Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe

Sizzling in the pan with a tantalizing aroma, this Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe transforms ordinary chicken into a caramelized, sticky-sweet delight that will have your family rushing to the dinner table. The perfect balance of sweet honey and pungent garlic creates an irresistible glaze that coats tender chicken pieces and crisp vegetables. This Asian-inspired dish delivers restaurant-quality flavor with simple pantry ingredients in just 30 minutes. You’ll learn how to create the perfect sauce consistency, properly stir-fry chicken for maximum tenderness, and customize this versatile dish to your family’s preferences.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that combines convenience with incredible flavor. The magical contrast between the tender, juicy chicken and the crisp-tender vegetables provides a satisfying textural experience in every bite. The signature sauce offers a beautiful balance—sweet honey, aromatic garlic, and savory soy sauce come together to create a glaze that’s simultaneously sticky, rich, and bright.

What makes this stir-fry particularly special is its adaptability. Working with chicken breast or thighs? Both work beautifully. Need to use up vegetables in your crisper drawer? Toss them in! The 30-minute cooking time makes this perfect for busy weeknights, while the impressive presentation and flavor profile makes it worthy of serving to guests.

Health-conscious cooks will appreciate that this honey garlic chicken dish offers lean protein, plenty of vegetables, and a homemade sauce that lets you control the sodium and sugar—unlike takeout versions that often contain excessive amounts of both.

Ingredients

For this Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry, you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) vegetable oil, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups (200g) broccoli florets
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (75g) sliced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1/3 cup (80ml) honey (use local honey for best flavor)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
• 1/4 cup (60ml) water
• 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish

The chicken provides the protein foundation, while the colorful vegetables add nutrition and visual appeal. The sauce ingredients—particularly the honey and garlic—create the signature flavor that makes this dish so addictive.

Pro Tips

Achieving restaurant-quality Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry at home requires attention to a few key techniques:

Velveting the Chicken: For supremely tender chicken, toss your cubed chicken with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil before cooking. Let it sit for 15 minutes. This Chinese technique called “velveting” creates a protective coating that keeps the meat juicy when exposed to high heat.

Cook in Batches: Overcrowding your pan is the enemy of a good stir-fry. Cook your chicken in 2-3 batches, giving each piece enough space to sear properly rather than steam. This ensures caramelization and flavor development that’s impossible to achieve in an overcrowded pan.

Sauce Consistency Matters: For that perfect glaze that clings to every piece of chicken and vegetable, be sure to bring your sauce to a full bubble after adding the cornstarch slurry. Let it bubble for at least 30 seconds to reach its full thickening potential, but not so long that it becomes gummy. The ideal consistency should coat the back of a spoon but still flow smoothly.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until well combined. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Set both mixtures aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels to ensure better browning. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the hot oil in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.

Step 4: Stir-Fry the Vegetables

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the onions and carrots first, stir-frying for about 2 minutes. Next, add the bell peppers and broccoli, continuing to stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are bright in color and crisp-tender.

Step 5: Add Aromatics

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the empty space. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Then mix with the vegetables.

Step 6: Combine and Sauce

Return the cooked chicken to the pan with the vegetables. Pour in the honey-soy sauce mixture and stir to coat everything evenly. Bring to a simmer.

Step 7: Thicken the Sauce

Give your cornstarch slurry another quick whisk (it separates as it sits), then pour it into the pan while stirring constantly. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze that coats the chicken and vegetables.

Step 8: Finish and Serve

Remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.

Variations

This versatile Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry can be easily adapted to suit different dietary needs or taste preferences:

Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken: Add 1-2 teaspoons of sriracha or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a dish with heat that balances beautifully with the sweet honey.

Vegetable Variations: Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand—snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, or baby corn all work wonderfully in this stir-fry. Aim for about 4 cups total of mixed vegetables.

Protein Alternatives: For a lighter option, substitute the chicken with firm tofu (pressed and cubed) or shrimp (which will cook even faster than chicken, about 1-2 minutes per side). For red meat lovers, thinly sliced beef sirloin works exceptionally well with the honey garlic flavors.

Storage and Serving

This Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep. Allow leftovers to cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Refrigerated, they’ll stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce, as it thickens considerably when chilled.

For freezing, place cooled stir-fry in freezer-safe containers, leaving some expansion room. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serve this vibrant dish over fluffy jasmine rice to soak up all that glorious sauce. For a lower-carb option, cauliflower rice makes an excellent substitute. For a complete meal with extra visual appeal, garnish with additional sliced green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and perhaps some fresh cilantro. A side of steamed edamame or a simple cucumber salad adds a refreshing contrast to the rich, sweet-savory main dish.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Absolutely! Chicken thighs have more fat and tend to stay juicier in stir-fries. Cut them into similar-sized pieces and cook as directed, possibly adding an extra minute to the cooking time.

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Simply substitute the regular soy sauce with tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce. Double-check that your rice vinegar is gluten-free as well, though most brands are.

Can I prepare the sauce ahead of time?
Yes! The sauce (minus the cornstarch slurry) can be mixed and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Add the cornstarch slurry only when you’re ready to cook.

Why did my sauce turn out too thin/thick?
For a thinner sauce, use less cornstarch or add a bit more water. For a thicker sauce, mix an additional teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and add to the simmering sauce.

What’s the best way to cut chicken for stir-fry?
For the most tender results, slice against the grain into bite-sized pieces of uniform thickness. Partially freezing the chicken for about 20 minutes makes it easier to cut into thin, even pieces.

Conclusion

This Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is comfort food at its finest — a symphony of sweet, savory, and garlicky flavors that transform simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal. It’s the kind of dish that bridges the gap between quick weeknight cooking and impressive entertaining, proving that delicious, homemade meals don’t require hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re a novice cook or an experienced chef, this recipe delivers consistent results that will have everyone asking for seconds. Make it once, and it’s sure to become a regular in your dinner rotation.

Print