Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Creamy macaroni with honey BBQ glazed chicken in a cheesy one-pan skillet.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Honey BBQ Sauce

06 - 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons honey
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Pasta & Cheese

11 - 8 ounces elbow macaroni or short pasta
12 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
13 - 1 cup milk
14 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
15 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Garnish

17 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
18 - Fresh parsley, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Coat chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until lightly browned but not cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Whisk together BBQ sauce, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder in a bowl. Pour over chicken, stirring to coat evenly. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add pasta, chicken broth, and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed, approximately 10-12 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low. Stir in cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and cooked chicken with sauce. Mix until cheese is melted and the dish reaches a creamy, well-combined consistency.
06 - Garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pan situation, which means your future self cleaning up will thank you profusely.
  • The honey BBQ sauce creates this glossy, caramelized coating on the chicken that tastes like someone spent hours on it, but you didn't.
  • Creamy cheddar pasta plus sticky chicken is the kind of flavor combination that doesn't need justifying.
02 -
  • If you cook the pasta all the way through before it goes into the skillet, it'll turn to mush by the time you finish, so aim for slightly under al dente when you drain it.
  • Stirring the pasta occasionally while it simmers prevents it from sticking to the bottom of the skillet and creating burnt bits that texture everything.
  • Don't skip the cream cheese because it's what prevents the sauce from breaking and becoming grainy once everything heats together.
03 -
  • If you like heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce to the BBQ sauce mixture before it hits the chicken, and taste as you go because heat builds.
  • Having all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking makes the whole process feel effortless, and these thirty minutes go by fast when you're not hunting for things mid-step.
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