Sweet Spicy Honey Pepper Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken glazed in honey pepper sauce served with creamy mac and cheese comfort side.
# What You 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
22 - 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
# How to Make It:
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. Serve sliced chicken over or alongside creamy mac and cheese.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The honey pepper sauce creates this gorgeous sticky glaze that clings to every bite
- That creamy mac and cheese is practically perfect comfort food, rich without being overwhelming
02 -
- The sauce thickens quickly as it cools, so brush that final layer while everything is still hot
- Grating your own cheese makes a huge difference in how smoothly the sauce melts
03 -
- Letting the chicken rest for those 5 minutes keeps all the juices inside where they belong
- A oven-safe skillet means one less dish to wash, and those caramelized pan bits are gold