Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Pasta Skillet (Printer Friendly)

Creamy cheesy macaroni tossed with honey BBQ glazed chicken in one pan.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb 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

# Directions:

01 - Season 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 to 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. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add butter. Once melted, pour in 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, 10 to 12 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low. Stir in cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and cooked chicken with sauce. Mix until cheese is melted and everything is creamy and well combined.
06 - Garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve immediately.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pan meal, which means less time scrubbing and more time actually enjoying dinner.
  • The combination of sticky BBQ glaze folded into creamy cheddar pasta tastes like comfort food had a glow-up.
  • Ready in 40 minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you want something that tastes like you tried harder than you actually did.
02 -
  • Don't cook the chicken all the way through in step two—it'll keep cooking in the sauce and then again when mixed into the hot pasta, so stopping at lightly golden prevents dry chicken.
  • Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks because it'll stick to the bottom and burn if you ignore it, and burnt pasta tastes bitter no matter how good the sauce is.
03 -
  • Keep your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking—this dish comes together quickly, and you won't have time to chop while things are bubbling.
  • If the pasta seems dry after cooking, add a splash more broth or milk; pasta continues absorbing liquid as it sits, so err on the side of saucier rather than drier.
Go Back