This Honey Ginger Chicken recipe is the perfect mix of savory, sweet, and just a hint of spice. Boneless chicken breasts are briefly marinated in a honey ginger sauce then seared until golden and juicy. It's an easy chicken and ginger recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Lately I've been leaning hard into quick dinners since I rarely have much time in the evenings. That's why I love cooking with boneless skinless chicken breasts. They are a crowd-pleaser in my household, and I love that they soak up marinades and cook quickly. This recipe combines the classic combination of ginger and chicken, which provides a slightly peppery warmth that balances well with sweet honey and salty soy sauce. This recipe is simple and approachable, the kind of chicken recipe with ginger that works for a quick family dinner, meal prep, or even entertaining.
I actually prefer chicken thighs because they tend to be more flavorful and stay quite juicy no matter how you cook them, but my wife strongly prefers chicken breasts. So, I created this recipe for her and I know she loves it. She says it tastes restaurant-quality but uses pantry staples. The glossy ginger chicken sauce clings to every bite, and I bet this chicken and ginger recipe could be a favorite for your family.
Why You'll Love Honey Ginger Chicken
- Simple ingredients
- Quick and easy preparation
- Tastes restaurant-quality with little effort
- Plenty of flavorful tweaks
- Protein-packed dinner
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Ingredients That Matter
This honey ginger chicken breast recipe uses a handful of pantry staples and some fresh ingredients, all available in your local grocery store. Here are the ingredients you'll need to this recipe:
- Chicken. Use two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You want about 1 ½ pounds, which is a good amount for four servings. See below for some simple ingredient swaps.
- Ginger. Fresh grated ginger provides a warm peppery flavor. Fresh ginger is a must (skip the stuff in a jar).
- Honey. A bit of honey provides a pleasant sweetness to the sauce, making for an ideal complement to the salty soy and peppery ginger.
- Soy Sauce. I recommend using reduced-sodium soy sauce here as you'll want a good amount of volume and regular soy sauce could be too salty for some.
- Cornstarch. This helps develop a crust on the chicken breasts but also thickens the ginger soy mixture into a glossy sauce.
- Oil. A bit of moderately high-heat oil helps sear the chicken breasts. I use olive oil, but use whatever you prefer.
- Scallions. Used as both flavor and garnish, fresh scallions (green onions) provide a mellow onion taste to the sauce and a bright green topping.
- Sesame Seeds. Toasted sesame seeds are a perfect garnish to thinly sliced chicken breasts slathered in sticky ginger sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Honey Ginger Chicken Breasts
This recipe was designed to be super simple, meaning you should be successful no matter your skill level. Below are some detailed instructions on how to make honey ginger chicken:
- Start by making the sauce in a measuring cup by peeling and grating fresh ginger, adding soy sauce and honey. Mix well then set aside 2 tablespoons of the sauce in a small bowl.
- Next cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into even pieces. I like to remove the tender (you can cook it here or save for another use) and cut in half crosswise, then cut the thicker piece in half through the center. Repeat with the other breast.
- Add the cut breasts to a bowl and toss with the reserved 2 tablespoons of sauce and cornstarch. Marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or up to a few hours in the refrigerator.
- When ready to cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip then continue to cook until golden brown on the other side. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches at least 165F, which should take 6-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the breast pieces. Remove to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing the breasts into strips. Be sure to cut against the grain.
- While the chicken rests, add scallions to the large skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and cook until slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sliced chicken and toss well to coat. Cook, covered, for 1 minute then toss again. Serve hot garnished with more scallions and sesame seeds.
Adam's Pro Tip
I recommend having ¼ cup of water or chicken stock on reserve when tossing the chicken with the sauce. If the chicken has soaked up all the sauce, you may want to add a bit of the water or stock to make the sauce more of a glaze. Do this at the very end. There are a lot of variables that could make the sauce reduce too quickly, so I didn't write this step into the recipe as I usually don't add more liquid, but just be aware you can make the ginger honey chicken saucier by adding a splash of liquid at the very end.
Substitutions
There are plenty of ways to tweak this recipe depending on your flavor preference and even dietary restrictions. Consider the following substitutions:
- Gluten-Free - If you want to make this recipe gluten-free swap soy sauce with reduced-sodium tamari.
- Chicken Thighs - You can make this recipe exactly the same by using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They will take about the same time to cook, though I recommend cooking until the thighs reach 175F.
- Honey - Some people may be sensitive to honey, and if that's the case for you, swap in maple syrup.
- Sesame Oil - You can enhance the flavor of the ginger sauce by adding 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Variations
This is a family friendly recipe, meaning the flavors are delicious, but not overpowering or too strong. However, there are plenty of variations to this base ginger chicken sauce recipe you can try depending on your preference, including:
- Spicy Honey Ginger Chicken - For a little extra heat, try stirring in a teaspoon or two of sriracha, crushed red pepper flakes, or even a fresh chili pepper into the ginger chicken sauce. The spice provides a tasty kick to the sweet honey.
- Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry - My oldest daughter loves this recipe as a stir-fry. I make it by cutting the chicken breasts first into bite-sized pieces and stir-frying it with napa cabbage, bell peppers, and lots of scallions. It's especially delicious served over noodles
- Honey Garlic Ginger Chicken - My original recipe skips the garlic since it doesn't agree with me, however if you love garlic, add a few minced cloves to the sauce alongside the ginger.
- Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs - As mentioned, this recipe works as written with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you want to make it with bone-in, skin-on thighs, simply follow the recipe as written but sear the thighs, skin-side down first, until the skin is very crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Then flip and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through to at least 175F. There's no need to slice the chicken thighs before serving.
What to Serve With Honey Ginger Chicken
I typically serve this chicken with ginger sauce over rice with a side of broccoli. In addition, it's perfect with a side of my Roasted Bok Choy, Charred Broccolini with Chili and Garlic, Roasted Miso Cauliflower, or even a fresh Purple Cabbage Slaw.
While the chicken definitely has Asian-inspired flavors, this honey ginger chicken recipe really goes well with a lot of different sides. Try it with my Coconut Cilantro Rice, Sweet Chili Roasted Cauliflower and Almonds, or Air-Fryer Zucchini Fritters.
Storage
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, you can simply microwave the chicken, though the sauce will definitely dry up. Instead, try stir-frying leftover chicken and adding a splash more soy sauce and water or stock to make it saucy and glossy again.
To meal prep this recipe, you can easily double it and portion into airtight containers. I actually like to send my wife to work with a simple green salad, made with lettuce and sturdy cabbage, topped with leftover ginger chicken. Yum! What a great husband.
FAQ
Honey ginger chicken is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and peppery. The honey caramelizes slightly, while fresh ginger adds warmth and a subtle kick. This combo creates sticky, flavorful honey ginger sauce that pairs incredibly well with chicken.
Yes! This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts but it works just as well with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. In addition, you can use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, just be sure to cook them longer and there's no need to slice them after cooking.
Absolutely, you can actually marinate the chicken in the honey ginger sauce for a few hours or up to 24 hours in advance. Once cooked, this flavorful chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. The sauce may thicken when chilled, but it's still delicious cold. To reheat, try stir-frying with a splash more soy sauce, water, or chicken stock until glossy.
Of course! Garlic is a great addition to ginger honey chicken sauce but I try to avoid it since it doesn't agree with me. If you want to add garlic, grate or mince 1-2 cloves and add to the sauce with the ginger.
Definitely. Add crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha, or fresh chili peppers to the ginger chicken sauce for a spicy twist.
This dish pairs great with rice, noodles, or even quinoa. For a full meal, try serving with stir-fried vegetables, steamed broccoli, or bok choy (try my Roasted Bok Choy recipe).
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Dinner Ideas
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Recipe
Honey Ginger Chicken
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
This Honey Ginger Chicken recipe is the perfect mix of savory, sweet, and just a hint of spice. Boneless chicken breasts are briefly marinated in the honey ginger sauce then seared until golden and juicy. It's an easy chicken and ginger recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 scallions, white parts roughly chopped, green tops thinly sliced, divided
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- ¼ cup water or chicken stock (optional)
Instructions
- Make the honey ginger sauce by stirring together soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a measuring cup. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a medium bowl.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 3 even pieces, removing the tenderloin if still attached (use in this recipe or reserve for another use). Trim each breast in half then cut the thicker piece in half through the center. Repeat with the other breast. This will create 6 even-sized chicken breast pieces. Place in the medium bowl with the 2 tablespoons of the sauce and toss well to coat. Add the cornstarch and rub all over the chicken. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours and up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown on all sides and the internal temperature reaches at least 165F, 6-10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes the slice thin against the grain.
- While the chicken rests, add the scallion whites to the skillet and cook until very fragrant and softened, 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add the sliced chicken and toss to coat. Cover and simmer for 1 minute. If the chicken absorbed all the sauce, add a splash of water or chicken stock until the sauce is glossy. Serve garnished with scallion greens and sesame seeds.
Notes
- You can make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs using the same method. To make with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, cook skin-side down until very golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches at least 175F, about 10-12 minute total. There's no need to slice the chicken before serving.
- This recipe is great served with rice and broccoli or my Roasted Bok Choy recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: American/Asian
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