If you’re a fan of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors, then this Stingin Honey Garlic Sauce recipe is for you. This versatile sauce can be used as a marinade for chicken or pork, a glaze for grilled vegetables, or even as a dipping sauce for wings.
Here, I’ll walk you through the steps to create this mouthwatering sauce from scratch. From the perfect balance of honey and garlic to the addition of a secret ingredient that adds an extra kick. I’ll cover all the tips and tricks to ensure your Stingin Honey Garlic Sauce is a hit at your next meal. Get ready to elevate your cooking game with this delicious recipe!

What is Honey Garlic Sauce?
A honey garlic sauce is a great dipping sauce that is also great for marinades, salad dressings, and marinated dishes. Honey and brown sugar combine with the umami of soy sauce and garlic, vinegar’s acidity, and honey’s sweetness. It is a wonderfully balanced sauce.
In Asian cuisine, salty and sweet flavors are often combined to create a harmonious balance. In this sauce, maize starch adds thickness and helps coat meats and vegetables. Those who enjoy sweet and savory flavors will love this sauce.
Ingredients of Honey Garlic Sauce for Chicken
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce adds a rich and savory flavor to the sauce, balancing out the sweetness of the honey. It also provides depth and complexity to the overall taste profile.
When combined with other ingredients like honey, garlic, and vinegar, soy sauce helps create a well-rounded and flavorful homemade honey garlic sauce that can elevate any dish.
Honey
Honey adds a natural sweetness and depth of flavor to the sauce. It also acts as a thickening agent, giving the sauce a rich and glossy texture.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness to the sauce, balancing out the tanginess of the garlic and the natural sweetness of the honey. It also helps to thicken the sauce and give it a sticky consistency.
Brown sugar tastes excellent when combined with other ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic to create a complex and flavorful sauce for grilling, dipping, and marinating meats.
Chicken Broth
This savory liquid, made from simmering chicken bones, meat, and vegetables, forms the base of the sauce and provides a rich depth of flavor. It adds a delicious umami taste to the sauce, balancing out the sweetness of the honey and the zest of the garlic.
Chicken broth also helps to create a smooth and velvety texture, giving the sauce a pleasing mouthfeel. A honey garlic sauce made with chicken broth is deliciously drizzled over chicken, used for dipping crispy wings, or stirred into stir-fried vegetables.
Fresh Garlic
Garlic adds a savory and slightly spicy flavor to the sauce, complementing the sweetness of the honey perfectly.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is an essential ingredient in honey garlic sauce for chicken. It adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the sauce, balancing out the richness of the honey and garlic. It also helps tenderize the chicken and adds a subtle depth of flavor. Rice vinegar also acts as a natural preservative, helping to prolong the shelf life of the sauce.
Cornstarch
It is used as a thickening agent to give the sauce a smooth and velvety texture. When mixed with liquid, cornstarch forms a slurry that helps to bind the ingredients together and create a rich and glossy sauce.
In addition to its thickening properties, cornstarch also acts as a stabilizer, preventing the sauce from separating or becoming watery. It is essential to dissolve the cornstarch in cold water before adding it to the sauce, as this will prevent lumps from forming.
Oil
Oil serves as the base for the sauce, providing it with a smooth and creamy texture. It also helps to bind the other ingredients together, ensuring that they blend well and create a harmonious flavor profile. The type of oil used can vary depending on personal preference, but I prefer to use olive oil in my honey garlic sauce.
Red pepper Flakes
Red pepper flakes, which add a spicy kick to the sauce. When combined with other ingredients such as honey and garlic, the red pepper flakes create a balanced and flavorful sauce that is perfect for adding a touch of sweetness and tanginess to various dishes.
How To Make Honey Garlic Wing Sauce?

- Combine the chicken broth and cornstarch in a bowl, whisking until smooth.
- Then whisk in the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar until they are well combined.
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
- Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and heat until soft.
- Stir in the cornstarch mixture; cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Tips To Make Perfect Honey Garlic Sauce
- Cook on medium heat rather than high heat.
- To add chunks of garlic to your sauce, chop the garlic and add it to the sauce. Otherwise, use garlic paste or garlic powder.
- If you like, you can also add lime juice.
- Make sure the honey is not too hot when you add it. After adding the honey, whisk it immediately.
- It is important not to overcook the sauce, or the flavor will change.
- You can enhance the flavor by adding ginger, sesame oil, or chili flakes.
Variations For Honey Garlic Sauce
Use A Different Thickener
If you want to thicken your honey garlic sauce, cornstarch isn’t the only option. Alternatively, you can use all-purpose flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder. Although these are all excellent choices, they are not all 1:1 equivalents. Conduct some research first to ensure accuracy.
Substitute Powdered Garlic
If fresh garlic isn’t available or you prefer a milder garlic flavor, powdered garlic may be substituted. It is estimated that one clove of garlic is equivalent to 18 teaspoons of pure garlic powder. Instead of using four cloves, use about 12 teaspoons of powdered garlic. Start slowly and add extra if necessary.
Switch Up The Sweeteners
When honey isn’t available, pure maple syrup is the best substitute. It is possible to substitute white sugar 1:1 for brown sugar. In contrast to white sugar, brown sugar has a deep caramel flavor. If you add molasses to white sugar, you can mimic this element.
Adapt As Needed
You can modify this recipe to suit your dietary restrictions and preferences. Using olive oil instead of butter will make the recipe vegan. You can avoid soy by using coconut aminos. Is rice vinegar not available? Replace with apple cider vinegar. These changes will slightly alter the honey garlic sauce, but it will still be delicious.
How To Use Homemade Honey Garlic Sauce
The most popular way to use this sauce is to dip spring rolls, potstickers, and dumplings in it. However, this sauce has a wide range of uses.
Marinate
You can use this sweet and garlicky sauce on chicken breasts or chicken legs, pork, beef, seafood, or other meats.
Sauce Your Snacks
You can use this sweet and garlicky sauce on chicken breasts or chicken legs, pork, beef, seafood, or other meats.
Dress it up
You can drizzle this over your salad veggies or use it to make an Asian-style pasta or rice salad.
Baste Better
You can use this spicy sauce to bake salmon, shrimp, scallops, or tuna.
Improve Your Dip
To make it thicker, you can mix it with cream cheese or mayo. Mix it with Greek yogurt or mayo to make a dip or spread.
Try a New Twist.
To vary things up, drizzle or dip this sweet and savoury dip over cheese and charcuterie boards.
Mix it up
Add it to your burgers before you make them, whether they’re beef, turkey, chicken, salmon, or veggie.
Give Veggies Variety
Alternatively, you can marinate raw vegetables in it before baking or grilling them, or you can put it on roasted or steamed vegetables.
Storage & Freezing
After you make it, let it cool down! Now it’s ready to eat and store. Refrigerate it for 15 days in a jar that won’t let air in. When you need it, microwave it for a few seconds and whisk it well. Upon completion, it will be ready for use. You can put the sauce on your food, and it tastes sweet and sour all around.

Stingin Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoon Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Combine the chicken broth and cornstarch in a bowl, whisking until smooth.
- Then whisk in the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar until they are well combined.
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
- Stir in the garlic and red paper flakes and heat until soft.
- Stir in the cornstarch mixture; cook over a low heat, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Nutrition
Final Words
Indulge your taste buds with the tantalizing flavors of our Stingin Honey Garlic Sauce. This recipe combines the sweetness of honey with the boldness of garlic, creating a mouthwatering sauce that will elevate any dish.
Whether you’re grilling chicken, tossing it with vegetables, or using it as a dipping sauce for your favorite appetizers, this Stingin Honey Garlic Sauce is sure to impress. Give it a try, and let your culinary skills shine!
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