Hot honey was invented by accident in 2005 when a Brooklyn pizzeria owner spilled sriracha into honey jars.
Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
Dive into a flavor fiesta with our Hot Honey Chicken Bowls! Juicy chicken thighs are glazed with a tantalizing hot honey sauce, perfectly balancing sweetness and spice, while zesty cilantro lime rice and vibrant corn salsa add a refreshing crunch. Get ready to savor every delicious bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Nashville-meets-Seoul mashup exploded in Los Angeles food trucks around 2015 when Korean-American chefs discovered Southern hot chicken and thought 'what if we swap the buttermilk for gochujang and add rice bowls'—suddenly America's spiciest comfort food got a proper Asian makeover that turned dive bar drunk food into Instagram-worthy meal prep gold.
Regional Twist
In Buffalo, New York, they ditch the honey completely and double the hot sauce, then toss the jasmine rice with blue cheese crumbles and celery salt for a proper wings-in-a-bowl experience.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 can black beans
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup (79 ml) chopped cilantro
- 12 oz (340 g) frozen corn
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 lime
- 1/2 red onion
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- chili powder (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- hot sauce (to taste)
- 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice
- olive oil (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube the chicken and drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
- 2
Warm a medium-sized pan over medium heat, add the chicken, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook the chicken thoroughly.
- 3
Add hot sauce and honey to the chicken and allow it to bubble for 1-2 minutes. Set the chicken aside.
- 4
Cook jasmine rice and mix in cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
- 5
Heat a small pan over medium heat, pour in the corn, and season with salt. Blister both sides of the corn.
- 6
Mix the corn with diced jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice.
- 7
Build your bowls by adding 200g rice, 4.5oz of chicken, 1/4 cup of corn salsa, and 2 tbsp of black beans into your container. Cover and refrigerate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cube chicken to uniform 3/4-inch pieces and cook at 275-300°F internal temperature to prevent moisture loss while allowing the honey-hot sauce glaze to caramelize without burning.technique3/4-inch cubes, 275-300°F internal
- ✓Toast jasmine rice in dry pan for 2-3 minutes before adding liquid to activate starches and create a nuttier flavor that complements the spicy-sweet chicken.technique2-3 minutes dry toasting
- ✓Add honey to the pan only after chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature because honey burns at 320°F and the residual heat will caramelize it perfectly in 60-90 seconds.timing165°F chicken, 60-90 seconds
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of honey to hot sauce and let it reduce by 30% to create a glossy glaze that coats the chicken without being too thin or overpowering.ingredient2:1 honey:hot sauce ratio, 30% reduction
- ✓Char corn at 400-450°F for 3-4 minutes per side to develop Maillard browning and concentrate sugars, creating smoky depth that balances the sweet heat.equipment400-450°F, 3-4 minutes per side
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Hot honey was invented by accident in 2005 when a Brooklyn pizzeria owner spilled sriracha into honey jars.
Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
Dive into a flavor fiesta with our Hot Honey Chicken Bowls! Juicy chicken thighs are glazed with a tantalizing hot honey sauce, perfectly balancing sweetness and spice, while zesty cilantro lime rice and vibrant corn salsa add a refreshing crunch. Get ready to savor every delicious bite!
The Story
This Nashville-meets-Seoul mashup exploded in Los Angeles food trucks around 2015 when Korean-American chefs discovered Southern hot chicken and thought 'what if we swap the buttermilk for gochujang and add rice bowls'—suddenly America's spiciest comfort food got a proper Asian makeover that turned dive bar drunk food into Instagram-worthy meal prep gold.
Regional Twist
In Buffalo, New York, they ditch the honey completely and double the hot sauce, then toss the jasmine rice with blue cheese crumbles and celery salt for a proper wings-in-a-bowl experience.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 can black beans
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup (79 ml) chopped cilantro
- 12 oz (340 g) frozen corn
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 lime
- 1/2 red onion
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- chili powder (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- hot sauce (to taste)
- 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice
- olive oil (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube the chicken and drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
- 2
Warm a medium-sized pan over medium heat, add the chicken, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook the chicken thoroughly.
- 3
Add hot sauce and honey to the chicken and allow it to bubble for 1-2 minutes. Set the chicken aside.
- 4
Cook jasmine rice and mix in cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
- 5
Heat a small pan over medium heat, pour in the corn, and season with salt. Blister both sides of the corn.
- 6
Mix the corn with diced jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice.
- 7
Build your bowls by adding 200g rice, 4.5oz of chicken, 1/4 cup of corn salsa, and 2 tbsp of black beans into your container. Cover and refrigerate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cube chicken to uniform 3/4-inch pieces and cook at 275-300°F internal temperature to prevent moisture loss while allowing the honey-hot sauce glaze to caramelize without burning.technique3/4-inch cubes, 275-300°F internal
- ✓Toast jasmine rice in dry pan for 2-3 minutes before adding liquid to activate starches and create a nuttier flavor that complements the spicy-sweet chicken.technique2-3 minutes dry toasting
- ✓Add honey to the pan only after chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature because honey burns at 320°F and the residual heat will caramelize it perfectly in 60-90 seconds.timing165°F chicken, 60-90 seconds
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of honey to hot sauce and let it reduce by 30% to create a glossy glaze that coats the chicken without being too thin or overpowering.ingredient2:1 honey:hot sauce ratio, 30% reduction
- ✓Char corn at 400-450°F for 3-4 minutes per side to develop Maillard browning and concentrate sugars, creating smoky depth that balances the sweet heat.equipment400-450°F, 3-4 minutes per side