Spicy Honey Chicken With Broccoli Recipe (2024)

By Yasmin Fahr

Spicy Honey Chicken With Broccoli Recipe (1)

Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(1,971)
Notes
Read community notes

Seasoned with pickled jalapeño juice and honey, these juicy thighs have a tangy, spicy-sweet flavor profile that evokes Tex-Mex toppings and salty soy sauce chicken. In this mostly one-pot meal, broccoli florets steam in the heat of the skillet alongside the chicken, so be sure to cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces that will cook in the time it takes the chicken to finish. (Chopped asparagus would be an easy swap for the broccoli.) Though the dish is vibrant on its own, adding some minced garlic or ginger to the honey mixture and finishing with fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley can brighten it even further.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • 2heaping tablespoons jarred pickled jalapeños, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1- to 1½-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • 1small head broccoli, florets cut into bite-size pieces (3 to 4 cups)
  • ½cup crumbled feta

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

371 calories; 18 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 39 grams protein; 744 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Spicy Honey Chicken With Broccoli Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey and 1 tablespoon pickling liquid. Season the chicken lightly all over with salt, then add to the mixture, tossing to coat.

  2. Heat a (dry) 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms are golden brown and easily release from the pan, about 7 minutes.

  3. Step

    3

    Use tongs to flip the chicken; let cook, undisturbed, until the chicken has no pink spots on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes more, reducing the heat as necessary to keep it from scorching.

  4. Step

    4

    Push the chicken to the sides of the pan, then add the broccoli to the center. Season the broccoli lightly with salt, cover the skillet and cook until the chicken cooks through, about 2 minutes. Stir to combine, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pan, and cook uncovered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender or to your liking, 1 to 2 minutes more.

  5. Step

    5

    Off heat, mix in half the feta and jalapeños, scraping up anything on the bottom. If the pan looks dry, then add 1 tablespoon of pickling liquid (or water, if sensitive to heat). Top with the remaining feta and jalapeños.

Ratings

4

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1,971

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

MadOlive

So good and super easy, perfect for the work week. I added ginger to the honey mixture, subbed asparagus for the broccoli, and served it over jasmin rice. Topped with sriracha and feta.

TomC

Not sure when the pan should be covered or uncovered - could this be added?

Andy Milder

In step 4, it says to cover the skillet…the rest would be without.

William

We decided to add a bit more oil, honey, and jalapeño liquid in a bowl with the chicken to marinate for about an hour. This allowed for a more flavorful chicken that came out delicious! Served over roasted sweet potatoes and we just found a new favorite (and easy) weeknight meal.

Leslie

swapped in tofu drained and torn into craggy bite sized pieces for the chicken. served over quinoa. super delicious and super healthy lunch that was ready in less time than the quinoa took to cook.

Monica S

Tasty and easy! I did add garlic to the mixture and garnished with parsley. Also subbed maple syrup as I ran out of honey and it worked fine. Would serve over rice next time!

Mimi

I used one pound of chicken or maybe a little less, grated two fat garlic cloves into the marinade, doubled the jalapeños, and squeezed half a lime over the pan as the broccoli and chicken were cooking. I added a bit more honey while cooking- maybe a teaspoon. I added the feta to the top after plating the dish in shallow bowls. It was fantastic! Will make again.

Jason

sounds delicious. I have some naan in the freezer, and I think this will make a beautiful filling for a wrap made with the naan.

David M

I found this dry and without a lot of flavor, so it certainly didn't benefit from being over rice. I did like the jalapenos. It also needs to have more of a sauce before it hits the plate. I really wanted to like this as it is so simple, but alas, that was not to be.

JessicaC

I found this to be very plain. Subbed tofu for chicken. Ended up doubling the sauce and adding green garlic, red chili flakes and some grated ginger to enhance it a bit. No luck.

Brie

I think any pickled pepper will do so go with whatever you favor.

A few additions for freshness and flavor

1. Minced garlic in the marinade. (The more the merrier.)2. One sliced fresh jalapeño in with the broccoli. 3. A tray of spicy microgreens lightly mixed in just before serving. And get the *hot* pickled jalapeños if that’s your thing. This version is a top five dish in our house.

Goodtasha

With about 1.5 times the chicken and broccoli and 2 times the liquid (plus extra marinating time), I thought quite easy and tasty for a quick meal.

Andrea

Great and quick!!

Patrick

I found that heating a cast-iron skillet for two minutes, then cooking small pieces of boneless, skinless chicken undisturbed on medium-high heat for just four minutes (let alone the seven specified in the recipe) yielded a bunch of badly burned bird bits. Go easy on the heat.

Salsa Livre

Delicious and simple. Definitely add the garlic amd ginger. I used chicken breast deboned for a deeper flavour and sprinkled some chilli flakes and a naughty squeeze of lemon to serve over Bulgur wheat. X

Sam

I made this in the oven instead of on the stove top and was really pleased (seasoned the broccoli and chicken with oil, salt, and pepper. Roasted at 400 until the chicken reached 165). Since I wanted the broccoli to brown, I didn’t add the jalapeño juice to the pan. Instead, I blended it with some jalapeño slices and the feta to make a sauce for the dish. Will repeat this one for sure.

really great - some tweaks!

Loved this recipe. Super easy and simple. Next time, I will allow to chicken to soak in the honey mixture longer. Also adding more jalapeños and chopping them will add more uniform spice!

Iola Lucille Boylen

It's very bland and I even added garlic and other spices to the chicken. If bland chicken and veggies is your thing, this is a great recipe for you!

Toolgrrl Wright

I made this dish with a couple of small modifications and my husband and I both enjoyed it. I added an additional tablespoon of the pickle juice and three cloves of garlic to the marinade, and let it all soak for an hour before cooking. I also left the lid on during cooking, to contain the moisture. After the meat was cooked through, I added another tablespoon of the pickle juice, and doubled the time allotted to cook the broccoli (about 8 minutes). The meat was juicy and had plenty of flavor.

Cn

4 min for cooking raw broccoli is insane.

Kim

Perfect weeknight meal. It took no time. I am in no way a chef or a cook. I am a mom who works full-time. I think it could use a little more salt and a smidge more honey and maybe even a bit more jalapeño to give it a little bit more flavor. I don’t tend to like things that are spicy but I do think this could use a little bit more flavor but I think it cooks perfectly and I think the whole family would Enjoy.

dan

I made this and accidentally kept the thighs whole (vs slicing per the recipe). I found everything to be cooked well and it wasn’t dry at all -maybe that’s the key.

frooti

This was so flavourful and the perfect amount of spice for my mild palate - extra jalapeños when serving satiated my more spice-enthusiast dining partner. The chicken didn’t brown so I’ll have to troubleshoot next time. I served with roasted sweet potatoes.

alexandra

I really wanted to love this, but it came out rather flavorless. If I were to make it again, I would definitely add ginger and garlic and marinate for at least a few hours. I would finish with a squeeze of lime and season this more aggressively.

Whitney Black

Added ginger slices to marinade and in th spot while cooking. Finished with the feta PLUS a tangy vinegary forward hot sauce.

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Spicy Honey Chicken With Broccoli Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is honey chicken sauce made of? ›

A classic combination of honey, soy sauce and garlic working together to produce a sticky, sweet sauce to coat golden tender chicken pieces. I love to whip this up to serve over boiled rice for dinner, or as an easy addition to a homemade Chinese banquet.

What is chicken and broccoli sauce made of? ›

In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, cornstarch and water. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken and broccoli and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

What to pair with chicken and broccoli? ›

The best side dishes to serve with Chicken Broccoli Casserole are stuffed mushrooms, ham and cheese pinwheels, carrot soup, crispy green beans, butternut squash, shirazi salad, carrot fries, roasted brussels sprouts, cornbread, caprese salad, baked sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus, cauliflower rice, tomato soup, and ...

How to slice chicken for Chinese chicken and broccoli? ›

Chop up the broccoli into bite size bites. Just cut the florets off the stalk and then cut into halves or quarters. Slice the chicken breast into thin slices against the grain. When the chicken gets a bit thicker, slice it, and the cut that slice in half to create equal sized steps.

Can you use maple syrup instead of honey for honey chicken? ›

Yes, since they are both liquid sweeteners their shouldn't be any problems, But remember honey and maple syrup have different flavors so expect different taste but they both pair great with chicken anyways.

What is honey glaze sauce made of? ›

Making it is as simple as bringing just three ingredients to a simmer—honey, light brown sugar, and butter. The combination of honey and brown sugar provide a deep sweetness, while butter mellows and thickens the glaze for a sweet topping.

Is it OK to only eat chicken and broccoli? ›

By relying on chicken and broccoli, you miss out on other essential nutrients in your diet that are equally important for a healthy body. Excess of anything is bad, and there's no count of folks that experience the side effects of eating chicken every day, such as an increase in cholesterol, UTI, and other issues.

Why is Chinese broccoli so good? ›

Chinese broccoli is one of the world's most nutritious vegetables, brandishing the highest calcium content of any food. It is also rich with iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Beta carotene is no stranger to this deep green ingredient, which can help prevent age-related macular degeneration (or ARMD).

How do Chinese restaurants get broccoli so crispy? ›

The Chinese broccoli needs to cook as fast as possible, so that the nutrients and color don't have as much opportunity to leach out into the water. It's best to start with as much boiling water as you can. Restaurants serve amazingly green and crunchy Chinese broccoli because they use huge amounts of boiling water.

Why chicken broccoli is so effective? ›

Chicken is a good source of lean protein, which helps build and repair tissues in the body. Broccoli is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, providing essential nutrients for overall health. Together, they create a balanced meal that can support muscle growth, boost metabolism, and promote satiety.

How do the Chinese get their chicken so tender? ›

Chinese stir-fried chicken is extra tender due to the velveting technique. Chicken is sliced into thin, even-sized pieces and then marinated briefly in a mix of baking soda, cornstarch, wine, and seasoning. This seals in moisture and tenderizes the chicken.

How do Chinese restaurants get their chicken tender? ›

How do Chinese Restaurants tenderise chicken? There are actually a few different ways to tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way: marinating in a cornstarch/cornflour sludge then deep frying or blanching in water before proceeding to cook in the stir fry.

What is Chinese chicken and broccoli chicken made of? ›

Chinese restaurants almost always use chicken breast for chicken and broccoli because most Americans prefer white meat. However, if you prefer dark meat, you can use chicken thighs to make a delicious homemade dark meat chicken broccoli with brown sauce.

What is honey sauce made of? ›

Instead, it's "Honey Sauce," made from the ingredients many parents try to avoid: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar. This makes me really reluctant to try their other biscuit topping, "Buttery Spread." The ingredients aren't listed in this one--who knows what it contains? Probably not butter.

What does KFC honey sauce taste like? ›

Smoky and sweet, KFC's Honey BBQ Sauce offers a very unique flavor profile that surely won't disappoint any barbecue lover out there. That finger-licking stickiness comes along with its touch of sweetness which will have you craving for more after each dip into KFC's grilled chicken or fries.

What is honey butter sauce made of? ›

Mix the Butter, Honey and Vanilla essence in a small microwave resistant bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute or till the butter melts. Mix well when done.

What is honey hot wing sauce made of? ›

Made with pure honey, aged red cayenne peppers and just a hint of vermont maple. It's the perfect wing sauce for checking off all your flavor cravings at once.

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