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Honey Butter Chicken

Honey butter chicken with caramelized, golden skillet chicken breasts glazed in a glossy amber honey butter sauce. Easy honey butter chicken comes together with quick simmering, then basting so the sauce coats every surface.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Honey butter sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter unsalted or salted
  • 3 garlic minced, cloves
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 fresh thyme for garnish
  • 1 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 until shimmering and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken.
Make the honey butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Caramelize and coat
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning and basting as the sauce caramelizes. Keep going until the sauce coats the chicken with a glossy amber sheen, then plate and drizzle with any remaining sauce.
Finish
  1. Top the chicken with fresh thyme leaves and finish with flaky sea salt for a bright, salty contrast and an herb-flecked look.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t crowd the pan—work in batches if needed so the chicken browns instead of steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken and sauce for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge and reheat gently). For a lower-sugar option, use a honey substitute that measures like honey so the sauce still caramelizes and coats well.