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These hot honey chicken bowls with roasted sweet potatoes and corn salsa are packed with nutrients and have the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors! Meal prep them to have on hand for lunches or an easy weeknight dinner.
You all know how much I love a good chicken bowl recipe, my chicken fajita bowls and Thai peanut chicken bowls are proof of that. I’m also a huge fan of sweet and spicy combinations, so I knew I had to make a bowl recipe that uses hot honey!
The first time I tried hot honey was when I made this recipe for hot honey roasted butternut squash, I was immediately hooked. I typically buy Mike’s hot honey for convenience, but you can easily make a homemade hot honey simply by infusing honey with crushed red pepper flakes or a finely chopped jalapeno.
These sweet and spicy chicken bowls have a good balance of carbs and protein, and you can easily customize them with additional toppings (I love adding a scoop of creamy cottage cheese), sauces, or even swap sweet potatoes with rice if you prefer. I love meal prepping these bowls because they’ll keep for up to 4 days in the fridge and you can even repurpose the leftovers and turn them into a filling for tacos.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts because I have them on hand most often, but chicken thighs are a great alternative, especially if you want to increase the amount of fat.
Spices – The flavor of these chicken bowls leans towards southwest. The cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder give the chicken a slightly smoky, earthy, and warm flavor.
Lime – Fresh lime juice adds a pop of bright citrus flavor to the chicken marinade. I love the way honey and lime compliment each other and use the combination in many of my marinades, including these honey chipotle chicken rice bowls.
Hot honey – Make your own hot honey by combining honey and chili flakes or honey and jalapeno. Store bought hot honey works just as well and is what I used for this recipe.
Sweet potato – Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients including vitamins A and C. They’re also a great source of fiber and where most of the carbs for these bowls come from. Roasting them in the oven brings out their natural sweetness.
Corn salsa – This corn salsa is so easy to make and has a very similar flavor to Chipotle’s corn salsa. You can use frozen corn or fresh corn during the summer months. A jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, and lime juice are all you need to make it. It adds a nice texture and freshness to the bowls.
Cottage cheese – Cottage cheese is optional, but I love the creamy, cheesy flavor, and the extra protein. Cottage cheese topped with hot honey is one of my go-to snacks, so I knew I had to add it to these bowls.
Tips for Making Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
- Marinate the chicken for at least an hour or up to 4. Doing this infuses the chicken with flavor and helps to tenderize it. I don’t recommend marinating overnight because the acid from the lime juice can potentially change the texture of the chicken.
- Cook the chicken and sweet potatoes on separate sheet pans. The chicken will be done before the sweet potatoes and you don’t want it to dry out. You can also cook the chicken in a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat until it’s 165° F.
- Make-ahead. Cook the chicken, roast the sweet potatoes, and make the corn salsa 1-2 days ahead of time. This is a great recipe to make if you meal prep.
- Store bowl components separately. For meal prepping it’s best to store the bowl ingredients separately so they stay fresh and it’s easier for reheating since there are warm and cold components.
- Customize the bowls. Make these bowls your own by adding different toppings. Slices of avocado, pickled onions or pickled jalapenos, and pepitas are all delicious. Swap the corn salsa with black bean and corn salsa, and if you want extra carbs, add a 1/2 cup of cooked rice or quinoa to the bowls.
- Add a sauce or dressing on top. This cool and creamy avocado ranch dressing or the cilantro lime dressing that I used for these southwest chicken bowls would both pair well with the sweet and spicy flavors.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Hot honey chicken bowls will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. For freshness and easy reheating, store the components separately. You can also freeze the cooked chicken and sweet potatoes for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Reheating – Microwave the leftover chicken and sweet potatoes until warmed through, about 60 seconds. The corn salsa tastes best when served cold on the bowls, but you can reheat it if you prefer.
More Bowl Recipes
- Spicy Salmon Bowls
- Honey Chipotle Meatball Bowls
- Burger Bowls
- Southwest Steak Bowls
- Greek Chicken Bowls
Hot Honey Chicken Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
Hot Honey Chicken
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into approximately 1 inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon hot honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or mild chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Corn Salsa
- 2 cups frozen corn defrosted
- 1 jalapeno deseeded and finely chopped
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups cottage cheese (I recommend using Good Culture)
- Avocado, pickled red onions or pickled jalapenos (optional toppings)
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a glass measuring cup. Whisk together and then add the chicken in. Toss until coated, then cover and refrigerate. Marinate for 1-4 hours. You can marinate for less time, but it won't be as flavorful.
- While the chicken is marinating make the corn salsa. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more lime juice and salt if needed.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Add the sweet potatoes to a rimmed sheet pan and toss them together with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them into a single layer so they aren't touching each other. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping them over with a spatula halfway through the cooking time.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, spray a separate sheet pan with cooking spray. Dump the chicken onto the pan and spread it into a single layer so the pieces of chicken aren't touching. When you pull the sweet potatoes out to flip them, place the chicken into the oven (and put the sweet potatoes back in). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is 165° F. If you want the chicken to get a little caramelized, turn the broiler on the last few minutes of cooking time.
Assembling the Bowls
- Add some of the chicken, sweet potatoes, corn salsa, and cottage cheese to a bowl along with any additional toppings. Drizzle everything with extra hot honey and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make these Hot Honey Chicken Bowls, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
