Honey Ginger Chicken

Honey ginger chicken: juicy chunks of chicken thighs cooked in a sticky-sweet honey, ginger, and garlic sauce. This is a super fast and easy dinner recipe that can be on your table in around 30 minutes.

On the hunt for a new quick and easy chicken recipe to add to your weekly dinner rotation? I’m so glad you dropped by, because this honey ginger chicken is exactly what you’re looking for.

It’s a total crowd-pleaser of a dish, with a sweet and tangy sauce and tender chunks of chicken thighs that are perfect for serving over a big bowl of rice.

Skillet on a counter with honey ginger chicken. - 1

Skillet on a counter with honey ginger chicken. - 2

Best of all, it’s super easy to make. This is my favorite sort of chicken recipe where the chicken is cooked in the sauce, so everything cooks in one pan and is super low-stress and practically fool-proof.

Once you have your ingredients prepped and measured out, which is honestly the most time-consuming part, the actual cooking time is less than 15 minutes.

So this is a dish that tastes great, is incredibly simple to make, and is going to have you in and out of the kitchen super quick. What’s not to love?

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Chicken thighs work great in this dish because you don’t have to worry about accidentally overcooking them in the sauce while you wait for it to thicken. You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but when I tested it, I didn’t think they worked nearly as well.
Ginger: Fresh ginger is so good in this dish, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger. But the next time you’re at the store, buy some fresh ginger and pop it in your freezer so you have it on hand when you make this again!
Flour: The flour in this recipe is optional. It helps the sauce cling to the chicken and assists with browning and thickening the sauce, but if you’re out of flour or don’t want the extra step, you can skip the dredging.
White distilled vinegar: Vinegar gives the sauce a little kick that helps cut through the sweetness of the honey. I don’t recommend making this dish without some sort of vinegar, but if you’re out of white distilled, you can substitute apple cider or rice vinegar.

Measuring tip: Give your measuring cup a quick spritz with cooking spray before measuring out the honey. It will make the honey slide out of the cup faster and easier when you pour it into the sauce.

How to Make Honey Ginger Garlic Chicken

Collage of honey ginger chicken being made. - 5

Collage of honey ginger chicken being made. - 6

Cook your rice and prep your ingredients: This is a quick dish, so make sure your rice is almost ready before you start the chicken.

While your rice cooks, assemble and prep your ingredients so they’re ready to go. Once the chicken hits the pan, this dish comes together FAST and you definitely won’t have time to grate ginger or find the vinegar at the back of your cupboard.

Make cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved (the cornstarch is easier to dissolve in a smaller amount of liquid at first) and then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Set aside. This will be used to thicken the sauce later.
Prep chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry and trim any excessively large pieces of fat from the meat. Also feel along the underside of each thigh for any pieces of cartilage your butcher might have missed. Cut each thigh into 1½ to 2-inch chunks.

Add chicken to a medium-to-large bowl and sprinkle flour and salt over the top. Toss until the chicken is well-coated.

Collage of chicken thighs cooking for honey ginger chicken - 7

Collage of chicken thighs cooking for honey ginger chicken - 8

Brown the chicken: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Once hot, add the chicken. Cook the chicken undisturbed for 3 minutes. The pan is going to be too crowded to get a really good sear, but you should get a little extra browning, which is what we’re going for.

Stir the chicken and continue to cook just until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.

Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes: Turn heat down to medium and use a spatula to pull the chicken to one side of the pan. In the empty space, melt butter and add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Cook until the garlic is lightly golden and aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Collage photo of honey ginger chicken sauce being made. - 9

Collage photo of honey ginger chicken sauce being made. - 10

Add remaining ingredients: Stir the soy sauce mixture in its bowl once or twice to re-mix any cornstarch that has settled at the bottom of the bowl. Add the mixture to the skillet along with the honey and vinegar.

Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickened (when you run a spatula or wooden spoon down the center of the skillet, the sauce should take at least 5 seconds to fill back in), about 5 to 8 minutes.

Serve: Serve over rice, garnish with scallions if desired, and enjoy!

Can I make this in advance?

Yes. You can make this dish up to 48 hours in advance. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.

What to serve with honey ginger chicken?

Serve your chicken over white rice (I like Calrose rice for this sort of dish) with a steamed vegetable like broccoli or green beans .

Bowl of rice with honey ginger chicken and broccoli on top. - 13

Bowl of rice with honey ginger chicken and broccoli on top. - 14

More Easy Dinners Recipes

Honey Garlic Chicken
Balsamic Chicken
BBQ Shredded Chicken
Teriyaki Beef
Broccoli Potato Soup

Bowl of rice with honey ginger chicken and broccoli on top. - 15

Equipment

12-inch skillet

Ingredients

▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch
▢ 3 tablespoons soy sauce divided
▢ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces
▢ ⅓ cup ( 43g ) all-purpose flour *
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
▢ 3 cloves garlic crushed or minced
▢ 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
▢ Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
▢ ⅓ cup honey
▢ 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions

Prep and assemble your ingredients so they’re ready to go.
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Set aside.
Add chicken to a medium-to-large bowl and sprinkle flour and salt over the top. Toss until the chicken is well-coated.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Once hot, add the chicken. Spread the chicken out in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.
Stir the chicken and continue to cook just until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.
Turn heat down to medium and use a spatula to pull the chicken to one side of the pan. In the empty space, melt butter and add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Cook until the garlic is lightly golden and aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stir the soy sauce mixture in its bowl once or twice to re-mix any cornstarch that has settled at the bottom of the bowl. Add the mixture to the skillet along with the honey and vinegar.
Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickened (when you run a spatula or wooden spoon down the center of the skillet, the sauce should take at least 5 seconds to fill back in), about 6 to 8 minutes.
Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over white rice and enjoy!

Notes

*Flour: The flour in this recipe is optional. It helps the sauce cling to the chicken and assists with browning and thickening the sauce, but if you’re out of flour or don’t want the extra step, you can skip the dredging.
Storage: You can make this dish up to 48 hours in advance. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.
Freezing: This dish freezes well. Store in a freezer bag in your freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Freezing whipped cream is an excellent way to save leftovers so you can use them later in hot chocolate or over your favorite desserts.

This time of year, it’s not unusual to have extra whipped cream sitting around.

And whether you made a big batch for pumpkin pie , to serve over hot chocolate , or spoon over waffles , if you have leftovers you don’t want to waste (or eat with a spoon), you should absolutely take that leftover whipped cream and freeze it.

Frozen whipped cream being prepped for freezing. - 16

Frozen whipped cream being prepped for freezing. - 17

Can you freeze whipped cream?

Yes. Instead of throwing it out, you can easily freeze extra whipped cream in individual servings for later use. These single servings are great for adding to hot drinks like mochas or lattes or on top of individual desserts.

And while frozen and defrosted whipped cream is never going to be as beautiful and voluminous as freshly whipped cream, it’s still going to be sweet and creamy and delicious.

Tool Notes

Piping bag/tip: You absolutely do not need to pipe your whipped cream to freeze it; a spoonful of whipped cream freezes just as well. But piped cream does look pretty. If you’d like to recreate the swirls I have here, I used a 1M open star tip .
Parchment paper: Parchment paper makes the whipped cream so much easier to move and work with. You could technically freeze these directly on a plate, scrape them loose with a knife, and freeze them in a bag, but it’s kind of like handling ice cream with your bare hands. I don’t recommend it.

How to Freeze Whipped Cream

Prepare your freezing surface: Line a baking sheet or large plate that will fit in your freezer with parchment paper. Make sure to double check the fit. You’re going to be real mad if you have a tray of perfectly piped whipped cream and it doesn’t fit in your freezer!

Whipped cream being piped onto a baking sheet for freezing. - 18

Whipped cream being piped onto a baking sheet for freezing. - 19

Pipe and freeze: Pipe or spoon dollops of whipped cream onto the parchment paper and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours.

Dollops of whipped cream on a baking sheet for freezing. - 20

Dollops of whipped cream on a baking sheet for freezing. - 21

Transfer: Remove the frozen whipped cream from the freezer and, working quickly, cut the parchment paper into pieces so each dollop of whipped cream is on its own square. Whipped cream starts defrosting fast, so have your tools and storage container ready to go so you can get it back in the freezer as quickly as possible.

Transfer the squares of whipped cream to a freezer bag or airtight container, and store for up to 1 month.

Frozen whipped cream being prepped for freezing. - 22

Frozen whipped cream being prepped for freezing. - 23

4: Use and enjoy: When you’re ready to use the whipped cream, place frozen dollops directly into hot beverages or place them on whatever you’re serving them over and allow them to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to thaw. Serve and enjoy!

Whipped Cream Recipes to Try

(All of these freeze nicely and are excellent in hot chocolate)

Classic Whipped Cream
Chocolate Whipped Cream
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Coffee Whipped Cream
Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

Can I freeze a big batch of whipped cream to serve to guests later?

I would not recommend making a large batch of whipped cream just to freeze it and serve later. Frozen whipped cream is a great use for leftover whipped cream, but it’s not going to be as beautiful and fluffy as freshly whipped cream. Save the frozen whipped cream for your morning coffee, and make a fresh batch for guests.

How long will frozen whipped cream last in the freezer?

For best results, use your frozen whipped cream within a month of freezing it, preferably within a couple of weeks. Because of its delicate flavor, I find whipped cream more susceptible to picking up off flavors from the freezer if left for too long.

Frozen whipped cream on a slice of pumpkin pie. - 24

Frozen whipped cream on a slice of pumpkin pie. - 25

Recipes to Serve With Whipped Cream

Chocolate Pudding for Two
Small Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Chip Waffles
Banana Pudding

Frozen whipped cream being prepped for freezing. - 26

Equipment

Parchment paper
Large plate or baking sheet

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
▢ 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup ( 15-30g ) powdered sugar *

Instructions

Combine heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
Using a whisk, handheld electric mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer beat until the cream whips up to your desired consistency. If needed, stop to scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through to make sure everything is being incorporated.
Line a baking sheet or large plate that will fit in your freezer with parchment paper.
Pipe or spoon dollops of whipped cream onto the parchment paper and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours.
Remove the frozen whipped cream from the freezer and, working quickly, cut the parchment paper into pieces so each dollop of whipped cream is on its own square.
Transfer the squares of whipped cream to a freezer bag or airtight container, and store for up to 1 month.
When you’re ready to use the whipped cream, place frozen dollops directly into hot beverages or place allow them to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to thaw. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Cream cheese whipped cream is tangy, lusciously smooth, and creamy. It’s completely irresistible served over fruit, hot chocolate, or dessert.

If you’re looking to make some whipped cream and you’re feeling a little adventurous today, might I recommend adding some cream cheese to the mix?

This is one of my favorite tweaks to take sweet and simple whipped cream and make it feel twice as decadent. With a bit of cream cheese, whipped cream becomes extra smooth, a little tangy, and perfect for serving with fruit or spooned over your favorite dessert.

Bowl with cream cheese whipped cream next to strawberries. - 27

Bowl with cream cheese whipped cream next to strawberries. - 28

It takes a little longer to make than regular old whipped cream since you have to give the cream cheese time to soften, but it’s not much more effort, and I think the results are well worth the time.

Ingredient Notes

Cream cheese whipped cream ingredients on a counter. - 29

Cream cheese whipped cream ingredients on a counter. - 30

Heavy cream: Heavy cream (30–36% milk fat) and heavy (whipping) cream (36%+ milk fat) both work just fine for whipped cream. Use whichever one you have on hand. Have some leftover cream? Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for some recipe ideas to use up the leftovers.
Powdered sugar: To offset the tanginess of the cream cheese, this recipe is quite a bit sweeter than the other whipped cream recipes on the site. If you prefer a less-sweet whipped cream, cut the sugar in the recipe by about ⅓. You can substitute granulated sugar here, but you’ll need less granulated sugar than powdered sugar, so be sure to read the substitution notes in the recipe card.

How to Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Collage of cream cheese whipped cream being made. - 31

Collage of cream cheese whipped cream being made. - 32

Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form (when you lift the beaters/whisk straight up, the cream should stand up without flopping over at the tip). If you’re using your stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream to another bowl so you can use it again for the next step, no need to wash it out.
In a second large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the remaining ingredients. I recommend sifting the powdered sugar so you don’t get any sugar lumps in your cream cheese, but that step’s technically optional. Beat until well-mixed and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.
Use a spatula to fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, doing your best not to deflate the whipped cream. Once the mixture is uniform in color, you’re good to go. Serve and enjoy!

Variations

Chocolate cream cheese whipped cream: Sift in 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (1 teaspoon for a single serving) when you add the powdered sugar.

Where to Use Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Waffles (with strawberry sauce is my favorite!!)
Over fruit
In hot chocolate if you’re feeling really decadent

Can you pipe cream cheese whipped cream?

Not really. Cream cheese whipped cream is much softer than regular whipped cream. It’s perfect for scooping up with fruit or spooning over desserts, but it isn’t stiff enough to pipe or use to frost the sides of a cake.

Can you freeze cream cheese whipped cream?

Yes, with some caveats. If you would like to freeze leftover cream cheese whipped cream, spoon scoops of it onto a parchment paper-lined plate or baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then cut the parchment paper into squares and transfer the frozen scoops (still on the paper) to a freezer bag.

Like all frozen whipped cream , cream cheese whipped cream should be used within just a couple of weeks of freezing because its quality starts to deteriorate fairly quickly. It also won’t have quite the same texture as the cream can separate a bit and make defrosted whipped cream a little watery.

I wouldn’t make whipped cream specifically to freeze, but if I have leftovers, I think it freezes well enough to be worth the small effort of freezing to use in hot chocolate or over some fruit later.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store leftover whipped cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The whipped cream will firm up considerably once chilled because of the cream cheese.

Bowl with cream cheese whipped cream next to strawberries. - 35

Ingredients

Full Batch

▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
▢ ½ cup ( 60g ) powdered sugar sifted*
▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vanilla extract

Single Serving

▢ 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
▢ ½ ounce cream cheese softened
▢ 1 tablespoon ( 8g ) powdered sugar sifted
▢ ⅛ teaspoon lemon juice or vanilla extract

Instructions

To a large bowl* or the bowl of your stand mixer, add heavy cream, and beat until stiff peaks form. If using a stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream to another bowl and set aside.
In a second large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and lemon juice or vanilla extract. Beat until well-mixed and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.
Use a spatula to fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes