Description
Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Bowls feature juicy, pan-seared chicken breasts coated in a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce, baked with tender squash and carrots, then served over fluffy rice or quinoa. Finished with creamy avocado slices and an optional tangy ranch drizzle, this vibrant dish offers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and fresh vegetables for a wholesome, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Hot Honey Chicken
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise (about 2 medium)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2-3 Tablespoons sriracha or any hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Bowls
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 1 medium summer squash, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa
- 1/2 medium lime (optional, for topping)
Healthy Ranch Drizzle (Optional)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk (adjust to desired thickness)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to prepare for baking the chicken and vegetables.
- Cook Chicken: Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side until browned.
- Prepare Hot Honey Sauce: While the chicken cooks, whisk together honey, sriracha, minced garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes in a bowl. Set aside 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce for later use.
- Remove Chicken: Take the chicken breasts out of the skillet and set them aside temporarily.
- Cook Vegetables: Reduce the heat slightly and toss sliced zucchini and summer squash in the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes to soften slightly, then turn off the heat.
- Assemble in Skillet: Layer shredded carrots over the squash. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables and coat both sides of the chicken with the prepared hot honey sauce.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stir the vegetables halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- Make Ranch Drizzle: While baking, combine Greek yogurt, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried dill, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl to make the ranch dressing drizzle.
- Broil for Caramelization: After baking, switch the oven to high broil. Broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes to brown and caramelize the hot honey sauce, adding a flavorful glaze.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes to keep it juicy.
- Slice and Coat Chicken: Cut the chicken into cubes and coat evenly with the remaining reserved hot honey sauce for extra flavor.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide cooked rice or quinoa into bowls. Top with the roasted vegetables, cubed chicken, avocado slices, and drizzle with extra hot honey sauce and ranch dressing as desired.
- Serve: Optionally, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice over the bowls before serving. Enjoy your vibrant and delicious hot honey chicken and rice bowls!
Notes
- These Hot Honey Chicken Bowls can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
- If you prefer less heat, use a mild hot sauce or substitute with tomato sauce to make a milder version.
- For convenience, you can replace the homemade hot honey sauce with store-bought hot honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
