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Easy Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Recipe: A Flavorful 40-Minute Dinner

Easy Honey Garlic Baked Chicken

Tender boneless chicken breasts bake in a sweet, savory honey garlic sauce until juicy and beautifully browned. This simple dinner serves four and can be prepared in about 40 to 50 minutes without marinating.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 breasts, 6-8 ounces each Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Honey Garlic Sauce
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 1/4 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika or sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt, optional
Finishing
  • 1 tablespoon Chopped parsley or sliced green onions
Optional Thickener
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Cold water

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Pat the chicken dry. If the breasts are very thick, pound them to an even thickness so they cook uniformly.
  3. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, paprika, and black pepper. Add the optional salt only if desired because the soy sauce already contributes salt.
  4. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and pour the honey garlic sauce over it, turning the breasts to coat them.
  5. Bake uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken once or twice as it cooks.
  6. Check the thickest portion with an instant-read thermometer. The chicken is ready when it reaches 165°F (74°C).
  7. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley or green onions before serving.
  8. For thicker sauce, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and stir in a slurry made from 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until thickened.

Notes

For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in the sauce for 30 minutes to 8 hours, but reserve some sauce before it touches raw chicken if you want additional sauce for serving. Loosely cover the baking dish with foil if the honey sauce is browning before the chicken reaches 165°F. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat gently.