Hot Honey Chicken Bowls Recipe
Do you want a hot honey chicken dish that’s easy and tasty? These Hot Honey Chicken Bowls are the best mix of sweet and spicy! Tender chicken breasts are covered in a tasty honey sriracha sauce and served with fresh vegetables like zucchini, summer squash, and creamy avocado on top of cooked rice or quinoa. This healthy dish is full of strong flavors and can be adjusted to fit your tastes. It’s great for a quick weekday dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Hot Honey Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon of oil from an avocado
- Two medium-sized chicken breasts without bones
- 1/3 cup of honey
- 1/4 cup of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)
For the bowls:
- 2 medium zucchinis, cut into slices
- One medium summer squash, cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots
- 1 medium avocado, cut into slices
- 2 cups of cooked rice or quinoa
- 1 medium lime
- 1/2 cup of healthy ranch dressing (optional)
How to do it
- Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Put the avocado oil in a skillet and heat it over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and done.
- Mix the honey, sriracha, minced garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and crushed red pepper in a basin to make the hot honey sauce while the chicken is cooking. Save 2 tablespoons of sauce for later.
- Take the skillet from the heat when the chicken is done. Put the cut zucchini and summer squash in the skillet, and then put the chicken on top of the vegetables. Make sure the spicy honey sauce covers the chicken and drips over the squash by pouring it over the chicken.
- Put the whole skillet in the oven and bake it for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Halfway through, stir the vegetables.
- Take the skillet out of the oven and let it cool for about five minutes. Cut the chicken into cubes and mix them with the last two teaspoons of spicy honey sauce.
- To put the bowls together: Put the cooked rice (or quinoa) in bowls. Add the hot honey chicken, zucchini, summer squash, shredded carrots, and avocado slices on top. If you want, you may squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and sprinkle ranch dressing over it.
Serving and Variations
These Hot Honey Chicken Bowls are the best mix of sweet and spicy! The fiery honey sauce on the crispy chicken is balanced by the creamy avocado, crunchy vegetables, and hearty rice. This bowl is easy to create and can be changed to fit your tastes. It has a lot of flavor with little work. These bowls taste great and are good for you, whether you’re in the mood for something spicy or just want a healthy dinner.
Tips and Tricks:
- Cooking time for chicken: Make sure the inside of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) to make sure it’s fully cooked.
- Cut the zucchini and summer squash into even pieces so that they cook at the same rate in the oven.
- You may make the hot honey sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
- You may use quinoa, cauliflower rice, or any other grain you like instead of rice to mix things up.
Different proteins:
- If you want a different form of protein, you can use turkey breast, tofu, or shrimp instead of chicken.
- For more heat, add more sriracha or sprinkle some extra cayenne or crushed red pepper on top.
- Swap out the zucchini and squash for bell peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli to change the taste.
- To make this recipe vegan, use plant-based chicken or tofu instead of chicken and a dairy-free ranch dressing or a tahini drizzle instead of ranch dressing.
Make Ahead and Storage:
- Is it possible to create this recipe ahead of time? Yes! You can cook the chicken and vegetables ahead of time and keep them in the fridge in separate containers. Simply heat up the bowls and put them together when you’re ready to dine.
- Is it okay to use frozen vegetables? Fresh vegetables will taste and feel the finest, but frozen vegetables are fine to use if you need to. Just make sure to cook them all the way through.