If not else, I'm all about easy dinners, and this sticky honey chicken fits the bill every time.
This chicken recipe is right up there with my go-to favorites like creamy tuscan chicken recipe and chicken francese. It's a one-pan meal packed with flavor, simple to throw together, and perfect for meal prep. When the goal is to get dinner done without the stress, this recipe is the answer.
*This blog post is sponsored by Local Hive Honey. Your support on my sponsored posts and recipes continues to allow me to provide you with delicious recipes!*
TL; DR Recipe Summary
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: This is very beginner-friendly.
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 😋 Taste: Savory, tangy, sweet, umami, creamy, and yes, sticky.
- 🍽️ Best Served With: You can't make this sticky chicken without making a large batch or bone broth rice or some crispy roasted baby potatoes. You can also make some sautèed snap peas with garlic or garlicky roasted baby carrots.
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Tips and Key Reminders
- I highly suggest measure your orange juice and honey ratio, rather than eyeballing or tasting and adding more fresh juice on the fly. This ensures balanced sweetness, avoiding an unfortunate over-sweet sauce.
- I love using fresh aromatic herbs like thyme or rosemary to round out the flavor. Because the honey‑citrus combo can lean towards being sweet or citrusy, these herbs lend herbal brightness and depth, bringing balance to the glaze.
- Rather than simply reducing sauce by boiling, which runs the risk of accidentally burning the honey, I like to suggest using arrowroot powder to gently thicken the sauce on medium-low to low heat, tossing the chicken until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Why cook with honey?
Cooking with honey gives the entire dish a yummy, sweet flavor, and also adds a beautiful color. I love using Local Hive Honey in my cooking, as they have a wide variety of honey to choose from. Since 1924, Local Hive Honey has been bottling over 20 different honey blends, all from the United States. This is super important as Local Hive Honey continues to support American beekeepers.
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The Main Ingredients
- Chicken breast: Cubed, diced, or in long strips is what we're after for this dish.
- Honey: The reason this recipe is called sticky chicken, as the honey creates a "sticky" and sweet texture
- Coconut Aminos: Adds to the overall flavor of the dish, and the color. I
- Orange juice and zest: A little citrus goes a long way for a dish.
- Pineapple juice: Another ingredient that adds to the sticky aspect, and gives a little more sweetness.
- Arrowroot: This helps to thicken the sauce, and it can be found in most grocery stores.
How to make sticky honey chicken
Step 1: Pat dry the chicken breasts and dice into smaller cubes.In a large frying pan, add the diced chicken with olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken until the chicken is brown on all sides.
Step 2: Meanwhile, in a second bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, pineapple juice, and orange juice. Pour the honey mixture into the pan with the chicken to deglaze the pan and coat the chicken. Lower the flame to a medium-low/low heat, then add in the arrowroot to thicken the sauce. Continue to toss the chicken in the sauce until full coated and the consistency becomes thicker, enough to slightly coat the back of a spoon. Toss with white rice and serve with fresh orange zest.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use cornstarch if you are unable, or do not want, to buy arrowroot. I happen to always have this on hand, so that's why I use it!
Prep all of the ingredients the morning of or the day before (cutting the chicken into cubes, and mixing the sauce). Once you're ready to cook, grab your trusty frying pan and get going!
Yes! Coconut aminos is a substitute for soy sauce, so feel free to use soy sauce if that's what you have on hand.
Throw it over some buttery orzo or some buttered egg noodles with swiss chard, pair with bone broth rice, or to a freshly roasted veggies
This recipe is not meant to be frozen, but you can easily reheat the next day. Due to the honey and reheating, it is recommended to reheat on the stove on a low flame rather than in the refrigerator. Also, consider keeping the rice or the side separate from the chicken itself.
Try out some of the others yummy dinner recipes:
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Sticky Honey Chicken
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 3 small mixing bowls
- 1 tongs
- 1 small pot for rice, optional
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts diced
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon zest of orange
- 3 tablespoon Local Hive Honey Cali Citrus honey
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken breasts and dice into smaller cubes.
- In a large frying pan, add the diced chicken with olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken until the chicken is brown on all sides.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the coconut aminos, honey, pineapple juice, and orange juice.
- Pour the honey mixture into the pan with the chicken to deglaze the pan and coat the chicken.
- Lower the flame to a medium-low/low heat, then add in the arrowroot to thicken the sauce. Continue to toss the chicken in the sauce until full coated and the consistency becomes thicker, enough to slightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Toss with white rice and serve with fresh orange zest.
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