Take your chicken & rice bowls to the next level with this Hot Honey Chicken recipe! It’s easily customized to fit your tastes because chicken is such a versatile protein. Add rice, veggies, and of course, the hot honey drizzle!
Disclosure: This post and recipe are sponsored by the Chicken Check-In and the National Chicken Council. I was compensated for my time. As always, thank you for supporting the partners who support Street Smart Nutrition!
It’s so easy to personalize your plate with chicken. It’s such a versatile and nutrient-dense protein choice. I’m particularly partial to chicken thighs, which have a tender, juicy texture and so much flavor!
Chicken is the most popular protein in America. And as a registered dietitian, I get a lot of questions from clients about how chicken is produced, where it comes from, and how safe it is. Before we dive into this hot honey chicken recipe, let me share some fast facts:
When it comes to hormones and steroids in chicken…
A survey from a few years ago (2015) found that 80% of Americans falsely believe chicken contains added hormones and steroids. Here’s the truth:
- There are no artificial or added hormones or steroids used in the production of U.S. chicken
- That’s because it’s actually expressly forbidden by law according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and that ban has been in place since the 1950s
- If a label on chicken reads “raised without hormones” it has to also have a statement clarifying that no hormones are used in any poultry production in the U.S.
There’s a number of reasons why chickens are larger than they were in the past and yield better quality protein. A lot of it has to do with genetics. But no, not GMOs! There is no GMO chicken. It’s all about breeding, better animal husbandry practices, and improvements in chicken care (like living conditions, veterinary care, and overall chicken health). Plus, it’s expensive and tedious to administer hormones or steroids to animals, and it just doesn’t make sense for chicken farmers to do that when there’s no need.
If you’d like to learn more, check out this page from Chicken Check In. It has a short video that does a great job of explaining the facts about chicken!
Let’s Get Into This Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
Ok, now for the tasty stuff. Let’s cook!
This meal comes together pretty quickly, even if you’re cooking your rice the day of (more on that below). Stir-frying vegetables over high heat shortens the cooking time to just a few minutes. And that high heat can create some extra flavor as the edges of the veggies char and brown a little bit.
The same goes for the chicken thighs. Once they’re in a hot pan, they’ll need a few minutes on each side, but the whole process of making this hot honey chicken recipe is only about 30 minutes.
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: The minimum safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F. I highly recommend adding a meat thermometer to your kitchen tool collection for verifying your chicken is fully cooked every time!
What else can you use besides chicken thighs?
Chicken is such a versatile protein. You’re not locked into using thighs for this hot honey chicken recipe. I shared a video on my Instagram that highlighted some simple swaps, but my two best recommendations are:
- Breaded tenders (cooked in the air fryer or oven)
- Rotisserie-style chicken breast, shredded or chopped
I was a late-comer to the air fryer, but once I finally invested in one I realized how easy it was to get great results using frozen chicken tenders. I loved chicken tenders as a kid (I’m sure I’m not the only one!) and immediately thought of the crispy, crunchy texture they’d add to these rice bowls.
The other option is even more convenient: rotisserie chicken. There’s a grocery store on my drive home from the office so I’ll sometimes stop in and pick up a few staples and a rotisserie chicken for an easy dinner. I use rotisserie chicken so many ways (in fact, I have an entire series on what to do with a rotisserie chicken). If you’re a fan of white meat cuts, be sure to try this option!
What can you serve with this Hot Honey Chicken Recipe?
While I’d argue the hot honey chicken thighs are delightful on their own, I get it. It’s not exactly a meal at that point. So here’s what I like to do: I cook some white rice while preparing everything else. I have an electric rice cooker so that takes care of it with zero babysitting from me, but stovetop cooking methods, minute rice, or even a frozen bag of rice will work. The rice will become the base of my hot honey chicken bowls, but we’re still missing some veggies.
Stir-fries are such a staple in my house that it’s rarely a recipe and more like a method. When I was testing this hot honey chicken recipe I kept coming back to broccoli, red bell peppers, and carrots. The broccoli florets have a lot of surface area, which is ideal for grabbing a ton of that hot honey drizzle for each bite. And the carrots and red bell pepper both release some natural sweetness as they cook, so that enhances the sweet flavors of the hot honey sauce.
If you have extra hot honey sauce left, turn it into a hot honey dressing and make this Easy Halloumi Salad next!
The bottom line is, you can serve this hot honey chicken recipe with whatever you like. Here are some other suggestions you might find appetizing:
- Noodles
- Brown rice
- Onions
- Mushrooms, especially shitake or portobello
- Bok choy or napa cabbage
Adjust the cooking time as needed, but make any substitutions you need to so you can make it your own! This hot honey chicken recipe can work well for meal prep, as the leftovers are easily reheated in the microwave. Just be sure to eat leftovers within three to four days. Of course, that’s assuming you can get them to last that long! Every time I make this, I polish off whatever’s left the very next day.
Here’s the recipe for Hot Honey Chicken & Rice Bowls!
Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the Hot Honey Drizzle
For the Chicken & Rice Bowls
- 1 small head of broccoli
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 2/3 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp All-Purpose MSG Seasoning, or salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
To Make the Hot Honey Drizzle
- Place a small saucepan over low heat. Add all of the ingredients for the Hot Honey Drizzle to the pan and whisk to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a low simmer. As soon as it's fully bubbling (less than 15-30 seconds), remove from the burner and transfer to a jar. Allow to cool as you prepare the rest of the recipe.
To Make the Chicken & Rice Bowls
- Cook rice according to personal preference (electric rice cooker, stovetop, microwave).
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and season with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Use tongs to flip and coat the chicken thighs, then set aside while you stir fry the vegetables.
- Prepare the vegetables by chopping the broccoli into florets. Slice the red bell pepper into thin slices and peel & shred the carrot (or use prepared shredded carrots).
- Place your wok, cast iron skillet, or non-stick skillet on high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the sesame oil. Once the oil is heated, add the broccoli. Cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring to prevent excessive charring, before adding the sliced bell pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes more before adding the carrots. Stir to combine, then cook 1-2 minutes more, or until the vegetables are cooked to your preferred doneness.
- Remove from the pan into a clean serving bowl, then prepare the pan to cook the chicken. Re-heat the pan if needed, then place the seasoned chicken thighs into the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes, without disturbing, then flip and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Cook to 165 degrees F according to a meat thermometer, then remove from the pan. Allow to cool slightly, then slice the chicken thighs into thin strips.
- To serve, build the bowls by layering the cooked rice into the bottoms. Add the stir-fried vegetables and sliced chicken thighs, then pour the hot honey drizzle over the top. Serve hot, or allow leftovers to cool before storing in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this hot honey chicken recipe, be sure to leave me a rating and comment to let me know what you think! I’d love to hear about any variations you use or other cuts of chicken. And if you like these chicken & rice bowls, you might also like these recipes:
- Caprese Chicken & Rice Bake
- Easy Weeknight Fried Rice with Rotisserie Chicken
- Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken with Roasted Veggies
And be sure to check out the resources on the Chicken Check-In website! There are more great recipes, plus quick reads for information about the health & nutrition benefits of chicken, sustainability topics, and virtual reality tours to see life on a chicken farm.
Questions & Reviews
You had me at hot honey! And the drool began. haha This dish is absolutely delish and I just wanted to spoon the honey sauce right in my mouth. Yum.
The sweetness is just right on here and certainly a nice change to anything herb spiced only chicken delicious and will make again!
I’m making this for dinner tonight. Looks delicious and easy to make. So healthy too. Thanks!
The recipe looked so good I had to try it out! Well, it turned out perfectly delicious and it’s staying on my menu rotation. And I must thank you for all the info on hormones. I was under the misconception that lots of chicken does contain it.
I love this combination of hot and sweet!!! This dish was simply fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Loving the sound of this chicken recipe. The hot and sweet honey is a great addition for sure.
I LOVE anything with hot honey! The extra flavor from the homemade hot honey drizzle really elevated this dish!
This is definitely the way to go to enjoy a hearty dinner without the take-out. The hot honey drizzle is delicious and I am already thinking of what other recipes I can use it in.
Totally drolling! I love the combo of sweet and hot and this came out great. Everyone I made it for asked for seconds.