Description
This One-Pan Bold Honey BBQ Chicken Rice combines tender, juicy chicken with flavorful long-grain rice simmered in a delicious honey BBQ sauce. Easy to prepare and packed with a perfect balance of sweet and smoky flavors, this dish makes a convenient and comforting weeknight meal all cooked in a single skillet for minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Rice
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chicken broth (or water)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (honey or smoky style)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon honey for extra sweetness or hot sauce for heat
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Dice the chicken into bite-sized cubes and season evenly with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor before cooking.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear them until golden brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, remove from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Toast the rice: Stir in the uncooked rice, allowing it to toast in the pan for about a minute. This step adds a subtle nutty flavor and improves the texture.
- Add liquid and deglaze pan: Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate their flavor into the dish.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the seared chicken to the skillet and stir in the BBQ sauce. If desired, add honey or hot sauce for extra sweetness or heat. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Simmer covered: Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed fully.
- Finish and serve: Fluff the rice gently with a fork, let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve warm with extra BBQ sauce on top if preferred.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for more tender, juicy meat or chicken breast for leaner protein.
- If substituting water for chicken broth, consider adding extra seasoning for depth of flavor.
- Adjust the amount of BBQ sauce to your taste, especially if you prefer it more or less saucy.
- To add vegetables, consider tossing in diced bell peppers or corn with the onions.
- This recipe can be doubled easily to feed a larger group using a bigger pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
