This honey garlic chicken noodles recipe is a sweet-savoury stir fry made with tender chicken breast, vegetables, and long-life noodles tossed in a glossy honey soy garlic sauce. It's quick enough for a weeknight dinner but also perfect for meal prep because the flavours deepen overnight, the noodles hold their texture, and can be eaten cold if you don't have access to a microwave!
I'm a big fan of sweetness paired with savory flavours - you'll see that across my recipes like honey soy chicken and rice, sticky honey soy beef, and honey soy tofu. But noodles behave differently from rice: they absorb sauce more aggressively, which can leave dishes bland by day two.
After testing multiple versions, I found that combining soy sauce with kecap manis creates a deeper flavour and caramelised colour that holds up through storage. And after years of meal prepping noodle dishes, I can confidently say that long-life noodles outperform fresh ones every time - they keep their texture, don't turn mushy, and can even survive freezing.
TL;DR
- Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
- Meal prep: The noodles can be eaten hot or cold making them great for a meal prep when you don't have a microwave.
- Fridge storage: 4 days (airtight containers).
- Freezer storage: 2 months.
- Reheating: Microwave with splash of water, or eat cold.
- Customise: Swap vegetables, adjust sweetness, add spice, or use different noodles.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Lean protein. This recipe uses chicken breast instead of thighs, making it lighter and ideal for athletes or balanced meal prep.
Hot or cold. Noodles make a great carb source that can be eaten warm or straight from the fridge when you don't have a microwave.
Asian-inspired. Flavours deepen overnight which makes it great for prepping lunches ahead of time.
Meal prep friendly. Stores well, reheats easily, and maintains texture better than most noodle recipes.
Ingredients
Chicken breast. Lean protein that stays tender when coated in cornflour and cooked quickly.
Cornflour. Or also called cornstarch, helps tenderise the chicken and naturally thickens the sauce as it cooks.
Soy sauce. Provides saltiness and umami base for the honey soy flavor.
Long-life noodles. Hold texture far better than fresh noodles during storage and reheating. I use the same noodles in my satay chicken noodles and slow cooker beef and noodles and have found they hold up extremely well for meal prepping.
You can definitely use fresh noodles, but I would recommend eating it within 2-3 days or keeping it cold for better texture as they can go mushy and clump together (especially when reheating)
Kecap manis and soy sauce. I initially tested with soy sauce alone, but the noodles absorbed too much and it lacked some depth. Adding kecap manis boosted umami, sweetness, and produced a rich caramelised colour that made the dish look (and taste) extra yummy.
Garlic. As garlic is one of the highlighted flavours in this dish, I definitely recommend using fresh!
Lemon. This helps balance the sweetness of the honey.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
Chicken thighs. Juicier and more forgiving than breast, making them a good option if you prefer richer honey soy chicken noodles.
Make it spicy. Add chili flakes, sambal oelek, or sriracha to the sauce for heat that balances the sweetness.
Asian greens. I've used bok choy in this recipe because they're available most of the year in Australia. But sometimes if I can't find them I'll use other Asian greens like Pak choy or choy sum. They'll have slightly different outcomes, but overall be just as delicious.
How to make honey garlic chicken noodles
Step 1: Coat sliced chicken breast in cornflour and soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes to tenderise.
Step 2: Cook chicken in batches (I did 2 batches in my large wok). It should take approx. 3-5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
Cooking in batches helps the chicken brown rather than steam which can happen if you overcrowd the pan.
Step 3: Sauté onion and garlic for approx. 2 minutes until fragrant, then add carrots for a further 2 minutes.
Step 4: Return chicken to the pan and pour in the sauce ingredients.
Step 5: Rehydrate long-life noodles for one minute less than packet instructions, then rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
The noodles will finish cooking in the sauce and this ensures they hold together better.
Step 6: Add noodles and bok choy to the pan, tossing until everything is coated and heated through - if you want to double check, I recommend the chicken reaches 70C/165F.
Lauren's Top Tips
Don't overcrowd the pan. Cooking chicken in batches ensures browning and prevents rubbery texture.
Adjust sauce balance at the end. Add extra vinegar or soy sauce if needed.
Recommended Equipment
A large wok or deep frying pan works best so the noodles can be tossed without spilling, especially when cooking in batches. I recommend stainless steel or cast iron as non-stick doesn't get hot enough for the quick and hot cooking required for stir fry. If you are using non-stick, just know that it could take longer.
Meal prepping honey garlic chicken noodles
This honey garlic chicken noodles recipe is an excellent meal prep option because it provides lean protein from chicken breast, carbohydrates from noodles, and vegetables for fiber and micronutrients. It also tastes better the next day as the sauce absorbs into the noodles.
Storing
Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. If preparing multiple servings, portion immediately after cooking so noodles don't clump together.
Do you need to reheat honey garlic noodles?
These honey soy chicken noodles can be eaten cold if you don't have access to a microwave.
If you do want to reheat, add a small splash of water or soy sauce before reheating to loosen the sauce. Microwave for at least 1 minute before stirring - cold noodles can break if handled too soon. Alternatively, reheat in a pan over medium heat - same rule with not moving the noodles too soon.
Freezing
In the past I wouldn't have recommended freezing noodle dishes, but long-life noodles hold up surprisingly well. Slightly under-rehydrate them before cooking (for example, 4 minutes instead of 5) and rinse immediately in cold water.
Fresh noodles are not recommended as they tend to become mushy after freezing.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Noodles absorb sauce as they sit. Adding a splash of water or soy sauce before reheating restores moisture.
Coating with corn flour and cooking quickly in batches helps keep it tender.
Other chicken breast meal prep recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my easy chicken breast recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Honey Garlic Chicken Noodles
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 800 g (1 ¾ lb) chicken breast, approx. 4
- 3 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 250 g (9 oz) long life noodles, see note 1
- 1 brown onion
- 4 carrots
- 2 bulbs bok choy
- 4 cloves garlic, see note 4
Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce, all purpose
- ½ cups honey
- 2 tablespoon kecap manis, subs note 2
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, subs note 3
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional but recommended
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed, see note 4
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated, see note 4
Instructions
Preparing
- Slice the 800 g (1 ¾ lb) chicken breast into thin, bite-sized strips for even cooking.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken breast with 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Toss well so all pieces are coated, then set aside for 10 minutes to tenderise - this helps keep the chicken juicy.
- Peel and thinly slice the 4 carrots. Trim the base of the 2 bulbs bok choy and separate the leaves then slice into even pieces (approx. 1 inch)
- Finely chop 4 cloves garlic and 1 brown onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ cups honey, 2 tbsp kecap manis, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ginger until the honey is fully dissolved. Set aside.
Cooking
- Heat a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat with a little oil.
- Cook the chicken in batches (about 3-5 minutes per batch) until lightly golden and cooked through.Avoid overcrowding - this helps the chicken brown rather than steam. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add the sliced carrots and cook for a further 2 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan and pour in the prepared sauce. Stir to coat and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, rehydrate the 250 g (9 oz) long life noodles in boiling water for one minute less than the packet instructions. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Add the noodles and bok choy to the pan. Toss everything together for 2-3 minutes until the bok choy wilts and the noodles are heated through and coated in sauce.
- Ensure the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature 70°C / 165°F) and the sauce has slightly thickened and looks glossy.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly if portioning for meal prep, otherwise serve after 5 minutes of rest.
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