Honey Garlic Chicken Broccoli Rice (Print Version)

Savory one-pan dinner with tender chicken, fluffy rice, crisp broccoli, and sweet garlicky sauce. Takeout-inspired, 45 minutes.

# 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 with some reserved for garnish

→ 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

# How to Make It:

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. 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 sauce and chicken broth into the pan, mixing well. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, 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 and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or 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 plates and garnish with sesame seeds and reserved green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • One pan means one cleanup, even on the nights when youre too tired to think straight.
  • The honey garlic sauce clings to every grain of rice and piece of chicken without feeling heavy or overly sweet.
  • Broccoli stays bright green and crisp-tender because it steams on top instead of turning to mush.
  • It tastes like takeout but costs a fraction and uses ingredients you probably already have.
02 -
  • Do not stir the broccoli into the rice when you add it; just lay it on top so it steams instead of stewing in the liquid and losing its texture.
  • If your pan isnt deep enough, the liquid might bubble over when it boils, so choose a skillet with high sides or use a Dutch oven.
  • Rinsing the rice is non-negotiable; skipping it will leave you with gluey, clumpy rice that sticks to the bottom.
  • Let the pan rest covered after cooking because the residual steam finishes cooking the rice and prevents it from drying out.
03 -
  • Use a clear glass lid if you have one so you can check the rice without lifting it and losing steam.
  • Cut the chicken into uniform pieces so they cook evenly and you dont end up with some dry and some undercooked.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute before sprinkling them on top; it makes them nutty and fragrant instead of flat and bland.
  • If youre using chicken breasts, slice them thinner than you think you should because they cook faster and can dry out easily.
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