This Honey Butter Chicken Recipe comes together in one skillet in just 15 minutes. Bite-sized chicken thighs are coated in a buttery honey garlic sauce with a splash of apple cider vinegar for the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m not always in the mood to cook. As much as I love being in the kitchen, some nights I’d rather curl up with a good book or relax on the couch.
That’s exactly why this honey butter chicken is one of my favorite weeknight dinners. It’s quick, easy, and made with a handful of simple ingredients, but it tastes like something you’d order from your favorite takeout spot.
Nothing feels better than getting dinner on the table fast and having everyone ask for seconds. This recipe has saved us from ordering takeout more times than I can count, and it’s always a hit with the whole family.
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe keeps things simple with a handful of pantry staples that come together to make an irresistibly sweet-and-savory sauce.
- Chicken thighs: About 4 to 6 boneless, skinless thighs. I prefer thighs because they stay juicy and caramelize beautifully, but chicken breasts work too.
- Butter: Creates the rich base for the sauce.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and helps create that sticky glaze.
- Garlic: Gives the sauce a bold, savory flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Balances the sweetness and adds a little tang. White vinegar can be used in a pinch.
- Olive oil: Helps the chicken brown quickly without burning the butter.
- Fresh parsley: Optional, but adds a pop of color and freshness before serving.
How to Make Honey Butter Chicken
This easy skillet dinner comes together in just a few simple steps. For exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Cook the chicken. Brown the bite-sized chicken pieces in a hot skillet until cooked through.
- Add the sauce ingredients. Stir in the butter, honey, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.
- Glaze the chicken. Simmer and toss until the sauce thickens and coats every piece.
- Serve. Garnish with parsley and enjoy over mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite side dish.
How to Make Honey Butter Glaze for Chicken
If there’s one thing I love about this recipe, it’s the sauce. With just butter, honey, garlic, and apple cider vinegar, it creates a glossy glaze that’s sweet, savory, and completely irresistible.
The vinegar is the secret ingredient here. It balances the honey’s sweetness and keeps the sauce from feeling too rich, giving every bite the perfect sweet-and-tangy flavor.
This recipe is designed to lightly coat the chicken rather than create a lot of extra sauce. The glaze thickens as it cooks, helping it cling to every piece of chicken for maximum flavor.
Want extra sauce for drizzling over mashed potatoes or rice? Double the sauce ingredients, then remove the chicken and let the sauce simmer for a minute or two until slightly thickened before serving.
Recipe Tips
This recipe is wonderfully simple, but a few quick tips will help you get the best flavor and texture.
- Use chicken thighs for the juiciest results and the best flavor.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces so more of the surface can caramelize in the sauce.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Once it’s browned and coated in the glaze, remove it from the heat to keep it tender.
- If you’d like extra sauce for rice or mashed potatoes, double the sauce ingredients and simmer until slightly thickened.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why isn’t my sauce thickening?
If the sauce still seems thin after a few minutes, remove the chicken from the skillet and let the sauce simmer uncovered until it becomes glossy and slightly thickened. Then return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?
Yes! Chicken breasts work well in this recipe when cut into bite-sized pieces. Just be careful not to overcook them, since they can dry out faster than thighs.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. Use a very large skillet, or cook the chicken in batches so it browns rather than steams. Once all of the chicken is cooked, toss everything together with the sauce.
Can I cook the chicken in the oven or air fryer?
Yes. Bake the chicken at 425°F or air-fry it at 400°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Toss the cooked chicken with the honey butter sauce before serving.
How many chicken thighs are in 1 pound?
One pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs usually contains 4 to 6 thighs, depending on thigh size.
Tools You’ll Need
Large Non-Stick Skillet: A large non-stick skillet is the best choice for this recipe because it gives the chicken plenty of room to brown and caramelize rather than steam. The non-stick surface also helps the honey butter glaze coat the chicken without sticking to the pan.
Wooden Spoon: A sturdy wooden spoon makes it easy to stir the chicken and gently toss it in the sauce as it thickens. It’s also great for scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet without damaging the pan.
*This post originally posted on 11/11/2017.
Honey Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish
Equipment
Method
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet over high heat.
- When the butter is melted, add 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook until it changes from pink to white and starts to brown.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons honey, 1 large clove garlic, and 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce until it is golden and caramelized.
- Once the chicken is browned all over, remove it from the heat. Pile chicken onto mashed potatoes, and drizzle with the sauce in the pan. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Aubrey’s Tips
- Extra Sauce: Double the sauce ingredients if you’d like extra for drizzling over mashed potatoes or rice. Remove the chicken and simmer the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken before serving.
- Scaling: Double the recipe using a very large skillet, or cook the chicken in batches so it browns rather than steams.
- Oven Method: Bake the chicken at 425°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then toss it with the honey butter sauce before serving.
Did you make it?
Show me! @aubrey_realhousemoms or tag #realhousemoms!Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
If you have leftovers, let the chicken cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover honey butter chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Skillet Reheating: Warm the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Microwave Reheating: Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.
The sauce may thicken as it sits, but it loosens back up nicely once reheated.
What to Serve with Honey Butter Chicken
This sweet and savory chicken pairs well with simple sides that can soak up every bit of the honey butter glaze.
- Mashed Potatoes: My favorite way to serve this chicken. The creamy potatoes are perfect for catching the extra sauce.
- Steamed rice: A simple side that lets the flavors of the chicken shine.
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli: The crispy edges and savory flavor pair perfectly with the sweet glaze.
If I’m making broccoli, I pop it in the oven first and then cook the chicken while it roasts, so everything is ready at the same time.
Want more chicken recipes?
If easy chicken dinners are always on your weekly menu, here are a few more family favorites to try next!
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Orange Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken
- French Onion Chicken Thighs
- Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
Rachel says
Today is my husband’s birthday and he chose chicken for dinner. I googled chicken recipes and this was the first on the list. So tonight we are going to give it a shot. Hope it’s as good as all the commentaries have said!!!
Aubrey Cota says
This will quickly make it into your weekly recipe shuffle! Happy birthday to your husband!
Susan Karpy says
Whoa on the fat content.
Aubrey Cota says
Keep in mind this is using chicken thigh (dark meat) if you would like to reduce the fat you are certainly welcome to use boneless skinless chicken breast.
Marla Berkheim says
Right! Huge amount of calories, sugar and fat for a chicken recipe! I can’t figure out if this is including mashed potatoes, or just the chicken. If it is only the chicken, that’s even worse!
kain wilder says
Well don’t cook it then. Now that’s simple.
kittenpawschristina says
BAM! Just like that! ??
Lori says
I’m gonna try this tonight. Sounds awesome. Have you ever tried this on rice?
Aubrey Cota says
It is fabulous on rice!! Add some steamed broccoli and you have a well-rounded meal, enjoy! 🙂
NJ says
My husband can’t do butter – will this still be as good without it?
Aubrey Cota says
I’m afraid not. It is a pretty major ingredient in this recipe and I have to be honest that it would not be the same without it. We do have other really great recipes that may better fit your husbands preference check them out here –> https://realhousemoms.com/?s=chicken+recipes
Amanda says
We used dairy free butter and it turned out perfect. It’s called smart balance. I’m sure it would’ve been more creamy and a bit more smooth with real butter, but everyone loved dinner. I wish I would’ve made more!
Aubrey Cota says
Thanks for the tip!
Katie says
Could I make this without vinegar?
Aubrey Cota says
You could, but honestly, you would be missing out on what brightens up the flavor of this dish. If it’s because you don’t have the ingredient on hand, that’s ok a little lemon or lime juice will help achieve the same effect. If it’s because you don’t prefer vinegar, I can tell you now it’s not noticeable for its vinegar flavor but rather to lighten everything up a bit.
Amy Idowu says
Just cooked honey buttered chicken last night.It was delicious.I served it over noodles.I also added the crushed red pepper flakes for a little fire.
Aubrey Cota says
Oohh noodles! I’m so glad you liked it, thank you so much.
Donna says
Made this last night, not good. I am an awesome cook, not sure what happened. Didn’t caramelize and garlic just burned. So disappointed.
Aubrey Cota says
I’m sorry to hear that, I hate when I have days like that.
Antoinette McNamars says
Made thus dish tonight. Quick, easy and delicious ?!!
Aubrey Cota says
That’s why we love it too! Thank you.
Sue says
Wow, I just used this recipe with some chicken chunks I already had cooked. Just threw the ingredients in a skillet and added the cooked chicken when it carmelized. Put it all on top of some oven roasted red potatoes and broccoli. So delicious!!
Aubrey Cota says
Love it! Thanks for sharing that you were able to use already cooked chicken.
Michelle says
This was amazing! I used a bit more seasoning and some cayenne pepper for kick! I added parsley and green onion as a garnish and ate it as a lettuce wrap with butter lettuce. Squeezing a little fresh orange over it in the lettuce wrap gave it I nice taste too!
Thank you so much for sharing can’t wait to make it again!
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you! I love to hear how you all make this recipe your own too.
Yemima says
I made this for my brother and sister and they LOVED IT!!
Aubrey Cota says
Awesome! Thank you.
Shantimoy Paul says
I like chicken from my childhood whenever chicken is prepared at home, I used to wait for my mother’s call. I was the first to reach the table.
Being a teen my mother used to tell me the nutrition advantage of veggies, but I start telling to her that skinless chicken provides the least amount of calories and fat, about 143 calories, 3g total fat and 1g saturated fat for half of a large boneless, skinless breast, or a 95g serving.
Mom knows I love chicken too much thus she used to start her food with a smile and we all enjoy our diet together.
My mom is a great chef and use to cook many recipes of chicken the recipe shared by you seems delicious and will surely try at home.
Stephanie says
I can’t seem to get my chicken to look like the chicken in the picture. Mine always turns out very colorless and very little glaze. It has a great flavor and I follow the recipe exactly. I’ve made it three times and it’s always the same. What am I doing wrong?!
Aubrey Cota says
Sometimes if the chicken is too wet going into the pan it will cause the browning process to slow way down, so be sure to pat it dry with a paper towel first. What kind of meat are you using? White meat will act differently than dark meat so that’s something to keep in mind as well. Also make sure the pan gets nice and hot to start and adding a little extra butter to the pan won’t hurt either. Once you start the sauce part, lower the heat a little and follow just as you normally would.
Chris says
Can I make this ahead and keep it heated in the oven?
Aubrey Cota says
You run the risk of the chicken drying out a bit that way, but I guess it depends on how long you plan on keeping it in there for. I would just suggest keeping it at the lowest temperature to keep warm but as not to continue the cooking process too much.
Priyanka says
I love this recipe but for some reason it never quite works for me. I tried to be patient with the simmering but the chicken started to burn so I took that out and tried to caramalize the sauce on it’s own but it just started to burn. Too hot? Either way the chicken tastes so good, I just wanted more sauce with it
Aubrey Cota says
So it could be a couple things, yes one of those being too high of heat. The chicken might be cut into too small of pieces, while you want bite size you don’t want it so small that it cooks way too quickly. Second the chicken could be too wet causing too much moisture so it’s having a hard time caramelizing, also you could remove the chicken for a short time to allow the sauce to cook and then add it back to finish. Keep in mind this sauce isn’t meant to be a super thick sauce so while we want it to caramelize it doesn’t turn into the consistency of say orange chicken.
NISHANTH says
Wow it amazing tasty I tried it
Thanks of lot
Healthy Kitchen 101 says
I really like the CARAMELIZED sauce a lot, it is so versatile that I also can apply it for other dishes like pork or fishes! ?
– Natalie Ellis
Aubrey Cota says
Oh I really like the idea for fish!! Thank you so much.
Keishia Woodard says
Can i use boneless chicken breast instead of thighs?
Aubrey Cota says
Sure, the suggestion of thighs just offers a moist option. Just watch your cooking times with the breasts as sometimes they can over cook.
Chris says
Made it this evening with a few personal touches.
Didn’t have any honey so I used brown sugar.
Didn’t have apple cider vinegar so I used fig vinegar.
Added some frozen mixed vegetables to it, along with a pop of cayenne.
Served it over rice.
Husband took one bite and made his O face.
Aubrey Cota says
I’m so glad! Thank you so much and I love the addition of the veggies, always a good idea.
C says
If I happen to be out of honey, would brown sugar make an acceptable substitute?
Aubrey Cota says
Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner but it looks like it all worked out!