Easy Sticky Honey Chicken Recipe with the Best Sauce

This Sticky Honey Chicken makes for an easy dinner recipe for the whole family!  Small chicken pieces that are coated in a sticky, sweet sauce and served over steamed rice are a winner for your dinner table. 

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I have been making this delicious recipe for so many years now, that it’s become a staple in our household.  I always keep all of these ingredients stocked in my pantry for nights when I don’t feel like picking up food, but don’t feel like slaving over a hot stove for several hours. In fact, let me take a tool away right now for you. We don’t even need the stove for this recipe! Well, unless you’re making rice or veggies of course.  

But for this sticky honey garlic chicken, I always go to my favorite kitchen tool, my electric skillet.  It’s large enough that I don’t have to fry up multiple batches of chicken pieces because frankly, I don’t have the energy or time to do more than one batch at a time haha!  I also use the same electric skillet for my Brioche Cinnamon French Toast Recipe which you should check out next.  You can definitely use a large skillet on your stove top if you don’t have an electric skillet or even bake the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven, but using an electric skillet is just much faster for me.

The Players for Sticky Honey Chicken

For the Chicken:

• Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces.  You can also use boneless skinless thighs if you prefer.
• Eggs – I use 2 large eggs for this sticky chicken recipe.
• Cornstarch – Using cornstarch will help to brown the chicken pieces and thicken the honey sauce. 
• Canola Oil – I prefer using canola oil when frying, but you can use vegetable oil as a substitute. 

For the Sticky Sauce:

• Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar is what I like to use, but you can definitely use dark brown sugar to give it a more prominent molasses taste. 
• White Sugar – To help sweeten the honey garlic sauce.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Brings a tanginess to the sauce and offsets the sweetness.  You can also use white vinegar.
• Soy Sauce – I like to use low sodium soy sauce. You can also use coconut aminos if you prefer. 
• Ketchup – Using ketchup helps to sweeten the sticky chicken sauce.
• Honey – Adding honey helps naturally sweeten and thicken the sauce.
• Garlic – I like to use garlic powder but you can use freshly minced garlic instead of powder.
• Ginger – Fresh ginger will be a lot more prominent in this dish, but you can undoubtedly use ginger powder if that’s what you have!
• Sesame Oil – This brings a nutty flavor to the sauce but is strong so you don’t need much.
• Salt & Pepper – To taste. 

Toppings:

• Green Onions – Top off your juicy chicken with diced green onions.
• Sesame Seeds – This is optional, but a little sprinkle of sesame seeds completes the dish.

How to Make Sticky Honey Chicken

To make the sticky sauce, in a small bowl or spouted measuring cup, add in all of your sauce ingredients and whisk very well. Set aside. *Note: If you’re wanting your sauce to have a bit of heat to it, you can add chili paste or even a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

In a large gallon-sized ziplock bag, add in your bite-sized chicken pieces and throw in the cornstarch.  I also add a little bit of salt and pepper.  Zip up the bag and begin to toss the chicken pieces in the cornstarch, ensuring the cornstarch is covering all pieces of chicken.  

In a small bowl or pie pan, whisk your two eggs well.  Add all of your chicken pieces that have been coated with cornstarch to the eggs and combine the chicken pieces thoroughly with the eggs.  Make sure your chicken pieces aren’t sticking together, you want all of the chicken to be coated well in egg.

Cook Your Chicken

In your electric skillet set on medium heat (or a large pan on the stove), add in your canola oil and allow to heat up.  Begin to add in your coated chicken pieces to the oil, trying to not crowd the chicken pieces too much.  Cook the chicken on one side without moving them for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Flip the chicken pieces to the other side and cook for 3 minutes and then pour half of the sauce over the chicken.  I cover my electric skillet at this point and allow the chicken and sauce to cook and bubble for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, carefully remove the lid and stir the chicken and sauce well, add in the remaining sauce, and cover for another 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through or has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

Keep an eye on the sauce while it cooks, because as it begins to heat up, it will begin to thicken and caramelize (which is what you want). You don’t want it to burn and this can happen fairly quickly.  If this happens, turn the heat down and leave it covered to ensure that the chicken is cooked through all the way. 

Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy!

What to Serve with Sticky Honey Chicken

Serve with white rice, jasmine rice, Basmati rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice would be a great option for those looking for something lower in carbs. Other ideas to serve this honey chicken recipe with would be sesame noodles instead of a bed of rice, and a side of vegetables like sugar snap peas, green beans, or roasted broccoli. 

Pin it for Later!

I really hope you enjoy this Easy Sticky Honey Chicken Recipe and if you end up making it, leave me a comment. I’d love to chat with you!

Looking for other easy dinner ideas? Check these great recipe ideas out next:

• Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe
• Classic Meatloaf with Ground Beef (and Ketchup Glaze)
• ​The Best Baked Fish Tacos with Crispy Broccoli Slaw
• Easy Oven-Fried Chicken Drumsticks
• Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Dinner
• Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork