Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; Salt and black pepper, to taste; ½ cup cornstarch (or all-purpose flour); 2 tbsp olive oil (or spray for air fryer); ⅓ cup honey; 2 tbsp hot sauce (Sriracha, Frank’s RedHot, or your favorite); 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 garlic clove, minced or grated; Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional); Salt, to taste; 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, jasmine, or cauliflower rice); 1 cup shredded coleslaw mix or cabbage; 1 avocado, sliced; ¼ cup pickled red onions (optional); 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or green onions; Sesame seeds (optional for topping)

Description

This Hot Honey Chicken Rice Bowl is the ultimate sweet-meets-spicy dinner! Crispy chicken bites are tossed in a sticky homemade hot honey glaze and served over fluffy rice with crunchy slaw, creamy avocado, and bold toppings. It’s a feel-good, flavor-packed dinner ready in about 30 minutes — perfect for meal prep or a weeknight win!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and black pepper, to taste
½ cup cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
2 tbsp olive oil (or spray for air fryer)

For the Hot Honey Sauce:

⅓ cup honey
2 tbsp hot sauce (Sriracha, Frank’s RedHot, or your favorite)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt, to taste

For the Bowls:

2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, jasmine, or cauliflower rice)
1 cup shredded coleslaw mix or cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup pickled red onions (optional)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro or green onions
Sesame seeds (optional for topping)

Instructions

Prep the Chicken: Season chicken with salt and pepper, then toss in cornstarch until coated.
Cook the Chicken: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until golden and cooked through (about 3–4 minutes per side). For air fryer: cook at 400°F for 12–14 minutes, flipping halfway.
Make the Hot Honey Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine honey, hot sauce, vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Simmer over low heat for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Coat the Chicken: Toss cooked chicken in the hot honey sauce until evenly coated.

Assemble Bowls: Start with rice in each bowl, then layer with hot honey chicken, slaw, avocado, pickled onions, herbs, and sesame seeds. Serve warm!

Notes

Adjust the heat: Use less hot sauce or skip the red pepper flakes for a milder version.
Swap proteins: Try it with shrimp, tofu, or even crispy cauliflower!
Make ahead: The chicken and sauce can be prepped and stored separately.
Low-carb? Use cauliflower rice as your base.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days — great for lunch meal prep!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dinner, Main Course
Method: Stovetop or Air Fryer
Cuisine: American, Asian-Inspired

Keywords: Hot Honey Chicken Rice Bowl