This honey butter chicken is golden, sticky, and melts in your mouth, and it’s ready in just 20 minutes in the air fryer or oven. My version skips the breading and deep frying so you get golden, sticky chicken with less calories.
If you’d rather go totally hands off, my slow cooker honey butter chicken does all the work while you’re out. And if sticky glazed thighs are your thing, my honey garlic chicken thighs recipe belong in your rotation too.
Quick Summary: Honey Butter Chicken
- ⭐️ What It Is: Honey butter chicken is juicy chicken thighs tossed in a sticky, garlicky honey soy glaze.
- 👍 Why Make This Recipe: Takeout flavor using pantry staples, with over 100 five star reviews.
- ⏰ Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🧂 Key Ingredients: Chicken thighs, honey, soy sauce, butter, and garlic.
- 🚫 Skip This: No breading or deep frying, since the air fryer gives you golden edges.
- 🫢 The Secret: Simmer the sauce just 1-2 minutes so it stays glossy.
- ❓ Can You Make Honey Butter Chicken Without an Air Fryer? Yes, pan fry 4-6 minutes per side or bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.
- 🍽️ Best For: Weeknight dinners, rice bowls, and meal prep.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: Minimal prep and quick cook time make this an easy weeknight dinner for the family.
- Sweet and savory: The honey butter sauce is perfectly balanced and addictive. If you like a little heat with your honey, try my spicy harissa honey chicken next.
- Crispy edges, juicy center: Air frying or oven baking gives the chicken that irresistible texture and golden brown color, just like the other air fryer recipes I make on repeat.
Very easy recipe that packs a ton of flavor! This will be in my regular rotation!
- Renee
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Juicy, flavorful, and ideal for soaking up marinades and sauces. Use boneless and skinless thighs for this recipe.
- Honey: Brings natural sweetness and that glossy finish.
- Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and depth to both the marinade and sauce.
- Unsalted Butter: The key to a rich, velvety, and flavorful honey butter sauce.
Customizations and Substitutions
- Use chicken breasts or chicken wings: Swap in boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken wings if that’s what you have on hand, just adjust the cooking time. Chicken tenders work great in my honey butter chicken tenders and wings are next level with these sticky honey chili oil chicken wings.
- Sauce for fried chicken: You can also make this sauce for fried chicken! My crispy honey butter fried chicken is proof this glaze was made for a crunchy coating.
- Add spice: Toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of my homemade lemongrass chili oil to give the honey butter sauce a spicy kick.
How to Make Honey Butter Chicken
Marinate the chicken
Combine chicken thighs with soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Mix until everything is evenly coated and marinate for at least 10 minutes up to overnight.
Cook in the air fryer or oven
Air fry at 425°F for 11–14 minutes, flipping halfway, until browned and fully cooked (internal temp should be 165°F).
For the oven, bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden.
Make the honey butter sauce
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Pour in the sauce mixture, stir, and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
Toss and serve
Once the chicken is ready, pour the honey butter sauce over and toss to coat evenly. Save a little extra sauce for dipping.
Serve with rice and veggies.
Herman's Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the marinade: Even 10 minutes makes a difference in how flavorful your honey butter chicken turns out. Overnight is even better, and it’s the same rule I swear by for my air fryer miso chicken thighs.
- Watch the sauce: Simmer just until it thickens slightly, about 1-2 minutes. The soy sauce gets saltier the longer it reduces, and the sauce keeps thickening as it cools.
- Use a meat thermometer: Aim for 165F inside for juicy, perfectly cooked chicken. Thighs are forgiving, but a thermometer takes out the guesswork, especially if you swap in breasts.
Storage
This is best fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating in a large skillet or in the microwave.
Honey Butter Chicken FAQs
Yes! Cut them horizontally so they are thinner pieces and cook as usual but start checking a few minutes early, since breasts dry out faster than thighs.
Marinate the chicken in the fridge overnight, then cook it the next day. The sauce only takes 2 minutes, so I’d make it fresh right before tossing.
You can freeze the cooked chicken with the sauce for up to 2 months.
What to Serve with Honey Butter Chicken
If you loved this Honey Butter Chicken recipe or any other recipes on my site, please leave a ⭐️ rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Honey Butter Chicken
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Honey Butter Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add chicken thighs, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Marinate for 10 mins up to overnight.1.5 pounds chicken thighs, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, Freshly cracked black pepper
- Preheat air fryer to 425F for a few mins. Add chicken thighs (don’t overcrowd and cook in batches as needed) and air fry for 11-14 mins until browned and cooked through (internal temperature should be 165F or more). If you don't have an air fryer, see alternative cooking methods in the notes below.
- While the chicken is cooking, combine soy sauce, honey, garlic, water, and cornstarch in a cup or bowl and set aside. In a medium shallow pan on medium heat, add butter and let it melt down then add the sauce and cook down for 1-2 mins until thickened. Remove and set aside.¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup honey, 4 garlic cloves minced, ¼ cup water, 1 tsp cornstarch, 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- Once chicken is done, pour the sauce over the chicken and coat evenly (save a little sauce for dipping later). Serve chicken with fluffy white rice, veggies, and other sides you desire.
Notes
- Pan-fry the chicken on each side for 4-6 mins
- Bake them in the oven at 400F for 25-30 mins. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Marinate the chicken overnight if you can, since the soy sauce and honey have more time to season the meat all the way through.
- Pull the sauce off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon, because it keeps thickening as it cools down.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket or the chicken won't get those golden crispy edges.
John K says
Absolutely amazing! We made it and the kids loved it. We will be making again soon as I have been wanting it again lol. Any chance there is a crockpot version of this for busy nights?
Herman says
Thank you! It's on my list to make a slow cooker version 🙂
Gie says
Easy to follow the cooking instruction.
Herman says
So happy to hear, thanks!
Linda says
Second time making this recipe. It is the Best! The flavors are incredible. So crazy simple to make. It will definitely be a staple in our home. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Herman says
so glad you liked this recipe, thank you!
Yvonne says
This recipe is fantastic! Feedback from my family: “It’s very flavorful; the chicken succulent.” It’s very easy to prepare, I used the oven method. This recipe will be going into regular rotation. Thank you for your creations!
Herman says
Thanks Yvonne, so glad you loved this one!
Amanda Grenier says
10/10 Our family LOVED THIS! Also, my 7yo who only eats nuggets and pizza, begged me to try this, and wound up eating two chicken thighs! Thank you so much!
Herman says
so happy to hear when a kid loves this recipe haha
Sarka says
This recepie was amazing thank you
Herman says
thank you for the positive review!
Emily says
Hello! My in-laws made this over the weekend and it was so good!
Question: Can a crockpot be used to make this recipe? Also, can chicken breast by used (and cut up into smaller pieces)? Thanks!
Herman says
chicken breast can definitely be used, just adjust to cook time. Crockpot works too but the chicken will be more broken down so if you prefer that, that works too!
Adelina says
Easy to follow recipe. It is totally delicious 10/10!
Herman says
thank you!!
Sue says
I made this last night for the first time and ohhhh myyyyy so sooo yummy!! Better than restaurant quality! My husband said that’s one of the best chickens I’ve made and that he has had!! Like even without the sauce !! Delicious, it is now a staple for us and was added to my recipe book 🙂 thank you so much!!
Herman says
so happy you liked it Sue, thanks for the nice review!
Tori says
It was easy and delicious I substituted sugar free brown sweetner for the honey to lower the carbs .. so yummy
Herman says
Great substitution, so glad you liked it 🙂
Silvia says
Super delicious!!!🤤
Herman says
Thank you, it's one of my favorites!
Rae says
So good
Quesha says
So good and so simple. I love recipes like this. You delivered quick and tasty and who doesn’t love that? Subscribing to the mailing list because your recipes haven’t missed.
Brad Robinson says
Wow this was impressive. Make sure to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Air fry 14mind at 400 and flip halfway through. Perfect
Herman says
It's one of my favorites too, thanks!
Karen Weaver says
Made it tonight. Great instructions, easy to make, delicious result! Thank you, Herman!
Herman says
Makes me so happy you enjoyed this recipe!