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Hot Honey Chicken Bowls

Sweet, spicy, and crispy — these hot honey chicken bowls are packed with flavor and served over buttery garlic rice. It's an easy halal comfort meal that feels restaurant-quality at home, and it comes together with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken:
  • 1.5 lbs halal chicken thighs boneless
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
For the hot honey:
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce your preference
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
For the buttery garlic rice:
  • 2 cups cooked basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • Pinch of salt
For the bowl:
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • Optional drizzle
  • Plain yogurt thinned with a little water and a pinch of salt, for a cooling sauce

Method
 

  1. Season the chicken thighs all over with garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken thighs 6 to 7 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Let them rest for 5 minutes, then slice or chop into chunks.
  2. While the chicken rests, make the hot honey by combining the honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and warm for just 2 to 3 minutes until it comes together and loosens slightly. Remove from heat.
  3. In a warm pan, melt the butter over low heat, add the minced garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Fold in the cooked basmati rice and a pinch of salt, tossing until every grain is coated.
  4. Start with a scoop of the garlic rice. Add the chicken pieces on top. Arrange the shredded cabbage and sliced avocado alongside. Drizzle the hot honey generously over the chicken. Top with sesame seeds and green onions. If using the yogurt drizzle, add that now too for a cooling contrast against the heat.
  5. Serve with lime wedges on the side, and squeeze the lime over everything right before eating.

Notes

Let the chicken rest before cutting. Slicing immediately off the heat lets the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat, 5 minutes makes a real difference. Warm the hot honey gently.
High heat can make the honey seize or the hot sauce turn bitter; low heat for just a couple of minutes is all it needs.
Add the yogurt drizzle if you like contrast. It's optional, but it tempers the heat nicely if you're serving this to guests with varying spice tolerance.