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
Rachelle Vandeventer says
My whole family loved it. AWESOME
Aubrey says
That is fantastic! I’m so glad they loved it!
Karen R. Marshall says
Delicious and easy! I am making this again! Great for beginners like ME!!!
Aubrey Cota says
That’s one of the reasons I love this recipe so much, it’s easy yet so flavorful and dynamic you can be a beginner or advanced and it comes out delicious every time!
Dj says
The best thing I’ve ever cooked. And I’m not exaggerating.
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you so much, Dj!! I’m so glad you liked it, it’s a pretty major hit around our household.
Nataly says
That recipe looks so yummy! I’ll have to try that one. Thanks for sharing.
Aubrey Cota says
You’ll love it!
Angie says
We love this recipe so much!! Delicious!
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you, Angie!
Kate says
This is so tasty! You do such a great job on your website–great directions and presentations. Thank you for sharing your excellent recipes!
Aubrey Cota says
Thanks so much, Kate! I love this recipe so much and I’m so glad you do as well!
Vic says
So simple quick and easy to make, my kids loved it as did I.
Thank you so much for posting this wonderful recipe, I served mine with a side of fresh carrots and white rice.
Came out great!
Aubrey Cota says
I’m so glad to see that everyone loved it! Nice touch with the carrots I bet it added that extra crunchy texture that we all love.
Cynthia says
Family loved it. Easy and was delicious
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you, Cynthia!
E-world Cooking says
Especially thanks for this dish, I made it in my home today dinner & enjoy with my family they also love it
Des says
My husband is super picky and hard to please with new foods! He liked this! He didn’t like the riced cauliflower I served it on but he did enjoy the chicken and I served it with asparagus. Such a great choice as a side! I’d like to serve it on mashed potatoes next time!! I think it’ll be taken to better on some tasty taters! Lol 🙂
Aubrey Cota says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you, Des.
Cindy says
Going to try this tonight!
Aubrey Cota says
You should! It’s so yummy.
rose says
Seriously love this recipe. Will gonna try this tonight. Sounds awesome. Will give the feedback after try it.
Aubrey Cota says
Please do!! However, I can predict that you will love it! 🙂
Karen says
LOVE this recipe! I’ve made a big batch at the beginning of each week and added it on top of my salads! Super quick and easy. I usually use chicken breast and instead of the cider vinegar, I use white vinegar.
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you!
Nick says
Omg this was soooo go. I served it over some rice because my uncle can’t eat potatos because of the potassium. This was turn to your words “heaven on a plate.”
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you so much, Nick!! I’m so glad to hear you loved it.
Marla Berkheim says
Does this nutrition info include the potatoes? That is a very high amount of calories, WW points, fat, sugars for a chicken dinner! Yeesh!
Aubrey Cota says
It does not include the potatoes. Keep in mind this recipe does not claim to be low calorie, it does deal with dark meat, butter, and honey. So while I can appreciate the fact that you would like to keep this meal diet friendly it was created to be a quick and delicious meal. Please feel free to use white meat to help with some of the calorie and fat.
Paula Sisco says
Easy and delicious. And I am not a cook! Agree with others that a few dashes of soy sauce adds good flavor. I made the recipe x4 to take to a potluck. I divided it into two skillets: one cast iron, one stainless. The cast iron chicken browned right up. Had to take it up, then transfer the chicken from the stainless skillet to the cast iron to get it brown. Best to use cast iron. Also, the chicken does cook quite a bit more during the simmering, so don’t worry about getting it cooked through first (like I did!).
Aubrey Cota says
Thanks so much, Paula! I’m glad it worked out so well for you. Great idea for using a cast iron skillet.
Janelle says
My cousin says this is a must recipe. However, i have a child with type 1 Diabetes and need clarification on the nutrition facts in order to draw up the right amount of insulin. First, I love that you included a nutrition label, but the label doesn’t specify the serving size. Do you know how much it would be approximately? If not, I can use another website to calculate after entering the whole recipe and dividing it up evenly. Just curious if you know.
Aubrey Cota says
This is just nutrition facts divided up by 4. So please be sure to check the calculations with your child’s nutritionist to be sure this is in line with their dietary needs.
Laura says
This recipe was a complete fail. I followed the instructions exactly, and I only ended up with chicken soup. I overcooked the chicken, waiting for carmelization to occur, but it never did. How on Earth did anyone else succeed with this recipe if they followed these instructions? I’m a good cook, too, and this might be the only recipe that didn’t turn out that I’ve ever made… So weird. Doesn’t carmelization require sugar?
Aubrey Cota says
I’m sorry to hear that this one didn’t work out for you. I think what I have noticed from this recipe is that a few people expect this to be a thick syrup style sauce when in fact there shouldn’t be a large amount of sauce to chicken ratio and should be more on the “watery” side. Caramelization is a type of non-enzymatic browning reaction using the natural sugars in the ingredients, so yes it does require sugar but not always the addition of that actual ingredient.
Tracy Sokol says
I made this last night and everyone loved it!
However, I didn’t see that the recipe called for boneless chicken thighs and used cut chicken strips. Midway through eating husband asked me what type of meat I used and said it would be better with boneless chicken thighs (which is what the recipe called for right?!).
Loved the flavor and super easy to make. Served it with chicken rice and caramelized squash.
Aubrey Cota says
Tha caught me funny that he was able to identify what type of chicken he would prefer and it was the ingredient best used. Thank you, Tracy.
Renee says
Has anyone frozen leftovers? (not that we had any lol, but wondering for the future )..
Aubrey Cota says
I’ve never had leftovers that have made it to the freezer stage! Even if I put anything I might have left in the fridge, it is most certainly gone the next day. I would say that it should freeze fine though since this recipe is not overloaded with sauce, maybe not for an extended period of time but if you use the proper container you could get possibly up to a month out of it.
Kj says
So, I loved the quick concept of this recipe. I already had mashed potatoes on hand to use. First I sauteed a container of pre-sliced mushrooms. I pulled them out and set them aside. I proceeded to follow the recipe as written. Stirred the mushrooms back in at the end. I concur with the people who said that there just wasn’t enough sauce. I added a little bit of chicken broth to make the sauce stretch a little. I would up the honey & maybe the AC vinegar a little bit next time to increase the flavor . I served it over mashed potatoes with some fresh cooked broccoli chopped & then the chicken .Topping that with fresh parsley. I will make again with some minor adjustments to increase the Sauce. Thanks. I too am a veteran home cook . My grandpa came from Italy & owned a bakery then a diner. Both were highly successful. Blessings. ?