For a quick, flavorful dinner, this Honey Miso Chicken cooked in a skillet is an absolute must-try! The chicken breasts are marinated in a delicious mix of sweet honey and savory miso and are seared to golden perfection. The combination of flavors creates a rich, umami-packed chicken breast and adds so much depth to each bite.
Cooking the chicken in a skillet keeps things simple and fast – perfect for those busy weeknights when you need dinner quickly. The miso and honey work together beautifully, balancing each other out, while the skillet ensures the chicken stays juicy on the inside and gets a gorgeous caramelized crust on the outside.
Serve it with sticky rice to soak up that amazing sauce, or pair it with some stir-fried veggies for a light and flavorful meal. It's quick, easy, and bursting with flavor!
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Chicken breasts: The recipe cuts two chicken breasts into 4 cutlets. There are instructions below for how to do this, but you can also buy cutlets from the grocery store.
Miso: You want white or yellow miso for this recipe. If you only have red miso, then reduce the quantity to 2 tablespoons. Don't use Saikyo Miso, as it is far sweeter.
Garlic: The recipe only calls for one clove (I know how unusual that is for a sprinkles and sprouts recipe!!). Feel free to add more. As I always say, garlic should be measured with your heart.
Rice wine vinegar: This cuts the richness of the miso and the sweetness of the honey. You can replace it with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lime juice.
Sesame seeds: Optional garnish; they add a nice nutty finish to the dish. White or black work just as well.
Green onions: Another optional garnish, but the mild onion flavor works well with the chicken. You can leave them out or replace them with chives.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- See below for instructions on how to cut the chicken into cutlets/fillets. But once you have cut them, cover them with some parchment paper or plastic wrap and use a smooth meat mallet or heavy-bottomed skillet/frying pan to lightly bash them until they are uniform in thickness.
- As you measure the sesame oil, pour it from your tablespoon into your ½ cup measure. Then, swirl and tip the cup to fully coated in oil. This means when you add the honey, it should all pour out easily.
- Before adding the chicken to the marinade, reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture. This will be to baste the chicken with later.
- The chicken needs several hours in the marinade. Twelve hours is perfect. I make it in the morning ready to cook for the evening. Please don't leave it for more than 24 hours, as it can get too salty.
- Before cooking the chicken, wipe the marinade from the chicken. This helps to prevent the honey from burning. As the chicken cooks, we will brush on the reserved sauce so it gets a glossy, charred appearance.
Cutting the chicken into cutlets/fillets
- Pat each chicken breast with kitchen paper to help dry it and stop it from sliding about the board.
- Place the chicken breast flat on a chopping board, smooth side upwards.
- Use a large sharp knife to cut sideways through the breast.
- Keep the knife flat and parallel to the chopping board as you cut through the breast.
- Carefully cut through until you have two plump cutlets. Repeat with the second chicken breast.
- Cover the cutlets with parchment paper to avoid tearing the meat, and use a smooth meat mallet (or the base of a heavy pan) to bash the plumper end down until the meat is even thickness.
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Why You'll Love This Honey Miso Chicken
- It is a delicious way to use chicken breasts.
- It is an easy marinade with grocery store ingredients, yet it adds so much depth to the chicken.
- The chicken is also delicious cold, so leftovers can go to meal prep for the week or into wraps for a quick lunch.
- Two chicken breasts can serve four people, making it a cheap main dish.
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Add some spice and add some chopped chili to your marinade.
- Mince/grate some ginger into the marinade.
- The marinade is also delicious used on quick-cook proteins like shrimp or fish. We love honey miso swordfish!
- I don't recommend swapping the chicken breast for chicken thighs as they need longer to cook, and even though we wipe the marinade off, some does remain, and it can start to burn with longer cooking.
Serving Suggestions for Honey Miso Chicken
Sides: We love this with a simple bowl of sticky rice, but it is also delicious with noodles. Or add a bowl of steamed Asian greens and some furikake fries.
Wine: The richness of the miso works so well with a Chardonnay. Pick a new world one to help balance the honey in the marinade. A Californian or Australian Chardonnay would be perfect. If you are looking for a red, you can't go past the acidity of a Pinot Noir; it balances the rich butteriness of the miso but isn't dulled by the honey.
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Honey Miso Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup miso (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (see note 2)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon green onions sliced
Instructions
Cut the chicken into cutlets/fillets.
- Pat each chicken breast with kitchen paper to help dry it and stop it from sliding about the board.2 chicken breasts
- Place the chicken breast flat on a chopping board, smooth side upwards.
- Use a large sharp knife to cut sideways through the breast.
- Keep the knife flat and parallel to the chopping board as you cut through the breast.
- Carefully cut through until you have two plump cutlets. Repeat with the second chicken breast.
- Cover the cutlets with parchment paper to avoid tearing the meat, and use a smooth meat mallet (or the base of a heavy pan) to bash the plumper end down until the meat is even thickness.
Marinade the chicken
- First, measure the sesame oil; as you do this, pour it from the tablespoon into your ½ cup, swirl it to coat it in oil, and then pour it into a large bowl. This will ensure that the honey pours out easily.2 tablespoon sesame oil
- Add the honey, miso, rice wine vinegar, and minced garlic to the bowl. Stir well to combine.½ cup honey½ cup miso2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar1 clove garlic
- Remove 3 tablespoons of the mixture and set to one side for later.
- Add the chicken cutlets and stir them well until the chicken is coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
Cook the chicken
- Use a paper towel to wipe the marinade from the chicken.
- Place a large heavy-based skillet/frying pan on medium heat and add the oil.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side.
- Use a basting brush to coat the chicken in the reserved marinade lightly.
- Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes, then serve it garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.1 teaspoon sesame seeds1 tablespoon green onions
Notes
- You want white or yellow miso for this recipe. If you only have red miso, then reduce the quantity to 2 tablespoons. Don't use Saikyo Miso, as it is far sweeter.
- You can replace it with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lime juice.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
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