One Pan Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable)

Savory one-pan meal with chicken, rice, broccoli in sweet honey garlic glaze

# 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

→ 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:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper. 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.
03 - Add rinsed rice, carrots, and most of the green onions to the pan. Stir to combine.
04 - Pour the sauce and chicken broth into the pan, mixing well. Bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
06 - Lift the lid and scatter broccoli florets evenly over the rice without stirring. Replace the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
07 - Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and reserved green onions. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pan means one cleanup, which my tired self celebrates every single time.
  • The sauce is sweet enough to feel indulgent but balanced with garlic and soy so it never tips into cloying.
  • Dinner lands on the table in under an hour, rice fully cooked and vegetables still holding their snap.
02 -
  • Don't stir the rice after you add the liquid—I learned this the hard way when I kept peeking and stirring, turning it into gluey porridge instead of fluffy grains.
  • Adding the broccoli at the last minute keeps it from turning into a sad, overcooked shadow; it only needs 8-10 minutes to go from raw to perfect.
  • If your rice is still crunchy after the initial 15 minutes, cover it again for another 3-5 minutes instead of panicking—every pan heats differently.
03 -
  • Prep all your ingredients before you turn the heat on—this is the kind of dish that moves quickly once it starts, and you won't want to be hunting for things mid-sear.
  • If you're feeding more than four people, don't try to crowd the pan; instead, make it twice and let each batch have its moment without fighting for heat.
  • The leftover rice keeps beautifully in the refrigerator and can be gently reheated in a covered pan with a splash of broth, or even fried in a hot skillet with a little oil for a completely different meal the next day.
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