Honey Butter Chicken Recipe

In trying out this honey butter chicken recipe, we experienced a spring in our steps. The incredible aroma of melted honey and butter alone is worth lifting three fingers in salute.

Get ready and hop in with us!

Is This Recipe Healthy?

Providing 424 calories per serving, we can say this honey butter chicken is pretty light as a main dish. In addition to that, you’ll also get 9 grams of fat, 30.6 grams of protein, and 11.4 grams of carbohydrates.

With such a low amount of carbohydrates, honey butter chicken is an ideal choice to add to your Keto diet.

It’s actually quite easy to control the carbohydrate content. All you need to do is cut back on the honey that goes into the dish.

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However, please note that by doing so, there will be changes in the final result.

What Chicken Cuts Should You Use?

When it comes to chicken dishes, people differ on whether to use white meat or dark meat. 

1. Chicken Thighs

For this recipe, we purposely go for chicken thighs. Thighs produce the exact kind of caramelization you need for this dish.

Even when cut into bite-sized pieces, chicken thighs are still juicy and tender, not too lean or mushy.

2. Chicken Breast

We can reassure you that both chicken thighs and chicken breasts work well in this honey butter chicken recipe. No matter what you choose to cook, your meal will still taste wonderful.

However, we get that sometimes it’s troublesome having to get back to the grocery store for that exact ingredient you’re missing. So, if you’re in the middle of the cooking process and chicken breasts are all you have, go for it!

Here’s another suggestion in case you want to make the best use of your on-hand chicken breasts: lemon chicken recipe. It’s the recipe we always recommend for chicken breast lovers.

The method of bathing chicken in a creamy lemon sauce is a brilliant way to incorporate chicken breasts into your meals. Check it out and give us your thoughts!

Honey Butter Chicken Sauce

This golden-brown sauce is a true burst of flavor that calls for many ingredients to caramelize together over heat. It makes a perfect pairing with the chicken.

In fact, you only need five ingredients to make this sauce: garlic, butter, honey, lemon juice, and chicken broth.

While honey and butter are important ingredients, the sautéed garlic is what gives the sauce its marvelous flavor. It slices through the sweetness of the honey with its notably pungent aroma, especially when sautéed with the browned butter.

Our Tips for Cooking

One of our tried-and-true tips for preparing honey butter chicken thighs is to combine searing with baking. Searing the chicken beforehand helps bring out its best flavor while baking helps cook the chicken thoroughly from the inside out.

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The next thing you have to keep in mind is always to act quickly. Keep an eye on what’s on the heat, because good timing is everything.

Swirl continuously once the butter and honey start to melt, then stop when the foam quiets down. As long as the sauce turns glossy and golden, you’re good to go. 

It’s important not to keep cooking the sauce for too long since sucrose burns easily. No one wants a blackened, bitter-tasting glaze.

We recommend letting both the honey and the butter melt completely before adding the lemon juice and chicken broth. Otherwise, the sauce could taste a little strange.

How Long Does It Last in the Fridge?

Honey butter chicken will last in the fridge up to 3 days. Remember to let the chicken cool down completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

It can be rewarmed easily on the stove over medium heat. It will be ready to serve again in a few minutes.

Can You Freeze ?

Yes, you can.

When stored in the freezer, honey butter chicken can last 1-2 months. Frozen honey butter should be defrosted in the refrigerator one day before being reheated (refried).

We also have this top chicken recipes, dedicated to chicken lovers. The recipes are easy to follow and complied with our healthy eating standards.

What to Serve with

This pan-roasted dish is juicy and savory. Therefore, finding an applicable pairing for it should not be too trying— the choice is yours after all.

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1. Rice

In regards to the most basic and convenient side dish, we’d like to put forward steamed rice.

No matter what cuisine the main dish belongs to, rice can always compliment it excellently. You can either get yourself a hot bowl of rice or serve it alone. 

Additionally, green salad can be added to neutralize the sweet and buttery aroma of the chicken. 

2. Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of the most common go-to dishes to side with honey butter chicken. The juicy chicken and the sticky, glossy sauce taste heavenly when piled over mushy, cloud-like mashed potatoes.

3. Mustard Potato Salad

We believe mustard potato salad with crunchy carrots and tangy mustard is a wonderful side for this honey butter chicken.

This salad is versatile, quick to make, and only calls for common pantry ingredients. It’s nutty, sweet, and pungent at the same time— absolutely befitting the smoky and buttery honey butter chicken.

4. Carrot Orange Pineapple Juice

This three-ingredient carrot orange pineapple juice is an excellent source of vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants.

Aside from being an antioxidant boost, it’s also versatile and pairs super well with any entrée you’re having. This is a good chance for you to experiment with your favorite fruits and veggies!

More Saucy Chicken Skillets to Add to Your Cooking Regime

Mushroom, cream, and chicken are things that fit together just by the sound, and this recipe is a vivid way to prove it. It features golden chicken breasts, chewy mushrooms, and savory, rich sauce. A say-no-more must try in our opinion.

This second saucy skillet puts together chicken thighs, mushrooms, and peppers in a tomato sauce. The sauce is specially made with some red wine for a light note of je-nais-se-quoi, all spooned and served over cooked spaghetti.

If you’re looking for more ideas, have a look at our chicken thighs collection. We especially like the buffalo dip that just drives crowds wild.

Honey Butter Chicken

4.6 from 5 votes

This honey butter chicken recipe will give you a light and healthy dinner ready in an hour. No more guilty pleasures!

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• cook TIME 35 mins
• prep TIME 10 mins
• total TIME 1 hr
• INACTIVE TIME 15 mins

• COURSE Main Course
• CUISINE American
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 424 kcal

Honey Butter Chicken

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INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 25.5 oz skin-on bone-in chicken thigh (4 cutlets)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 4 sliced lemon (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Prep

1

Season 25.5 oz chicken thighs with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Let sit for 15 minutes.

2

Preheat the oven to 400℉.

Cook

1

In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tsp of butter over medium heat, place chicken thighs skin side down. Sear the first side (skin side) for 6 minutes and the second side for 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet.

2

Bake the seared chicken thighs for 20 minutes in the oven at 400℉.

3

Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and transfer them to a clean plate.

4

Make the honey butter sauce. In the same skillet used for the chicken, turn on high heat and add these ingredients successively: 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 tsp of butter, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2 cup chicken broth.

5

Transfer the chicken cutlets back into the skillet. After 1 minute, reduce the heat to medium. After 5 minutes, flip the chicken cutlets to the other side, let sit for a minute, and turn off the heat.

6

Top with 1 tbsp parsley, garnish with sliced lemon. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Honey Butter Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 424Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g

45%

Saturated Fat 9g

56%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 178mg

59%

Sodium 570mg

25%

Potassium 353mg

10%

Carbohydrate 10g

3%

Fiber 1g

4%

Sugar 9g

10%

Protein 30g

60%

Vitamin A 211IU

4%

Vitamin C 4mg

5%

Calcium 16mg

2%

Iron 1mg

6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.