One Pan Honey Garlic Chicken (Print View)

Tender chicken and rice with crisp broccoli in a sweet honey garlic sauce, all cooked in one pan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Grains

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups broccoli florets
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 3 green onions, sliced with reserved portions for garnish

→ Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons honey
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Liquids

12 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Garnish

13 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
14 - Sliced green onions for serving

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then add chicken pieces. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
03 - Add rinsed rice, carrots, and most of the green onions to the pan. Stir to combine with the seared chicken.
04 - Pour the prepared sauce and chicken broth into the pan, stirring well to combine. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
06 - After 15 minutes, quickly lift the lid and scatter broccoli florets evenly over the rice surface without stirring. Replace the lid immediately and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is fully absorbed.
07 - Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate grains.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls or plates. Garnish with sesame seeds and reserved sliced green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof because there's nowhere for anything to hide when it's all in one pan, so you'll know immediately if something needs tweaking.
  • That sticky-sweet sauce tastes like you ordered it from your favorite place, but it cost a fraction of the price and took less time than delivery.
02 -
  • Don't stir once you cover it after the initial boil—I learned this the embarrassing way when I got impatient and ended up with gluey rice, and now I physically sit on my hands if I have to.
  • The broccoli goes in at the very end because it cooks in minutes and nothing ruins a good meal like mushy broccoli swimming in an already-cooked rice situation.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you're nervous about drying them out—they're naturally forgiving and taste richer, which pairs beautifully with that honey-garlic situation.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before garnishing so they taste nutty instead of just bland, and it takes almost no time.
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