20-Min Honey Butter Chicken Recipe

Honey Butter Chicken is juicy and coated in a glossy honey butter glaze that’s sticky, garlicky, sweet, and savory all at once. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s a fast, comforting dinner that tastes like it simmered for hours—perfect for weeknights when you want something impressive without the wait.

Honey Butter Chicken Recipe

Serves: 2 to 4
Prep time: 6 minutes
Cook time: 14 minutes

For the chicken:
4 pieces (1 ½ pounds) chicken thighs, boneless
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper, or replace with black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooking oil

For the honey butter sauce:
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons chicken stock

Honey Butter Chicken Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken:

• In a pan, slice each chicken thigh about 1 inch apart without cutting all the way through to help it cook evenly and soak up flavor.
• In a bowl, season the chicken with salt and white pepper on both sides.
• In a bowl, sprinkle a thin laye of cornstarch over the chicken on both sides and dust off any excess to help create a golden crust.

2. Pan-fry the chicken:

• In a pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
• Place the chicken skin-side down and pan-fry for about 4 minutes until golden brown.
• Flip the chicken and pan-fry for another 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

3. Make the honey butter sauce:

• In the pan over medium heat, add the butter, garlic, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and chicken stock. Mix well.

4. Make the honey butter chicken:

• In the pan over medium heat, return the chicken and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Occasionally spoon the sauce over the chicken until the glaze becomes sticky and flavorful.
• Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Slice into bite-sized pieces.

Tips & notes

• Slice the chicken first: Making shallow cuts helps the chicken cook evenly and absorb more sauce.
• Dust lightly with cornstarch: It creates a coating that locks in moisture and gives the chicken that gorgeous golden crust.
• Start skin-side down: This ensures crispy, golden skin before glazing.
• Simmer, don’t boil: Gentle heat thickens the sauce into a sticky glaze without burning the honey.
• Check doneness: Always cook chicken to at least 165°F (74°C) for juicy, safe-to-eat results.