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Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Penne Skillet dish topped with fresh herbs

Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Penne Skillet

A quick and comforting dish featuring tender chicken, a sweet-and-salty sticky glaze, and toothsome penne, all made in one skillet for minimal cleanup.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 450

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.25 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces or thin strips
  • 1 lb penne pasta dry
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce use low-sodium if preferred
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, reduce or omit for kids
  • 2 green onions sliced for garnish

Method
 

Cooking the Pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Cooking the Chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.
  3. Push the chicken to the side and add the minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant – don’t let it burn.
Making the Sauce
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, water, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour this mixture over the chicken and garlic.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and becomes glossy.
Combining
  1. Add the cooked penne to the skillet and toss everything together until the pasta is coated and heated through, about 1–2 minutes.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serving
  1. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 30gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 600mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17g

Notes

Use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer less salt. Swap honey for maple syrup in a pinch. For gluten-free, choose GF penne and tamari instead of soy sauce.

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