One Pan Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken, rice, and broccoli in sweet garlicky sauce. All in one pan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Grains

01 - 1 pound 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

→ 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 garnish

# How-To Steps:

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 all ingredients evenly.
04 - Pour the prepared sauce and chicken broth into the pan, mixing well. Bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, 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 without stirring. Replace the lid immediately and cook for another 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 rice with a fork to separate grains.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls or plates. Garnish with sesame seeds and reserved green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying dinner instead of washing dishes.
  • The chicken turns impossibly tender while the rice absorbs all that garlicky, sweet sauce, and it tastes like takeout without the phone call or delivery wait.
  • Dinner is ready in 45 minutes, making this perfect for weeknights when you're hungry but don't want to overthink it.
02 -
  • Don't stir after you add the broccoli; this is the hardest part of the whole recipe because you'll want to, but stirring breaks the broccoli and lets steam escape, which means dry rice.
  • The liquid should be completely absorbed when the rice is done; if there's still liquid pooling and the rice is tender, uncover and cook for 1-2 more minutes to evaporate it.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into uniform 1-inch pieces so everything cooks at the same rate; irregular sizes mean some pieces are done while others are still tough.
  • Don't skip the sesame oil even though it seems like a small ingredient; it's what transforms this from good to that golden, restaurant-quality result.
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