Spiced chicken thighs and sweet potato chunks glazed with hot honey, roasted at high heat, and served over rice with a warm pan dripping dressing and crunchy kale feta salad.
Servings
4
Prep time
10 min
Cook time
20 min
Total time
30 min
Ingredients — 4 servings
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces | 1½ | lb |
| Olive oil, divided | 6 | tbsp |
| Kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste | 1½ | tsp |
| Black pepper, divided, plus more to taste | 1 | tsp |
| Garlic powder, divided | ¾ | tsp |
| Smoked paprika, divided | ½ | tsp |
| Sweet potato (large), cut into 1-inch pieces | 1 | — |
| Red onion (medium), cut into ½-inch pieces | ½ | — |
| Hot honey, plus more for serving | 2 | tbsp |
| Microwaveable ready rice packets | 2 | × 8.5 oz |
| Red wine vinegar | 2 | tbsp |
| Dried oregano | ¼ | tsp |
| Crunchy kale salad mix | 1 | bag |
| Crumbled feta cheese | ½ | cup |
Directions
1
Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 450°F (235°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
2
Season the chicken. Toss the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika. Spread in an even layer over one half of the sheet pan.
3
Season the vegetables. In the same bowl, toss the sweet potato and red onion with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the remaining garlic powder and smoked paprika. Spread across the other half of the sheet pan. Drizzle the hot honey evenly over both the chicken and vegetables.
4
Roast. Bake for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and browned at the edges and the sweet potato is tender.
5
Cook the rice. While the sheet pan is in the oven, prepare the rice packets according to their package instructions. Keep warm.
6
Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. When the sheet pan comes out of the oven, carefully pour the collected drippings into the dressing and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7
Dress the salad. Discard the dressing packet from the kale salad mix. Add the salad to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the pan dripping dressing.
8
Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice among 4 bowls, then top with the chicken and sweet potato. Add a portion of dressed kale salad to each bowl, scatter feta cheese over the top, and finish with a drizzle of the remaining dressing. Serve with extra hot honey if desired.
Cook's notes
Don't skip the pan drippings
Whisking the hot honey and spiced roasting juices directly into the vinegar dressing is what ties the whole bowl together. It adds depth and a subtle heat that plain vinaigrette can't match — scrape every last drop from the pan.
Keep the two sides separate
Spreading the chicken and vegetables on opposite halves of the sheet pan prevents them from steaming each other. High heat and space between pieces is what gives you caramelized, browned edges rather than a soggy result.
Make it your own
Swap the sweet potato for butternut squash or cauliflower, or use chicken breasts instead of thighs for a leaner version. Plain cooked quinoa works just as well as rice if you prefer a higher-protein base.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 767 kcal | Saturated fat | 11 g |
| Protein | 50 g | Cholesterol | 227 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 52 g | Sodium | 1168 mg |
| Dietary fiber | 5 g | Calcium | 219 mg |
| Total sugars | 17 g | Vitamin C | 81 mg |
| Total fat | 41 g | Potassium | 1046 mg |
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