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Honey Butter Chicken

Honey butter chicken with caramelized, golden chicken breasts in a glossy amber honey butter sauce. A quick skillet method glazes every surface with honey, garlic, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Patted dry for best browning.
Seasonings
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste; use flaky sea salt at the end.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder To taste.
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika To taste.
Pan ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter Unsalted or salted; both work.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 0.333 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. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove.
Make the honey butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
Glaze and finish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning and basting until the sauce caramelizes and coats the chicken. Plate the chicken and drizzle with any remaining sauce.
  2. Finish by adding fresh thyme leaves and flaky sea salt over the top.

Notes

For maximum caramelization, let the chicken rest 2 minutes after searing and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer before returning the chicken so it thickens and turns glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze only the cooked chicken and sauce for up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge and rewarm until hot. For a gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce.