I absolutely love this honey soy chicken meal prep as a lean protein lunch. My version uses chicken breast bites for affordability, and the sticky glaze is on par with the Woolies honey soy chicken wings - but because it's served as a rice bowl, there's no sticky fingers!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Lean protein. Most recipes use chicken thighs, but by using breast bites as a lean protein source, it makes it perfect for athletes. Check out my creamy mushroom chicken without cream and one pan chicken breast fajitas for more chicken breast meal prep ideas.
Asian-inspired. It's giving fakeaway vibes, but with the goodness of a wholesome rice bowl with vegetables like my chicken red pepper onion stir fry and kung pao chicken stir fry with rice.
Meal prep friendly. The honey soy chicken is grilled, not fried, and reheating on the stove-top keeps that crispiness.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast. I use chicken breast as an affordable option instead of bites. Plus, it's more meal prep friendly than having to deal with the bones of wings or drumsticks. But you can swap for other styles of meat if you prefer.
Cornstarch. Or cornflour help to provide a light crispy crust without needing to be deep-fried. If you're gluten-free, you can opt for arrowroot powder.
Soy Sauce. All-purpose soy sauce is the recommended option for the best flavour. You can opt for low-sodium if you choose.
Honey. A good quality honey will help you here, but you can use whichever variety you wish. I wouldn't recommend swapping for maple syrup or agave as this will change the flavour profile.
Vinegar and lemon juice. Helps balance the sweetness from the honey.
Garlic and ginger. Fresh is recommended for the best flavour, but you can substitute for pre-minced in jars if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities. See below for more substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
Vegetarian. If you prefer a vegetarian version, try my honey soy tofu with rice.
Spicy? If you prefer a spicy twist, add some chilli flakes or sriracha into the marinade.
Grains. You could swap the grains out for some quinoa, or even noodles like my spicy chicken pad thai.
How to make honey soy chicken
Step 1: Mix together honey soy marinade ingredients in one bowl.
Step 2: In another bowl, beat an egg then add diced chicken and 2 tablespoon of the sauce mixture. If you can, let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: In a large ziplock bag, combine cornstarch, breadcrumbs and salt & pepper. Add diced chicken, close the ziplock and shake to coat well.
Step 4: Heat sauce in a over medium heat until it starts to bubble and thicken. Add chicken and flip every couple of minutes until cooked through (approx. 5-8 minutes). You can test this with a meat thermometer measuring the chicken at 74C (160C).
Step 5: Serve with rice and vegetables (vegetables can be cooked in the leftover soy sauce that's left on the pan.
My Top Tips
Marinate. The longer you marinate the chicken, the deeper the honey soy flavour is going to be. If you can prepare the night before and cook the next day - perfect.
Meal prepping chicken and rice
This is a great chicken breast meal prep recipe as the marinade and cornstarch help keep the chicken tender for leftovers. By serving with some rice and your favourite vegetables, it makes a fantastic rice bowl like my Greek chicken rice bowl where you can mix-and-match the veggies and grains for a balanced dish.
Storing and reheating
Store cooked chicken, rice and veggies in a container for up to 4 days. If you're going to reheat the chicken on the stove (recommended if you want the crispiness), I recommend keeping a bit of a gap between the other components.
Stovetop reheating will take approx. 5 minutes. Add a small amount of oil to the pan and reheat the chicken. You could also reheat the rice and veg this way.
If you're out at work and only have the option for a microwave, add a small amount of water to the rice only then reheat on small bursts (approx. 1 minute) until heated through (approx. 3-4 minutes). It will be slightly soggier, but still tastes great!
Freezing honey soy chicken
Freeze raw marinated chicken bites (in zip?lock bags - shown below but with garlic soy sauce) or cooked chicken separately from sauce (this will help get the crispiness again when reheated). You can freeze together, but the overall chicken won't come out as crispy.
Thaw overnight in fridge, reheat using oven or stovetop method to maintain crispness.
FAQs
Whisk a slurry of cornstarch (1-2?tsp) with cold water (1-2 tbsp), then add to the sauce stirring until glossy and thickened; sauce consistency should coat the back of spoon. Alternatively reduce by simmering low and slow for richer flavour.
Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs work great in this recipe if you prefer a juicier, richer flavour. They naturally have more fat than breast, which helps keep the meat tender and moist-even after meal prepping. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time slightly, as thighs take a little longer to cook through than diced chicken breast.
You can get away with 10-15 minutes in a pinch, but if you've got the time, aim for at least 30 minutes to let the honey soy marinade really soak in. If you have the time, I suggest marinating overnight. It'll then save you time the next day when you want to cook it.
Other chicken breast recipes
Or, you can have a browse through my chicken breast meal preps for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Honey Soy Chicken and Rice (Meal Prep)
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Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Bites
- 700 g (1 ½ lb) chicken breast, approx.3
- 50 g (½ cups) corn starch / corn flour, Note 1
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) soy sauce, all purpose
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil, or other high-heat oil
Honey Soy Sauce
- 45 g (3 tablespoon) soy sauce, all purpose
- 60 g (½ cups) honey
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar, Note 2
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) lemon juice, fresh recommended
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil, optional but recommended
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed, see note 3
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) ginger, grated, see note 3
Serve with
- 200 g (1 cups) rice , yields. approx.3 cups cooked
- 1 (3 ½ oz) bell pepper / capsicum
- 2 (5 ½ oz) carrot
- 1 (5 ½ oz) zucchini
Instructions
Cook Rice
- Begin 200 g (1 cups) rice by preparing your way, or read my post for tips and tricks.
Prepare ingredients
- Mince or grate: 2 cloves garlic and 5 g (1 teaspoon) ginger. Mix together with 45 g (3 tablespoon) soy sauce, 60 g (½ cups) honey, 15 g (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar, 15 g (1 tablespoon) lemon juice, 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil. Set aside.
- Slice: 1 (3 ½ oz) bell pepper / capsicum, 2 (5 ½ oz) carrot, 1 (5 ½ oz) zucchini into even pieces.
- Slice 700 g (1 ½ lb) chicken breast into 1 inch pieces.
Prepare chicken
- Add chicken pieces to a bowl with 50 g (½ cups) corn starch / corn flour and 30 g (2 tablespoon) soy sauce. Coat well.
Cook
- Heat pan over medium heat with 5 g (1 teaspoon) sesame oil Add chicken and flip every couple of minutes until mostly white (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add sauce to the pan with the chicken and allow it to come to a bubble. Reduce heat to low and allow to thicken over the chicken until it reaches 69°C (160°F). Remove and rest.
- Add 1 (3 ½ oz) bell pepper / capsicum, 2 (5 ½ oz) carrot, 1 (5 ½ oz) zucchini to the pan (might have to do it in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan). Cook for approx. 5 minutes, tossing regularly.
- Serve the chicken with the rice and vegetables.
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