# Honey Garlic Chicken > Cook honey garlic chicken with chicken pieces, soy sauce, honey, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, green onion, and broccoli or rice. This recipe is written for international English-speaking home cooks. Ingredient notes prioritize items available from regular supermarkets, Asian grocery stores, or common online retailers. Image preview: /images/recipes/honey-garlic-chicken-1200.webp Image full quality: /images/recipes/honey-garlic-chicken-1536.webp ## Overview Honey garlic chicken is a strong traffic candidate because the phrase is familiar beyond Chinese cooking, while soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame make it fit the site's practical Chinese-style dinner promise. It is mild, fast, and easy to serve with rice. The recipe keeps the sauce short and transparent: honey for gloss, soy sauce for salt, vinegar for balance, garlic for aroma, and optional ginger for a more Chinese-style profile. Broccoli is listed as an optional side because many visitors want a complete dinner. ## Facts - Servings: 4 - Prep time: 12 minutes - Cook time: 16 minutes - Difficulty: Easy - Heat level: None - Tags: chicken, family-friendly, weeknight, high-protein ## Why It Works Honey thickens quickly into a glossy sauce, so the dish tastes complete with a short ingredient list. ## Ingredients - chicken: 600 g / 1 1/3 lb boneless chicken thigh or breast. - cornstarch: 2 tbsp. - honey: 2 tbsp honey. - soy sauce: 2 tbsp. - rice vinegar: 1 tbsp. - garlic: 4 cloves. - ginger: 1 tsp grated (optional). - broccoli: 2 cups florets, optional side (optional). - green onion: 2 (optional). - sesame seeds: 1 tsp (optional). - neutral oil: 1 tbsp. - rice: Cooked rice, for serving (optional). ## Equipment - Large skillet - Mixing bowl - Small bowl - Spatula ## Steps 1. Cut and coat the chicken Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and pat them dry. Toss with cornstarch and a pinch of salt until lightly coated. A thin coating is enough; heavy clumps can turn gummy in the sauce. 2. Mix the honey garlic sauce In a bowl, stir honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger if using, and 2 tablespoons water. Honey sticks to measuring spoons, so scrape the spoon well and stir until the sauce looks even. 3. Prepare any side vegetable If serving broccoli, steam or microwave it until bright green before you glaze the chicken. Having rice or vegetables ready matters because the final sauce cooks quickly and tastes best right away. 4. Brown chicken thoroughly Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in one layer and cook until golden on the outside and cooked through inside, about 5 to 7 minutes. Chicken should reach 165 F / 74 C if checked. 5. Simmer with sauce Lower the heat to medium and pour in the honey sauce. Stir as it bubbles and thickens. Because honey can burn, do not leave the pan unattended. Add a small splash of water if the sauce tightens too much. 6. Finish and serve Turn off the heat when the chicken is shiny and coated. Add green onion and sesame seeds if using. Serve with rice or broccoli, spooning extra sauce from the pan over each portion. ## Western Grocery Notes - Any mild liquid honey works; crystallized honey can be warmed before mixing. - Chicken thigh stays juicy, but breast works if not overcooked. - Bagged broccoli florets make this an easier weeknight dinner. ## Substitutions - Use brown sugar or maple syrup instead of honey. - Use tofu, shrimp, or turkey instead of chicken. - Use green beans, snap peas, or cabbage instead of broccoli. ## Ingredient Alternatives - Honey: Sweetens and thickens the glaze. Alternatives: Brown sugar, Maple syrup, White sugar. If using dry sugar, add an extra spoon of water so the sauce dissolves smoothly. - Chicken: Provides the main protein. Alternatives: Chicken thigh, Chicken breast, Shrimp. Chicken breast cooks faster and should be watched closely to avoid dryness. - Broccoli: Turns the dish into a fuller plate. Alternatives: Green beans, Snap peas, Cabbage. Steam or microwave broccoli separately if your skillet is crowded. ## Cook Better Next Time - Keep the heat moderate after adding honey because it can scorch quickly. - Use enough vinegar to keep the sauce from tasting flat or overly sweet. - Add sesame seeds and green onion after glazing so they stay visible. ## FAQ ### Can I make honey garlic chicken without honey? Yes. Brown sugar, maple syrup, or white sugar can work with a little extra water. ### Is honey garlic chicken spicy? No. This version is mild by default and works for mixed spice preferences. ### Can I meal prep honey garlic chicken? Yes. Store the chicken and rice together, and keep fresh green onion or cucumber separate until serving. ## Related Recipes - [Sesame Chicken Rice Bowls](/recipes/sesame-chicken-rice-bowls/): A mild sesame chicken bowl with pan-browned chicken, soy-honey glaze, toasted sesame, and simple vegetables over rice. - [Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry](/recipes/chicken-broccoli-stir-fry/): A practical takeout-style stir-fry using chicken, broccoli, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. - [Lemon Chicken](/recipes/lemon-chicken/): A bright skillet lemon chicken with golden chicken bites, fresh lemon sauce, green onion, sesame seeds, and rice. ## Recipe Topic Hubs - [Easy Weeknight Chinese Recipes](/collections/easy-weeknight-chinese-recipes/): Fast Chinese home-cooking ideas for busy nights, built around supermarket ingredients and simple pantry sauces. - [Beginner Chinese Recipes](/collections/beginner-chinese-recipes/): Starter Chinese recipes for new home cooks, with clear substitutions and low-risk cooking methods. - [High-Protein Chinese Dinners](/collections/high-protein-chinese-dinners/): Protein-focused Chinese dinner ideas using chicken, beef, tofu, eggs, pork, and practical meat-free alternatives. - [Chinese Chicken Recipes](/collections/chinese-chicken-recipes/): Chinese-style chicken recipes for Western kitchens, including stir-fries, fried rice, takeout-style sauces, and rice bowls. - [Pantry-Friendly Chinese Recipes](/collections/pantry-friendly-chinese-recipes/): Chinese recipes that lean on shelf-stable sauces, rice, noodles, eggs, frozen vegetables, and flexible substitutions. - [Chinese Rice Bowl Recipes](/collections/chinese-rice-bowl-recipes/): Chinese-style rice bowl dinners with chicken, tofu, pork, shrimp, eggs, vegetables, and supermarket-friendly sauces. ## Internal Links - Static recipe page: /recipes/honey-garlic-chicken/ - Markdown recipe mirror: /recipes/honey-garlic-chicken.md - Recipe JSON-LD: /structured-data/recipes/honey-garlic-chicken.jsonld ## Community Prompt Did you serve honey garlic chicken with broccoli, rice, or both?