Description
This Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Bowls recipe combines tender chicken breasts glazed with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce, served over a bed of sautéed summer squash, zucchini, shredded carrots, and your choice of rice or quinoa. The dish is finished with creamy avocado slices, a zesty lime squeeze, and an optional healthy ranch drizzle for added flavor and creaminess. Perfectly balanced and easy to prepare, this recipe is ideal for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
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 type of 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 black 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 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 halved chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side until nicely seared.
- Prepare Sauce: While chicken cooks, whisk together honey, sriracha, minced garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) to create the hot honey sauce. Set aside 3-4 tablespoons of this sauce for later.
- Remove Chicken: Take the chicken breasts out of the skillet and set them aside temporarily.
- Sauté Vegetables: Lower the heat slightly and add sliced zucchini and summer squash to the skillet. Toss and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly tender, then turn off the heat.
- Layer Vegetables and Chicken: Add shredded carrots over the sautéed squash, then place the chicken breasts on top. Coat both sides of the chicken generously with the hot honey sauce.
- Bake: Place the entire skillet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Stir the vegetables gently halfway through cooking for even roasting.
- Mix Ranch Drizzle: While baking, combine the Greek yogurt, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dill, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl to create the ranch drizzle.
- Broil Chicken: After baking, set the oven to high broil. Broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes until the hot honey sauce caramelizes and browns on the chicken surface.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes to lock in juices.
- Slice and Coat: Cut the chicken into cubes and toss them in the reserved hot honey sauce for extra flavor.
- Assemble Bowls: Build the bowls by layering cooked rice or quinoa, sautéed and roasted veggies, and hot honey chicken. Add sliced avocado and drizzle with extra hot honey sauce and optional ranch dressing.
- Serve: Add a squeeze of lime over the bowls if desired and enjoy your flavorful 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.
- Adjust the heat level by using a milder hot sauce or tomato sauce instead of sriracha for a less spicy version.
- You can substitute the homemade hot honey sauce with store-bought hot honey for a quicker prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/4 recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
