Easy Honey Ginger Chicken over Rice

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Meet your new weeknight hero: Honey Ginger Chicken Over Rice! Juicy, tender chicken in a sweet and tangy soy, honey, and ginger marinade. It’s easy, delicious, and ready in no time!

Get ready to fall in love with this Honey Ginger Chicken Over Rice—a dish that’s as easy as it is delicious! It has juicy chicken infused with a sweet and tangy marinade of soy sauce, honey, fresh ginger, and garlic. The sesame oil adds that irresistible nutty finish, giving you a flavor-packed bite every time. The chicken is tender with a slight caramelized edge, while the rice soaks up all the saucy goodness for a perfectly balanced meal.

And the best part? It’s a breeze to make! Just marinate, cook, and serve—minimal fuss, maximum flavor. Busy moms and dads, this recipe is your new go-to for those weeknights when you need something quick, comforting, and kid-approved. Bonus points for making you feel like a kitchen rockstar without breaking a sweat!

Do you meal plan your dinners?  It makes weeknights so much easier!  Check out my Meal Planning Theme Night Recipes and then add this one to your Freezer Fridays meal planning calendar!

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love this Honey Ginger Chicken
• Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
• Simple Equipment
• Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
• Cooking Instructions
• Substitutions for this Chicken Dinner
• Variations on Honey Ginger Chicken
• Storage
• Honey Ginger Chicken FAQs
• Want More Recipes like this?
• Honey Ginger Chicken over Rice
• Comments

Why You’ll Love this Honey Ginger Chicken

• Quick and Easy: Toss the ingredients together in the morning to marinade. Then cooking takes 25 minutes, mostly for the rice time!
• Kid-Friendly Flavors: The sweet honey and mild ginger are a hit with kids, making it a family favorite.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep the sauce ahead of time or double the recipe for leftovers that taste just as good the next day.
• Customizable: Add veggies or swap the rice for quinoa to suit your family’s preferences.

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

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• Uncooked Long grain white rice – quinoa, couscous or brown rice works well here too.
• Chicken Breast – I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging. You could substitute with skinless, boneless chicken thighs.  Check out all of my tips on Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners.
• Soy Sauce – I used regular Soy Sauce, but you can also use dark soy sauce or low sodium or light soy sauce, or Gluten Free Soy Sauce.
• Honey – Honey brings natural sweetness. You can substitute the same quantity of white granulated sugar or even brown sugar.
• Garlic – Fresh is best in this simple recipe, but you can buy the pre-minced garlic sold in a small jar or use dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
• Ginger – I love to buy the fresh root and then mince it in bulk in the food processor, so that I can freeze and always have it on. You can also grate the fresh ginger root using a grater or microplane. You can use dry ginger powder as a substitute if you cannot get fresh.
• Sesame Oil – A little goes a long way here in terms of flavor, but more than the amazing depth of flavor it brings to a recipe.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The olive oil is for cooking the chicken so that it doesn’t stick to the pan. You can use any vegetable oil or avocado oil for this.
• Cornstarch + Cold Water – Cornstarch is mixed with cold water to create a cornstarch slurry that can thicken a sauce or soup.
• Scallions (green onions) and Sesame Seeds are optional for garnish.

See recipe card for quantities.

Simple Equipment

For this recipe, you can grate the fresh ginger root using a grater or microplane. You can do the same with the garlic or mince it with a Garlic Press.

Use a large skillet/frying pan for making the chicken breast and sauce. I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning. 

Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below) 

Cooking Instructions

To the same pan, add the reserved marinade and bring to a light simmer.

In a separate small bowl, mix the cold water and the cornstarch to make a slurry. Then whisk the slurry into the sauce and continue to cook as it thickens and simmers, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken back to the sauce. 

Serve with rice or veggies, spoon some of the sauce on top or serve it on the side. Then garnish with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro leaves.

Substitutions for this Chicken Dinner

Here are some common substitutions you can use in a Honey Ginger Chicken recipe:

• Vegetarian – if you’re vegetarian, you can replace the chicken with tofu.
• Chicken – this recipe calls for chicken thighs but chicken breast would work as well as thin-cut boneless pork.
• Honey – both brown sugar and agave nectar would work well as a substitute in this recipe.

Variations on Honey Ginger Chicken

Here are some delicious variations on the classic Honey Ginger Chicken recipe:

• Lemon Bright – Add freshly squeezed lemon juice for a tangy, citrusy twist. This variation brightens up the dish and pairs well with the sweetness of honey. You could also use just lemon zest. Rice vinegar is another acidic addition that would work.
• Stir Fry – Cut the chicken into smaller stir fry slices and add in broccoli and/or carrots, green beans, bell peppers, or other favorite vegetables for a complete stir fry meal.
• Nutty Flavor – Toss the cooked chicken with toasted peanuts or cashews for added texture and a deeper nutty flavor.
• Pineapple Juice – Add a splash of pineapple juice to the marinade for a hint of tropical sweetness that pairs well with the teriyaki flavor.

See this Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe on my website for another burst of delicious Asian flavors!

Storage

Store the ingredients in a airtight container. Be sure to save some of the leftover sauce in a separate container. Good for 2-3 days.

This chicken recipe heats up really well in an air fryer or toaster oven to return some of that crispy finish.

Can I double the sauce?

The secret to this recipe is the sauce! It’s a great addition to the meal in addition to the marinade. So if you like a lot of sauce to add to veggies or soak up in the rice, it’s a great idea to double it and enjoy it on the side with this dish and more.

Will this sauce work with seafood?

Yes! Shrimp and fish would be great served with this Asian sauce.

How do I enjoy this meal gluten-free?

Use gluten-free Soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari in place of regular soy sauce to easily make this recipe gluten-free. 

Want More Recipes like this?

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