This Honey BBQ Chicken Rice saved me from ordering takeout for the third time in a week. I made it the first time when I had leftover rice and chicken in the fridge and thought "what if I just make this all one thing." Turns out sticky sweet BBQ chicken over rice is exactly what weeknight dinners should be.
Why You'll Love This Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
I've been making this honey BBQ chicken and rice for about five months now, ever since my neighbor asked what smelled so good and I realized I'd accidentally created something worth sharing.
What Actually Works: The beauty of this Honey BBQ Chicken Rice is it's basically a complete meal in one pan. You cook chicken with honey BBQ sauce until it's sticky and glazed, serve it over rice with whatever vegetables you have, and suddenly dinner is done. The first time I made this BBQ chicken rice bowl, I was shocked how much it tasted like restaurant food when I literally just threw ingredients in a pan. My kids who normally complain about everything ate it without a single protest. The honey makes the BBQ sauce sticky and sweet, the chicken stays juicy, and serving it over rice soaks up all that sauce.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most people mess up their honey barbecue chicken recipe by cooking the chicken too long so it dries out, or they add the honey too early and it burns. Some use bottled BBQ sauce without adding anything and wonder why it tastes generic. This sticky BBQ chicken with rice works because you add honey at the right time and season properly so it actually has flavor.
The thing that changed everything: Understanding that you add the HONEY at the END for perfect Honey BBQ Chicken Rice. My first attempt I mixed honey with BBQ sauce from the start and cooked everything together. The honey burned in the pan and turned bitter, the sauce looked dark and weird, and the whole thing tasted wrong. Started adding honey in the last few minutes of cooking so it glazes without burning, and suddenly this chicken rice with honey BBQ sauce tasted like something worth making again.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
- What You'll Need for Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
- How to Make Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Reuse Instructions
- What to Serve With Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
- My Honey BBQ Chicken Rice Journey
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
Simple pantry ingredients you probably already have. Nothing fancy required.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- BBQ sauce
- Honey
- Cooked rice
- Garlic
- Onion
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for cooking
Optional Add Ins
- Bell peppers for color
- Broccoli or green beans
- Soy sauce for depth
- Green onions for garnish
- Sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes for heat
That's it. Basic stuff that makes this one-pan honey BBQ chicken dinner actually doable on a Tuesday.
How to Make Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
This baked BBQ chicken rice is so simple my teenager makes it when I'm working late.
Step 1: Prep
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Dice your onion and mince garlic. Have your cooked rice ready (I use leftover rice or minute rice to save time).
Step 2: Cook
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and mostly cooked through. Add diced onion and garlic, cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Step 3: Sauce
Pour BBQ sauce over the chicken and stir to coat everything. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is fully cooked. Don't add honey yet or it'll burn.
Step 4: Glaze
Turn heat to low and drizzle honey over everything. Stir well and cook for just 2 more minutes until the sauce gets sticky and glazed. This is when it becomes proper sticky BBQ chicken with rice instead of just chicken with sauce.
Step 5: Serve
Serve the honey BBQ chicken over your cooked rice. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if you want. Add any vegetables on the side or mixed in. That's it, dinner is done.
You'll have this amazing sweet and savory chicken rice that tastes way better than takeout. The sticky honey BBQ glaze coating the chicken over fluffy rice is exactly what comfort food should be.
Top Tip
- Add honey at the end for Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, not the beginning
- Honey burns easily so only cook it for 2 minutes after adding
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts, they stay juicier
- Don't skip seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper first
- Have everything prepped before you start cooking, it goes fast
- Leftover rice works better than fresh for this recipe
- Made the burnt honey mistake once, never again
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The basic honey BBQ chicken rice is already perfect but you can customize it.
Different Proteins
Pork chops cut into pieces work great for this BBQ chicken rice bowl. Shrimp cooks even faster. Tofu if you want vegetarian, just adjust cooking time.
Sauce Variations
Mix BBQ sauce with a splash of soy sauce for Asian fusion vibes. Add Sriracha for spicy honey BBQ chicken rice. Use different BBQ sauce flavors like smoky or sweet.
Rice Options
Brown rice makes it healthier. Jasmine rice is my favorite because it's fluffy and fragrant. Cauliflower rice if you're doing low carb. Quinoa works too.
Add Vegetables
Throw in bell peppers with the onions for color and crunch. Broccoli florets in the last few minutes. Snap peas or green beans. Makes it a complete one-pan honey BBQ chicken dinner.
Make It Spicy
Add red pepper flakes or cayenne to the BBQ sauce. Use pepper jack cheese on top. Jalapeños mixed in with the vegetables.
Meal Prep Version
Make this honey BBQ chicken rice meal prep by portioning into containers with rice and vegetables. Keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Perfect for lunches.
Storage and Reuse Instructions
This honey barbecue chicken recipe keeps really well, which is great for meal prep.
Refrigerator: Store Honey BBQ Chicken Rice in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The sauce might thicken as it sits, just add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat.
Reheating: Microwave individual portions for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a tiny bit of water if it seems dry. Stovetop works too, just heat gently with a splash of liquid.
Make Ahead: Cook the chicken ahead and store separately from rice. Reheat and serve over freshly cooked rice when ready to eat.
What to Serve With Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
This sticky BBQ chicken with rice is pretty complete on its own but here's what works for sides.
Vegetables: Steamed broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, or simple green salad. Something fresh to balance the sweet sauce.
Extra Sides: Coleslaw is classic with BBQ anything. Corn on the cob if it's summer. Garlic bread if you want extra carbs.
Keep It Simple: Honestly this BBQ chicken rice dinner is filling enough that you probably just need a vegetable and you're done. Maybe some fruit for dessert.
My Honey BBQ Chicken Rice Journey
First time I tried making Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, I mixed the honey into the BBQ sauce at the beginning and cooked everything together on medium high heat. The honey burned and turned bitter, the sauce looked dark and gross, and the chicken was dry. My husband ate it to be nice but I could tell it wasn't good.
Second attempt I added the honey at the right time but used chicken breasts that were way too thick. The outside was done but the middle was still raw when I served it. Had to put everything back in the pan and cook longer, which made the chicken tough and dry. The sauce was good but the chicken was ruined.
Third time I finally got it right. Cut chicken into even bite-sized pieces, cooked them properly, added honey at the very end for just 2 minutes to glaze. The Honey BBQ Chicken Rice came out perfect with sticky sweet sauce coating tender chicken over fluffy rice. My kids each had two servings and asked when I was making it again.
Now I make this honey BBQ chicken and rice at least twice a month because it's genuinely one of the easiest dinners that actually tastes good. Add honey at the end, use bite-sized chicken pieces, don't overcook. That's literally the whole secret.
FAQ
What goes well with honey, chicken, and rice?
Honey BBQ Chicken Rice goes well with steamed or roasted vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or bell peppers. Coleslaw is classic with BBQ chicken. A simple green salad with light dressing balances the sweetness. You could also add sautéed mushrooms or corn. The rice already makes it a complete meal so you really just need a vegetable on the side.
What is honey barbecue sauce made of?
Honey barbecue sauce is regular BBQ sauce with honey added for sweetness and sticky glaze. For this Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, I use bottled BBQ sauce and add honey at the end of cooking. If making from scratch, it's ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, spices, and honey. The honey gives it that sticky glazed coating.
What spices enhance the flavor of honey chicken?
The best spices for honey BBQ chicken are garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne for heat. Fresh garlic and onion cooked with the chicken add tons of flavor. Some people add ginger or Chinese five-spice for Asian fusion. For this Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, I keep it simple with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper so the honey BBQ flavor shines.
What cut of chicken is best for honey barbecue?
Chicken thighs are best for honey barbecue because they stay juicier and more flavorful than breasts. For this Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, I cut boneless skinless thighs into bite-sized pieces. Chicken breasts work too but can dry out easier, so cut them smaller and don't overcook. Thighs are more forgiving and taste better with BBQ sauce.
More Recipes You'll Love
Once you've mastered this Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, try my Bacon and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese for another comfort food dinner. My Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese is perfect for easy lunches. And my Crispy Gnocchi with Spinach and Feta is another quick weeknight winner. All of these are recipes I actually make regularly because they're worth the effort.
Honey BBQ Chicken Rice
Equipment
- 1 large skillet For cooking chicken and sauce
- 1 Cutting board and knife For cutting chicken and vegetables
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula For stirring
- 1 Rice cooker or pot For cooking rice
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ½ cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups cooked rice white, brown, or jasmine
- Green onions sliced (for garnish)
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Snap peas or green beans
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 2 inches each, keeping them the same size so they cook evenly. Season with salt and black pepper. Dice your onion and mince the garlic. Have your cooked rice ready (leftover rice works great).
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add seasoned chicken in a single layer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked. Add diced onion and garlic, cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant. Don't let the garlic burn.
- Pour BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir to coat everything evenly. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked through. Don't add honey yet or it will burn.
- Turn heat to low and drizzle honey over everything. Stir well to combine with the BBQ sauce. Cook for just 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes thick, sticky, and glossy. Don't cook honey longer than 2 minutes or it can burn and turn bitter.
- Divide cooked rice among serving bowls. Top with the honey BBQ chicken and all that sticky sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Honey BBQ Chicken Rice:
Leave a Reply