Honey Garlic Chicken Bites
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Honey Garlic Chicken Bites are a mouthwatering, easy-to-make recipe that’s sure to impress your friends and family! Made with juicy chicken pieces coated in a sweet and savory honey garlic glaze, this recipe is perfect for a quick and tasty dinner or a party appetizer.
With just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of cooking time, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing dish that everyone will love. So why wait? Let’s get cooking!
This honey garlic chicken pairs very nicely with a salad for a light dinner. Try it alongside this quinoa and chickpea salad, some easy garlic bread bruschetta, or with this impressive-looking spring salad with fresh buttermilk dressing.
Table of Contents
How do I make honey garlic chicken?
Honey garlic chicken is a sweet and savory chicken dish that’s associated with Chinese cuisine, although its exact origin isn’t fully known. Over time, this deliciously sticky recipe has become popular all over the world. It’s made by sauteeing chopped chicken in honey, garlic, soy sauce, and other seasonings, coating the chicken in the sauce. Honey garlic chicken is usually served with rice and vegetables.
What can I serve with honey garlic chicken?
This Asian-American dish is very versatile and is loved by just about anyone that tries it, so it’s a great dish to serve your family. While it’s commonly served with rice and green beans, there are plenty of great options, so you can choose side dishes that your family loves. Here are some ideas:
- Cauliflower rice for a low-carb option
- Steamed or roasted veggies like carrots or broccoli
- Asian noodles
- A light salad
- Crusty bread or naan for dipping or scooping up the chicken
- Potatoes are delicious, roasted or mashed
- Veggie stirfry
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars make a delish dessert
Honey Garlic Chicken Bites Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cubed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 medium lemon juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Sriracha, optional
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Bites
STEP ONE: Prep the chicken. Add the cubed chicken to a mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper, then stir to coat the chicken.
STEP TWO: Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer. Cook for 4 minutes without turning. Flip, then cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
STEP THREE: Deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth to the hot pan and scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the honey, soy sauce, and Old Bay Seasoning. Stir and let the sauce thicken.
STEP FOUR: Finish the chicken. Add the butter, fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and Sriracha if want. Stir until the butter is melted. Serve hot or cold.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Make sure the pan is nice and hot before putting the chicken in. This will help the outside sear quickly so it gets nice and crispy, and traps the juice inside.
- Keep your pan at medium heat so you don’t burn the honey.
- If you’re doubling this recipe or using more chicken that what fits in your pan, cook the chicken in batches through Step 2. Then, add all the chicken back into the pan to make your glaze.
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t want to use as much oil, you can bake your chicken pieces, then put them in the pan with garlic and continue the recipe from there.
- Toss some sauteed veggies (like bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas) and cooked Asian noodles in the pan at the end of this recipe and toss with the chicken for a quick and delicious stir fry.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chicken – Substitute boneless chicken thighs for the chicken breast
- Cornstarch – Potato starch can be used in place of cornstarch in equal amounts.
- Butter – Substitute with coconut oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Old Bay Seasoning – Use a 1:1 mixture of celery salt and paprika instead.
How to Store
If you have leftovers (honestly, we never do!), you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, toss the chicken back into a saute pan on low heat and cook until heated through. You can also microwave in 30-second bursts until hot through.
You can also freeze your leftovers for another day. Just place your fully-cooled chicken in a freezer-safe Ziploc or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the chicken to thaw in the fridge for about 6 hours before reheating.
FAQs
Yes! Bake the chicken bites in the air fryer at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. When the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce overtop and toss to coat.
This recipe is not very spicy. It does have some red pepper flakes, but they add a mild heat to the dish. You can omit them if you would like. If you’d like this dish to be spicier, feel free to add more red pepper flakes and sriracha.
This recipe will definitely work best with thawed chicken. If you try to make this recipe with frozen chicken, your chicken will most likely end up overcooked on the outside while it’s still raw in the center. If you need to thaw chicken quickly, place it in a bowl of cold water. This should help your chicken fully thaw in 1-2 hours.
More Chicken Recipes
Honey Garlic Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast cubed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 medium lemon juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Sriracha optional
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Add the cubed chicken to a mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper then stir to coat the chicken.
- Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer. Cook for 4 minutes without turning. Flip then cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth to the hot pan and scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the honey, soy sauce, and Old Bay Seasoning. Stir and let the sauce thicken.
- Finish the chicken. Add the butter, fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and Sriracha if using. Stir until the butter is melted. Serve hot or cold.
Video
Notes
- Make sure the pan is nice and hot before putting the chicken in. This will help the outside sear quickly so it gets nice and crispy, and traps the juice inside.
- Keep your pan at medium heat so you don’t burn the honey.
- If you’re doubling this recipe or using more chicken that what fits in your pan, cook the chicken in batches through Step 2. Then, add all the chicken back into the pan to make your glaze.
