Sweet and Spicy Honey Pepper Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken with sweet-spicy glaze served alongside creamy mac and cheese. Comfort food made easy.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ For the Honey Pepper Sauce
06 - 1/3 cup honey
07 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp sriracha or hot sauce
10 - 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
→ For the Creamy Mac and Cheese
13 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or small pasta
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
16 - 2 cups whole milk
17 - 1 cup heavy cream
18 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
19 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
20 - 1/2 tsp salt
21 - 1/4 tsp ground mustard (optional)
22 - 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sriracha, black pepper, and minced garlic. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in butter.
05 - Brush half the honey pepper sauce over seared chicken. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions; drain and set aside.
07 - In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
08 - Gradually whisk in milk and cream; cook, stirring, until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, salt, mustard, and pepper; stir until smooth.
09 - Add pasta to cheese sauce, stirring to coat evenly.
10 - Remove chicken from oven, brush with remaining honey pepper sauce. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
11 - Serve sliced chicken over or alongside creamy mac and cheese.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet heat and savory depth that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
- Everything comes together in one hour, but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- The homemade mac and cheese is worth the effort and beats any boxed version by a mile
02 -
- Don't skip resting the chicken after it comes out of the oven, those five minutes make the difference between juicy and dry meat
- The sauce thickens as it cools, so don't overreduce it in the pan or it will become too sticky
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, the anti-caking agents prevent smooth melting
03 -
- If your sauce looks too thin, let it simmer an extra minute, but remember it will thicken as it cools on the chicken
- Room temperature cheese melts into the sauce more smoothly than cold cheese straight from the fridge