Stop Ordering Takeout! This Honey Garlic Chicken is Literally the Best

This honey garlic chicken stir fry uses bite-sized chicken breast coated in cornstarch, pan-seared until golden, then tossed in a sweet and sticky sauce made from honey, soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of sriracha. It comes together in about 30 minutes and tastes better than anything you would get from takeout.

Craving some takeout? Stop right there! This Honey Garlic Chicken is going to become your new favorite chicken stir fry, seriously. It is sweet, sticky, saucy, and so much better than takeout because it is made with real and quality ingredients right in your own kitchen! And it is not loaded with heavy breading!

This is absolutely the good stuff. You can control the quality of the ingredients you use, and I love that it is naturally sweetened with honey. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Let us get started!

Why You Will Love This Honey Garlic Chicken

• It is a guaranteed family favorite: Your family will go bananas for this the first time you make it.
• Easy peasy breezy: It uses simple pantry staples you probably already have sitting in your kitchen.
• No heavy breading: Just a light dusting of cornstarch gives the chicken the perfect texture to grab onto that gorgeous glaze.
• Perfect for picky eaters: With just a touch of sriracha to balance the sweetness, it has incredible flavor without burning your mouth. The kids did not complain one bit!

If you love an easy, saucy, better-than-takeout skillet dinner, you are also going to want to try my Cowboy Butter Chicken, another bold and easy chicken dinner that comes together in one pan just as fast.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Large zip top bag (for mess free chicken coating)
• Large non stick pan (or two, to speed up batch cooking)
• Splatter guard (highly recommended to keep your stove clean!)
• Instant read thermometer

For the Chicken

• 2 to 2 1/2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts), cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 to 3 tbsp cooking oil (to lightly coat the bottom of the pan)

For the Sweet and Sticky Sauce

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce (add more to taste, or use red pepper flakes for extra heat)

For the Slurry

• 2 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

For Serving and Garnish

• Fresh green onions, thinly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Steamed white rice, brown rice, or quinoa

Let us Get Cooking!

1. Whipping Up the Magic Sauce

Start with the sauce, and this seriously could not be any easier. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup honey, and minced garlic. It is also a fantastic way to use up honey that has thickened up in the pantry because it all just melts right together over the heat anyway.

2. Add the Kick and Boil

Also add a tablespoon of sriracha sauce. You can use more if you love a spicier sauce, but adding one tablespoon is just right to add flavor without the heat. Set your saucepan over medium high heat and stir frequently until it comes to a rolling boil.

3. Thicken the Sauce

To thicken things up, mix equal parts cold water and cornstarch in a separate little dish. We need 2 tablespoons of cold water and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir until fully dissolved and smooth. Once that cornstarch slurry is dissolved, pour it into your boiling saucepan and stir constantly until it gets beautifully thick and glossy. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and let it barely simmer while you prep your chicken. Just give it an occasional stir!

4. Prepping That Delicious Chicken

You will need about four medium boneless and skinless chicken breasts, which is roughly two to two and a half pounds. Cut those into one inch chunks, trying to keep them roughly the same size for even cooking.

5. The Zip Top Bag Trick

Now for my favorite trick! Place your one inch chicken chunks into a large zip top bag. Pour in the 1/2 cup of cornstarch, seal the bag tightly, and toss vigorously until every piece of chicken is evenly coated. You will love that you do not even have to season the chicken at this point because that sticky sauce is packing plenty of flavor! A quick food safety reminder: since this step involves raw chicken, wash your hands, the bag, and any surfaces it touched before moving on to the next step.

6. Cooking the Chicken

Set a large non stick pan over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom with cooking oil. Use a splatter guard if you have one! Add the chicken in a single layer. You will want to do this in batches so you do not crowd the pan. Saute for a few minutes per side until it is cooked through and lightly golden brown. You want every batch to reach an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant read thermometer, since golden coloring on the cornstarch coating can sometimes look done before the chicken actually is.

Time saving tip! Since you do have to cook the chicken in batches, it helps to cook the second batch in a separate skillet to make the whole process go twice as fast!

7. The Big Reveal and Glaze

Once all the chicken is cooked, return it to the pan. Pour your glorious, warm, and thickened honey garlic sauce right over the chicken. Toss and stir until every single piece is generously coated and sticky. Light coating of cornstarch on the chicken helps the sauce stick so nicely!

8. Garnish and Serve

Serve this sweet and saucy chicken immediately over a bed of steamy and hot white rice. It is the perfect simple base to soak up all that flavor. Garnish with a generous handful of fresh sliced green onions. Add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds to give it that little Asian charm. Enjoy!

How to Store Honey Garlic Chicken

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. A small splash of water helps loosen the sauce if it has thickened in the fridge.
• Freezer: This dish freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months, though the chicken’s cornstarch coating softens slightly upon thawing. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry (Better Than Takeout!)

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: Main CourseCuisine: Asian-Inspired, AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Total time

30

minutes

Skip the takeout! This sweet, saucy, and slightly sticky honey garlic chicken is a family-favorite stir fry that uses real honey and simple pantry staples. No heavy breading required, ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Large zip-top bag

• Large non-stick skillet

• Splatter guard

• Instant-read meat thermometer

• Ingredients:

• 1134g (2 to 2 1/2 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

• 64g (1/2 cup) cornstarch, for coating

• 30ml (2 tbsp) cooking oil

• 120ml (1/2 cup) water

• 120ml (1/2 cup) low-sodium soy sauce

• 170g (1/2 cup) honey

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 15ml (1 tbsp) sriracha sauce, more to taste

• 30ml (2 tbsp) cold water, for slurry

• 16g (2 tbsp) cornstarch, for slurry

• 2 stalks fresh green onions, sliced, for garnish

• 1 tsp sesame seeds, for garnish

• Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, and sriracha. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, mix the cold water and cornstarch until completely smooth.
• Pour the slurry into the boiling sauce and stir until thick and glossy. Turn the heat to low and let it gently simmer.
• Place the chicken chunks into a large zip-top bag. Add the cornstarch, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken is evenly coated. Wash hands, the bag, and any surfaces touched by raw chicken before continuing.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the chicken in a single layer for a few minutes per side, until lightly golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F throughout every batch.
• Pour the thickened sauce over the cooked chicken and toss until well coated.
• Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Notes

• Perfect Fluffy Rice: This recipe is amazing over a steamy bowl of white rice. Brown rice or quinoa also work great.
• Keep It Clean: A splatter guard is highly recommended when pan-frying the chicken to keep your stovetop clean.
• Spice Level: One tablespoon of sriracha adds flavor without much heat. Add more to taste, or toss in red pepper flakes if you like it spicier.
• Crispness Tip: Pour the sauce over the chicken right at the end and serve immediately. Letting coated chicken sit in the sauce too long softens the texture.
• Honey Note: This dish is safe and delicious for children and adults, but honey should not be given to infants under 12 months due to a small botulism risk in that age group specifically.
• Storage: Airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Freezes for up to 2 months, though the coating softens slightly after thawing.
• Nutrition: Calories are estimated and will vary based on rice serving size and sauce amount.