One-Pan Tangy Honey BBQ Chicken Penne Recipe
A delicious and easy one-pan meal featuring tender chicken breasts cooked with smoky honey BBQ sauce and penne pasta, all simmered together in a skillet for a flavorful and satisfying dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pasta and Sauce
- 2 cups penne pasta (uncooked)
- 1 ½ cups water or chicken broth
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce (preferably smoky variety)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Garnish
- Optional: chopped parsley or green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil and cook chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and sear until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze skillet: In the same skillet, add water or chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Cook pasta: Stir in the uncooked penne pasta. Cover the skillet and let the pasta simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Add sauce ingredients: Once the pasta is cooked, reduce the heat and stir in BBQ sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, mixing thoroughly to combine all the flavors.
- Combine chicken and simmer: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and mix well with the sauced pasta. Let everything simmer together for 2–3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the skillet from heat, garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if desired, and serve hot straight from the pan.
Notes
- Using chicken broth instead of water enhances the flavor of the pasta.
- For extra smoky flavor, use a smoky BBQ sauce variety.
- Adjust the honey quantity to taste if you prefer a sweeter or less sweet sauce.
- Make sure to stir occasionally when simmering pasta to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
- Garnishes like parsley or green onion add freshness and color but can be omitted if preferred.
Keywords: One-pan meal, honey BBQ chicken, penne pasta, quick dinner, easy skillet recipe
