Are you stuck in a boring chicken dinner rut? Get ready for a flavor explosion that will change your weeknight routine forever. This Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy, all cooked up in a single pan in under 30 minutes. The combination of floral honey, salty soy sauce, sharp ginger, and bright lemon creates a glossy, sticky sauce that’s downright addictive. Say goodbye to takeout menus this restaurant quality dish is faster, healthier, and more delicious than anything you can have delivered.
Imagine juicy, golden bites of chicken, each one perfectly coated in a sauce so good you’ll want to lick the plate (we won’t judge). Served over a bed of fluffy rice with some crisp tender broccoli on the side, it’s a complete, satisfying meal that the whole family will request again and again. Let’s get cooking!
Why This Recipe is a Total Game Changer
- Blazing Fast: From fridge to table in 30 minutes flat. Perfect for those “what’s for dinner?!” nights.
- One Pan Wonder: Everything cooks in a single skillet or wok, which means maximum flavor and minimal cleanup.
- The Perfect Sauce: The magic blend of honey, soy, ginger, and lemon creates a complex, “better than takeout” sauce that clings to every piece.
- Endlessly Adaptable: Not a fan of broccoli? Swap in snap peas, bell peppers, or green beans. Make it your own!
Ingredients for Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken
Gather these simple, flavorful ingredients for your new favorite dinner:
For the Chicken & Sauce:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (about 15ml) neutral oil (like vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- A 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 ½ tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons honey
- ½ – 1 lemon, juiced (to taste)
For Serving (Optional but Recommended):
- Cooked white or brown rice
- Steamed broccoli florets
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
How to Make Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken
1Coat the Chicken: Place the cubed chicken in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the flour, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss everything together until each piece of chicken is lightly and evenly coated. This thin coating will help the chicken get beautifully golden and will help thicken the sauce later.
2Make the Sauce & Sear the Chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, chopped garlic, soy sauce, honey, and the juice from half of your lemon. Set this irresistible sauce aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the floured chicken in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches to avoid steaming). Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes per side until you get a nice golden brown sear. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage.
3Simmer to Perfection: Pour the prepared honey ginger sauce over the seared chicken in the pan. Give everything a good stir, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Let the sauce come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes. The sauce will bubble and reduce, becoming glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and the chicken will finish cooking through.
4Finish and Serve: Remove the pan from the heat. Taste the sauce and decide if you’d like an extra hit of bright, fresh lemon juice from the remaining half lemon. Stir it in if desired.
Serve your glorious honey chicken immediately over a bed of fluffy rice with steamed broccoli on the side. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions for the perfect finish.
Chef’s Notes & Pro Tips
- Grate, Don’t Chop the Ginger: For the best flavor and no stringy bits, use the fine holes of a box grater or a microplane to grate your fresh ginger. You’ll get more juice and a smoother sauce.
- Control the Salt: Using low sodium soy sauce gives you better control over the seasoning. You can always add a little more at the end, but you can’t take it out!
- Don’t Crowd the Pan: Getting a good sear on the chicken is key for flavor and texture. If you add too much chicken at once, it will steam instead of brown. Cook in batches if your pan isn’t large enough.
- Sauce Too Thin? If you prefer an even thicker, glazier sauce, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the simmering sauce during the last minute of cooking.
- Make it a Complete Meal: While rice and broccoli are classic, this chicken is also fantastic over quinoa, cauliflower rice, or even tossed with stir fried noodles.
30 Minute Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1.5 inch piece fresh ginger grated (about 1.5 tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 5 tbsp honey
- ½ - 1 lemon juiced
- Cooked rice and steamed broccoli for serving
Instructions
- Toss cubed chicken with flour, salt, and pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk ginger, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and half the lemon juice.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear chicken until golden, 2-3 mins per side.
- Pour sauce over chicken. Simmer for 8-10 mins, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked.
- Remove from heat. Stir in remaining lemon juice to taste.
- Serve immediately with rice and broccoli.
Notes
- Grate the ginger for the best texture and flavor.
- For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir in during the last minute of cooking.
- Cook the chicken in batches if needed to avoid steaming and ensure a good sear.
