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Honey Butter Chicken

Honey butter chicken is a quick weeknight skillet dinner with caramelized golden chicken breasts and a glossy amber honey butter sauce. You’ll sear until golden, simmer the sweet sauce, then return the chicken to glaze and coat every surface.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Sear and sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter unsalted or salted
  • 3 garlic minced, about 3 cloves
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 fresh thyme for garnish
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste, then heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear until deep golden, 5-6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Make the honey butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir well so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Glaze and caramelize
  1. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes, turning and basting until the sauce caramelizes and coats the chicken.
Serve
  1. Plate the honey butter chicken and drizzle with any remaining sauce from the pan. Finish with fresh thyme leaves and flaky sea salt.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the chicken sear at medium-high and don’t move it around—letting it brown creates the caramelized glaze once it returns to the honey butter sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the honey butter glaze can separate on thawing. For a gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce.