. Add the sauce and slurry, continue stirring, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- Sprinkle with green onions and chopped cilantro. Remove from heat, and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
frequently ask questions
WHAT CAN I SERVE THE HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN WITH ASIDE FROM RICE
- If you’re watching your carbohydrate intake, you can serve it with steamed veggies, mixed green salad, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. My daughter like to eat this dish just by itself.
I LIKE TO START MEAL PREPPING. HOW DO I STORE IT
- I like to keep them in a glass container with tight lids. Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them. Place them in an individual freezer bag, this way it’s easier to thaw and you don’t have to warm up the whole thing if you only need one serving.
CAN I MAKE THIS DISH VEGETARIAN
- Yes, the sauce is flavorful and it works with any kind of veggies. You can also use tofu. Fully dry the tofu, and season with the same seasoning. Cut them into inch cubes.
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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.
I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort. After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do and naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals.