Chinese restaurants use 3:1 honey-to-soy ratio, but this recipe flips it backward for deeper umami flavor.
Honey Garlic Chicken
Get ready to elevate your weeknight meals with this irresistible Honey Garlic Chicken! Juicy chicken thighs are perfectly glazed in a sweet and savory blend of honey, garlic, and soy sauce, creating a mouthwatering dish that will have everyone asking for seconds. With minimal prep and maximum flavor, it’s bound to become a staple on your dinner table!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 cup corn starch (120 ml)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (30 ml)
- 1 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb chicken breast (454 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry) (15 ml)
- 1/3 cup honey (79.9 ml)
- 3-4 tbsp peanut oil (45-60 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (60 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup corn starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss until well coated.
- 2
Add 3-4 tablespoons of peanut oil to a pan on medium-high heat.
- 3
Once the oil is hot add the chicken evenly to the bottom of the pan and allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes before stirring and cooking until crispy and golden on all sides.
- 4
Once the chicken is cooked remove it from the pan and set aside.
- 5
To make the sauce lower the heat in that same pan and add in 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp each of apple cider vinegar and ketchup, and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- 6
Allow that to simmer for 2 minutes before stirring in a cornstarch slurry (1tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water). Once the sauce has thickened add your chicken back to the pan, toss to coat, and serve.
- 7
Top with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your peanut oil to 350°F before adding chicken to ensure immediate protein coagulation, which creates a moisture barrier and prevents the cornstarch coating from becoming soggy.technique350°F
- ✓Use a 1:8 cornstarch to chicken ratio (1/2 cup cornstarch for 4 cups chicken) because cornstarch creates a lighter, crispier coating than flour due to its lack of gluten proteins.ingredient1:8 ratio
- ✓Add honey to the pan off direct heat or below 320°F to prevent the fructose from caramelizing too quickly and turning bitter, which happens at 338°F.timingBelow 320°F
- ✓Make your cornstarch slurry with cold water in a 1:2 ratio and whisk it into the sauce while simmering to activate the starch molecules for proper thickening without lumps.technique1:2 ratio
- ✓Rest the coated chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes before frying to allow the cornstarch to hydrate and adhere better, reducing coating loss by up to 30%.timing2-3 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Chinese restaurants use 3:1 honey-to-soy ratio, but this recipe flips it backward for deeper umami flavor.
Honey Garlic Chicken
Get ready to elevate your weeknight meals with this irresistible Honey Garlic Chicken! Juicy chicken thighs are perfectly glazed in a sweet and savory blend of honey, garlic, and soy sauce, creating a mouthwatering dish that will have everyone asking for seconds. With minimal prep and maximum flavor, it’s bound to become a staple on your dinner table!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1/2 cup corn starch (120 ml)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (30 ml)
- 1 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb chicken breast (454 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry) (15 ml)
- 1/3 cup honey (79.9 ml)
- 3-4 tbsp peanut oil (45-60 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (60 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup corn starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss until well coated.
- 2
Add 3-4 tablespoons of peanut oil to a pan on medium-high heat.
- 3
Once the oil is hot add the chicken evenly to the bottom of the pan and allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes before stirring and cooking until crispy and golden on all sides.
- 4
Once the chicken is cooked remove it from the pan and set aside.
- 5
To make the sauce lower the heat in that same pan and add in 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp each of apple cider vinegar and ketchup, and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- 6
Allow that to simmer for 2 minutes before stirring in a cornstarch slurry (1tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water). Once the sauce has thickened add your chicken back to the pan, toss to coat, and serve.
- 7
Top with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your peanut oil to 350°F before adding chicken to ensure immediate protein coagulation, which creates a moisture barrier and prevents the cornstarch coating from becoming soggy.technique350°F
- ✓Use a 1:8 cornstarch to chicken ratio (1/2 cup cornstarch for 4 cups chicken) because cornstarch creates a lighter, crispier coating than flour due to its lack of gluten proteins.ingredient1:8 ratio
- ✓Add honey to the pan off direct heat or below 320°F to prevent the fructose from caramelizing too quickly and turning bitter, which happens at 338°F.timingBelow 320°F
- ✓Make your cornstarch slurry with cold water in a 1:2 ratio and whisk it into the sauce while simmering to activate the starch molecules for proper thickening without lumps.technique1:2 ratio
- ✓Rest the coated chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes before frying to allow the cornstarch to hydrate and adhere better, reducing coating loss by up to 30%.timing2-3 minutes