This balsamic chicken with honey is the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Made in one single pan on the stovetop this uses ingredients you probably already have on hand and gets ready in less than 20 minutes.

Table of Content
These cold winter days really make you yearn for warm comforting foods like this, isn't it? Soups, salads, one-pot, or slow-cooked meals are the most popular these cold days in our home.
For those of you who are not familiar with balsamic, it is an Italian vinegar made from white wine pressings. Back in the old days, it used to be an ideal gift and favor.
It must be noted that Balsamic is vinegar but its own kind. You can read more about balsamic here
Why make this recipe?
- The best part is you don't have to bake it because it gets done in one pan over the stovetop and in barely 20 minutes
- It is very versatile - I am using chicken thighs today, but you can use almost any part of the chicken you have. Legs, thighs, breast, bone-in, or boneless. It all works! You may need to adjust cooking times but don't worry I've got you covered below.
- We use mostly pantry staples which you probably always have on hand like balsamic, honey, garlic, and onions powders.
Pro tip - Always keep garlic and onion powder in your pantry because a little goes a long way in adding flavor to many everyday dishes. - For the purpose of the video, I am making the marinade in a separate bowl but you can absolutely just add these ingredients directly to your pan.

Ingredients and substitutes
- Balsamic - As you can see the star of this dish is balsamic so please do not substitute the balsamic with regular vinegar. It's not the same.
- Honey - Honey helps soften the sourness that comes from the fermented vinegar. By the end of the dish, you will see the tart vinegar has mellowed into something sweet and syrupy. You can also use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Flour - If you want to make this gluten-free - you can omit the flour and add cornstarch instead. Coating the chicken in flour gives the chicken that nice color when pan-fried and also helps thicken the sauce
- Butter - You can omit the butter but I highly recommend it. It adds a nice rich and velvet-like creaminess to the sauce.

Step by step instructions
- Thaw the chicken at least an hour before cooking. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.
Pro tip - Frozen or wet chicken will result in too much liquid in the pan, plus it won't caramelize and get a good color. It can also make a tough rubbery chicken so always thaw properly - Generously season with salt and pepper then lightly dust with flour. Set aside
Pro tip - The flour helps thicken the sauce but make sure to dust off excess flour to prevent the sauce from becoming too starchy.

- Heat a heavy-bottom saute pan on medium-high, then add the oil and butter. Pan-fry the chicken pieces on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side. Then lower the heat.
Pro tip - Don't make haste to turn the chicken, leaving it untouched will ensure it gets some good caramelization - Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Then, add it to the pan over the chicken along with the rosemary and thyme
Pro tip - You can add all the marinade ingredients directly over the chicken. But combining it well in a bowl first will ensure the powders are well combined.

- Cover the pan, and let the chicken cook for 8 minutes. Then, uncover and let cook another 8 to 10 minutes.
Pro tip - Covering will ensure the chicken cooks through well, uncovering later will evaporate all the excess moisture. - When done, the chicken should be cooked and the sauce should be thick and creamy.
Pro tip - You can make a little gravy if you prefer to serve this chicken over rice. Just add a few tablespoons of water or stock at the end.

- Finally, taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley.
Pro tip - Note we only seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper. The sauce has stock and balsamic which often has salt in it. So taste first then adjust seasoning. - Serve hot over rice, potatoes, buttered noodles, or pasta.
- Enjoy!

Tips for cooking this chicken
- Clean the chicken thoroughly making sure to remove the skin and any excess fat before you pat dry.
- You can use chicken with bones such as bone-in thighs and legs. Take note that bone-in chicken will take a little longer to cook and leave more moisture in the pan. Bones do give out some of their juices.
- You can also use chicken breast for this recipe. But, cook for a little less time as the breast cook quickly. I'd say about 15 minutes
- Use a heavy bottom pan to cook this chicken on the stovetop. It will prevent the chicken from burning as well as will not evaporate the liquid too quickly.
- Heat the pan well before you add the oil and butter. This will prevent the chicken from sticking.
- To know if the chicken is done you can use a thermometer. The chicken must be at 165°F
Frequently asked questions
This chicken will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can even freeze this in the freezer for a month
Balsamic is like sweet vinegar with a strong and rich flavor similar to molasses or prune paste. It is sour but when combined with the honey and chicken juices it is mellowed into something sweet and syrupy
You can use regular vinegar it will still be a delicious chicken recipe but it will not have that unique flavor you get from balsamic vinegar.
What do you serve this chicken with?
I served this chicken with my stovetop melting potatoes (coming soon) but you can also serve it with some mashed potatoes, Hasselback potatoes, roasted potatoes, buttered noodles, or pasta. We love some garden salad on the side but avocado or tomato salad are wonderful too.

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Printable Recipe
Honey Balsamic Chicken
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs (900 g) Chicken pieces ((8 boneless, skinless thighs or legs))
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 4 tablespoon Flour (for dusting)
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 2 sprigs Rosemary ((or ½ teaspoon dried))
- 2 sprigs Thyme ((or ½ teaspoon dried))
Marinade
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Honey
- ½ teaspoon Paprika (or cayenne)
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Chicken stock (or water)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon Parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Thaw the chicken at least an hour before cooking. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.Pro-tip - Frozen or wet chicken will result in too much liquid in the pan, plus it won't carmelize and get a good color. It can also make a tough rubbery chicken so always thaw properly
- Generously season with salt and pepper then lightly dust with flour. Set asidePro-tip - The flour helps thicken the sauce but make sure to dust off excess flour to prevent the sauce from becoming too starchy.
- Heat a heavy-bottom saute pan on medium-high, then add the oil and butter. Pan-fry the chicken pieces on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side. Then lower the heat. Pro-tip - don't make haste to turn the chicken, leaving it untouched will ensure it gets some good caramelization
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then, add it to the pan over the chicken along with the rosemary and thyme Pro-tip - you can add all the marinade ingredients directly over the chicken but combining it well in a bowl first will ensure the powders are well combined.
- Cover the pan, and let the chicken cook for 8 minutes. Then uncover and let cook another 8 to 10 minutes. Pro-tip - covering will ensure the chicken cooks through well, uncovering later will evaporate all the excess moisture.
- When done the chicken should be cooked and the sauce should be thick and creamy. Pro-tip -You can make a little gravy if you prefer to serve this chicken over rice. Just add a few tablespoons of water or stock at the end.
- Finally, taste and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsleyPro-tip - note we only seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper. The sauce has stock and balsamic which often has salt in it. So taste first then adjust seasoning.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Clean the chicken thoroughly making sure to remove the skin and any excess fat before you pat dry.
- You can use chicken with bones such as bone-in thighs and legs. Take note that bone-in chicken will take a little longer to cook and leave more moisture in the pan. Bones do give out some of their juices.
- You can also use chicken breast for this recipe. But, cook for a little less time as the breast cook quickly. I'd say about 15 minutes
- Use a heavy bottom pan to cook this chicken on the stovetop. It will prevent the chicken from burning as well as will not evaporate the liquid too quickly.
- Heat the pan well before you add the oil and butter. This will prevent the chicken from sticking.
- To know if the chicken is done you can use a thermometer. The chicken must be at 165°F
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Mary Arner
I made this Balsamic Chicken Thigh recipe for dinner last evening. It was easy to prepare and turned out well. The marinade had a tangy, spicy sweet and sour taste when combined and simmered with the chicken and the result was a syrupy sauce that coated the thighs. I served this with some penne pasta and green beans. There was enough sauce to coat the pasta as well as the chicken. I would recommend only using chicken thighs, boneless or bone in because they really absorb the flavors of the sauce better. I will definitely make this dish again! It was delicious!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Mary
Sue
Another fantastic recipe! Lovely flavours. Added a little extra stock at the end as the recipe suggested, if you want a little extra sauce. Thank you and will be making again very soon!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Sue. So happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Lori Toth
I love this Basalmic Chicken Recipe! The instructions are great. Easy to make.
Lane F Autrey
Excellent recipe and very easy!!
Love the flavors!!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks.
Junamaria
Easy and delicious! There are only 2 of us, so I halved it. Man, I was sorry! would have been great to have leftovers 🙂 Served with Hassleback Potatoes and fresh veggies.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Junamaria. I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for the feedback.