Description
This Honey Butter Chicken recipe features tender chicken pieces coated in a flavorful seasoned flour mixture, pan-fried to golden perfection, and then coated in a rich, sweet, and tangy honey butter sauce. Finished with a garnish of fresh green onions, it’s a deliciously easy dish perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served alongside white rice and vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp canola oil (or any light oil)
- 1 tbsp green onions, sliced
Honey Butter Sauce:
- 5 tbsp butter, room temperature
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Coating: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss well to fully coat each piece with the seasoned flour mixture.
- Fry the Chicken: In a large cast iron skillet, melt 1 tbsp of unsalted butter with 1 tbsp of canola oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer without overcrowding. Fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Honey Butter Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 5 tbsp of butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. Continue stirring the mixture over low heat until it thickens to a smooth, caramel-like consistency.
- Combine Chicken with Sauce: Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat each piece with the honey butter sauce. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Serve and Garnish: Transfer the honey butter chicken to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve warm alongside white rice and sautéed green beans or your preferred side dishes for a complete meal.
Notes
- Leave enough space between chicken pieces when frying to ensure they get crispy rather than steamy.
- The sauce thickens nicely over low heat; avoid high heat to prevent burning the honey.
- Using a cast iron skillet helps in even frying and sauce reduction but a heavy-bottomed pan can also work.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the spice level of the chicken coating.
Keywords: Honey Butter Chicken, Fried Chicken, Sweet Chicken Sauce, Easy Chicken Recipe, Weeknight Dinner