Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken (No Added Sugar)

This chicken works well with steamed jasmine rice, brown rice, stir-fried vegetables or a simple cucumber salad. For a more filling dinner, add broccoli, carrots or green beans to the plate.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container and reheated thoroughly. For best texture, keep the rice separate from the chicken and sauce.

A Quick Dinner Worth Keeping on Repeat

This sticky honey garlic chicken is an easy way to change up your weeknight dinner routine without making a complicated sauce from scratch. With garlic, soy sauce and a plant-based honey alternative, you get a savoury-sweet glaze that pairs well with everyday sides.

Once you’ve made it, adjust the garlic, vinegar and sweetness to suit your taste. That’s the beauty of a simple homemade sauce: you can make it your own.

Recipe Details

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking method: Stovetop

Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken (No Added Sugar)

Some nights, you just want a quick dinner that tastes like takeaway but doesn’t require a long list of ingredients. This honey garlic chicken is sweet, savoury, a little garlicky, and ready in around 25 minutes.

Instead of regular honey, this version uses a plant-based honey substitute to make a glossy sauce without adding regular sugar. Serve it over rice with steamed broccoli or your favourite vegetables for an easy weeknight meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ready in around 25 minutes.

Made with simple supermarket ingredients.

A sticky, savoury-sweet sauce with plenty of garlic.

Easy to serve with rice, noodles or vegetables.

Uses SugarShy’s plant-based honey substitute instead of regular honey.

Ingredients

Serves: 2

500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons SugarShy Keto Honey Substitute

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil

1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water (optional, for a thicker sauce)

Sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, to serve

Black pepper, to taste

Check your soy sauce and other ingredient labels if you need to avoid added sugar or gluten.

How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken

1. Prepare the chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towel and season lightly with black pepper. Cut the pieces to a similar size so they cook evenly.

2. Mix the sauce

In a small bowl, combine the SugarShy honey substitute, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Stir until well mixed, then set aside.

3. Cook the chicken

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Work in batches if your pan is crowded.

The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 74°C before serving.

4. Add the garlic

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Keep it moving so it doesn’t burn.

5. Make the sticky glaze

Pour the sauce into the pan and toss the chicken to coat. Let it bubble gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to cling to the chicken.

If you’d like a thicker glaze, stir in the cornflour slurry a little at a time and cook briefly until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.

Avoid cooking the sauce over high heat for too long, as sweeteners can behave differently from regular honey.

6. Garnish and serve

Remove from the heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. Serve straight away over steamed rice, with broccoli or another vegetable on the side.

Tips for the Best Honey Garlic Chicken

Don’t burn the garlic. Add it after the chicken has browned and lower the heat first. Burnt garlic can make the whole sauce taste bitter.

Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. A low, steady heat helps the glaze coat the chicken without reducing too quickly.

Cut the chicken evenly. Similar-sized pieces cook at roughly the same rate, making it easier to avoid dry chicken.

Want extra heat? Add a pinch of chilli flakes or a little fresh chilli to the sauce.

Prefer a lighter meal? Serve with steamed greens and a smaller portion of rice, or use cauliflower rice if it suits your preferences.

Can You Use a Honey Substitute Instead of Regular Honey?

Yes, a suitable honey substitute can be used in sauces like this one. However, different products vary in sweetness, thickness and how they behave when heated.

SugarShy’s Keto Honey Substitute is a plant-based alternative made with allulose and probiotic fibre. It can be used in this recipe to create a sweet, savoury glaze without adding regular honey.

You can find it here: SugarShy Keto Honey Substitute.

Start with the suggested amount and adjust the sauce to your taste. If your substitute is thinner than regular honey, a little cornflour slurry can help give the finished sauce a glossy texture.

What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken