Sweet Spicy Honey Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken coated in a sweet and spicy honey glaze with garlic and ginger, perfect for quick dinners.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.32 lbs)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch

→ Glaze

05 - 1/3 cup honey
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce, adjust to taste
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (optional)
11 - 1 tablespoon lime juice

→ For Cooking

12 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
13 - 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Lightly coat with cornstarch, shaking off excess.
02 - Whisk together honey, sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger (if using), and lime juice in a small bowl; set aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken breasts 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
04 - Reduce heat to medium, pour glaze into skillet, and simmer while stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Return chicken to skillet, turning to coat each piece generously. Simmer 2 minutes until heated through and glazed.
06 - Remove from heat, slice chicken, drizzle with extra glaze, and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The glaze caramelizes right in the skillet, so there's minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • That perfect sweet-spicy-savory balance keeps you thinking about it long after dinner ends.
02 -
  • If your glaze breaks or separates, don't panic—just turn off the heat and whisk in a splash of water to bring it back together.
  • The chicken will continue cooking slightly after you remove it from heat, so pull it when it's just cooked through to avoid dryness.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when searing—if your skillet is small, cook the chicken in batches so it browns instead of steams.
  • The moment you taste that glaze before it hits the pan is the moment you can fix it; adjust honey for sweetness, sriracha for heat, or lime for brightness while you still can.
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