My Go To for Crazy Weeknights: One-Pan Honey BBQ Chicken Rice!
Oh my goodness, you guys. Some days, the thought of cooking an elaborate meal, and then facing a mountain of dishes, is enough to make me want to order takeout. Again. That’s where this absolute gem of a recipe, my One-Pan Honey BBQ Chicken Rice, comes in. I swear, the first time I threw this together, mostly out of desperation and a serious craving for something sweet and savory, I was hooked. My kids even ate it without a fuss, which, let me tell you, is a minor miracle in our house!
Why You’re Gonna Love This (Probably as Much as I Do)
Okay, so why is this dish a regular on my meal plan? Well, for starters:
- One Pan, People! Seriously, the clue’s in the name. Less washing up = a happier me. And probably a happier you too.
- So. Much. Flavour. The honey, the BBQ sauce, the juicy chicken, the fluffy rice all cooked together… it’s just a big ol’ pan of comfort.
- Super Customizable. Don’t like it too sweet? Use less honey. Want more veggies? Chuck ’em in! (More on that later).
- My family goes absolutely bonkers for this because it’s got that sticky, sweet, and savory thing going on. It’s a real crowd pleaser, even for the fussy eaters (I have one of those, trust me). I make this when I’m feeling properly knackered after a long day and just need something reliable and tasty. And I’ve finally figured out how to get the rice perfectly cooked in the same pan, not too mushy, not too hard – it was a bit of trial and error, I won’t lie!
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
Here’s the shopping list. Don’t stress too much about exact brands, use what you love!
- Chicken: About 1 to 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces. I much prefer thighs because they stay so juicy, but chicken breasts work fine too; just be careful not to overcook them or they can get a bit dry.
- Rice: 1 cup of long grain white rice. I always rinse mine – I find it stops it getting too clumpy. You could try basmati too!
- Chicken Broth: 2 cups. Low sodium is good, then you can control the salt. Sometimes I just use a stock cube and hot water if I’m out of carton broth.
- BBQ Sauce: 1/2 cup of your favorite. Sweet Baby Ray’s is a classic, but any smoky, sweet one you like will be ace. My grandad always insisted on a particular local brand, bless him, but honestly, whatever you’ve got!
- Honey: 1/4 cup. Runny honey is easiest to mix.
- Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon. Or any neutral cooking oil.
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced. Or a teaspoon of garlic powder if you’re feeling lazy (no judgement here!).
- Onion: 1 small onion, chopped.
- Optional extras: A pinch of smoked paprika for extra smokiness, a teaspoon of soy sauce for depth, or even a handful of frozen peas or corn tossed in towards the end. Some chopped bell peppers (any color!) are also lovely in this.
Let’s Get Cooking: The How To Bit
Alright, apron on? Let’s do this. It’s simpler than you think.
- First things first, get your chicken chopped into chunks, not too big, not too small. Season it with a bit of salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together your BBQ sauce and honey. This is where I usually sneak a taste – purely for quality control, of course! Set that aside.
- Grab a large oven safe skillet (cast iron is brilliant if you have one). Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until it starts to soften, then toss in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Don’t let that garlic burn, it’s a terrible taste!
- Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan and add the chicken pieces. Cook them for a few minutes on each side until they’re nicely browned. They don’t need to be cooked all the way through at this point.
- Now, pour that lovely honey BBQ sauce mixture over the chicken. Stir it all up so the chicken is nicely coated. Let it bubble for a minute or two. Oh, the smell!
- Sprinkle in the rinsed rice around the chicken. Then, pour in the chicken broth. Give it a gentle stir to combine everything, making sure the rice is mostly submerged.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer. Once it’s simmering, cover the skillet tightly with a lid (or foil if your skillet doesn’t have a lid). Reduce the heat to low.
- Let it cook for about 18-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Try not to peek too much! Let it do it’s thing. (Its a common mistake to lift the lid too often!)
- Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let it sit, still covered, for another 5-10 minutes. This step is surprisingly important for fluffy rice.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, serve it up, and watch it disappear!
A Few Little Notes From My Kitchen
- If your BBQ sauce is super duper thick, you might want to thin it out with a tiny splash of water or some of the chicken broth before mixing with the honey.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice! It really does make a difference to the final texture, trust me on this. I learned that the hard way.
- If you’re using chicken breasts, they might cook a bit faster, so just keep an eye on them.
Want to Mix It Up? Some Variations I’ve Tried
I love a good experiment in the kitchen!
- Spicy Kick: Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the BBQ honey mixture. We love this version!
- Pineapple Express: Toss in some canned pineapple chunks (drained!) along with the chicken. My daughter thinks this is the best thing ever. My husband? Not so much. You can’t win ’em all, eh?
- Veggie Boost: Add diced bell peppers (any color) with the onions. Or stir in a cup of frozen peas or corn during the last 5 minutes of the rice cooking.
- The One That Didn’t Work: Okay, I confess. I once tried using cauliflower rice to make it low carb. Let’s just say… it wasn’t my finest hour. The texture was just… no. Stick to real rice for this one, folks. Or at least, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Honestly, some evenings, the battle is just *getting* dinner on the table, isn’t it? I was watching this amazing series on Netflix the other day, Chef’s Table BBQ actually, and it just made me crave all things smoky and delicious. This dish isn’t quite pitmaster level, but it hits the spot! Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, equipment.
What You’ll Need (Gear Wise)
The star of the show is a good, large, oven safe skillet, preferably with a lid. A 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet is perfect. Actually, I find it works better if it is cast iron because it holds heat so well. But if you don’t have an oven safe one, no dramas! You can start it off in a regular skillet on the stovetop and then transfer everything to an ovenproof baking dish to finish cooking the rice. Just cover it tightly with foil. A bit more faff, but totally doable.
Storing the Goodness (If There’s Any Left!)
Leftovers are amazing for lunch the next day. I actually think the flavours meld together even more and it’s tastier! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Though, to be perfectly honest, in my gaff, it rarely lasts more than a day. We’re a hungry bunch.
How We Like to Eat It
We usually just serve this straight from the skillet – family style! It saves on washing up, which is always a win. A sprinkle of freshly chopped green onions or some cilantro (if you’re not one of those people who thinks it tastes like soap!) on top really freshens it up and makes it look a bit more ‘put together’. Sometimes, a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt on the side is a nice touch too, cuts through the sweetness a bit.
Pro Tips (Learned from My Mistakes!)
- Don’t Rush the Browning: I once tried to speed up browning the chicken by whacking the heat up super high. Big mistake. I got a smoky kitchen and some bits were a bit too… shall we say… ‘charred’. A nice medium high heat is your friend here for lovely color without burning the sauce later.
- Single Layer is Key: When you add the chicken and then the rice, try to make sure it’s in a relatively even layer. If the chicken is all piled up, it won’t cook as evenly. Same for the rice, you want it all to have a chance to absorb that lovely broth.
- Resting is Besting: Seriously, don’t skip that 5-10 minute rest after the rice has cooked and the heat is off. It makes such a difference to the texture. I used to be impatient and dive straight in, and the rice was never quite as good. For more tips on perfect rice, Allrecipes has a good guide.
Your Questions Answered (Probably!)
- Can I use brown rice instead of white?
- You probably could, yeah! But brown rice takes a fair bit longer to cook and usually needs more liquid. So, you’d need to adjust the broth amount (probably add an extra 1/2 cup or so) and definitely increase the cooking time – maybe 35-45 minutes. Keep an eye on it! It’ll be a bit of an experiment form your end.
- Is this recipe very sweet?
- Well, it has both honey AND BBQ sauce, so it’s definitely got a sweet and savory vibe, leaning towards sweet. If you prefer less sweetness, you can reduce the amount of honey a bit, or choose a BBQ sauce that’s more tangy or smoky rather than super sweet. Taste the sauce before you add it all in!
- Help! My rice is always mushy/hard. What am I doing wrong?
- Ah, the eternal rice struggle! Mushy rice usually means too much liquid, or you’ve stirred it too much while it was cooking (that releases starch). Hard rice usually means not enough liquid or not cooked long enough. Make sure your skillet is covered tightly so steam doesn’t escape. Also, as I said, rinsing your rice helps. And that resting step is golden! Different brands of rice can also absorb liquid differently, it’s a pain sometimes.
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- You sure can! It reheats pretty well. You might need to add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it up a bit, especially the rice. It’s a great one for meal prep lunches.
- What kind of chicken is best?
- I’m a thigh girl all the way for this One-Pan Honey BBQ Chicken Rice because they just stay juicier and have more flavour. But boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces, will also work. Just be mindful they can dry out quicker, so maybe check them a bit sooner. If you want to learn more about chicken cuts, the USDA website has loads of info.
Hope you love this One-Pan Honey BBQ Chicken Rice as much as we do! Let me know if you try it!
simo
