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showing how to make chipotle honey chicken by adding the chicken to rice with beans, corn, pico e gallo, avocados, and cilantro
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Chipotle Honey Chicken Bowl

This Chipotle Honey Chicken is packed with smoky, sweet heat from juicy marinated chicken that's stand-alone swoonworthy, or serve it layered over fluffy rice and all your favorite fresh toppings. The bowls are bold, customizable, and perfect for meal prep, or feeding a crowd!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 40 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author [email protected]

Ingredients

Chipotle Honey Chicken Marinade

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (may sub breasts)
  • 1/4 cup honey, slightly warmed for easy mixing
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced chipotle in adobo (See Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon adobo
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tsp EACH smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt
  • 1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, dried oregano, pepper

Bowls

  • 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Rice or 4 cups rice seasoned with salt, lime juice and cilantro
  • 1½ cups shredded Monterrey or pepper Jack cheese
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
  • 1 recipe pico de gallo, or store-bought or 2 chopped Roma tomatoes
  • Fresh Corn Salsa (below) or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (defrosted) or 4 ears corn
  • 1 large avocado, sliced/chopped, guacamole
  • 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Dressing (optional/recommended) or sour cream and lime

QUICK CORN SALSA (Optional)

  • 4 ears of sweet corn, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1-2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, minced
  • 1/2 cup packed cilantro, minced (measure before chopping)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt

Instructions

  • Marinate Chicken: Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl or freezer bag. Reserve 2 tablespoons and refrigerate.  Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to coat. Refrigerate for 2-12 hours.
  • While marinating, prep the toppings. To make the salsa, see Notes for charring the corn. Combine the Corn Salsa ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice. 

GRILL DIRECTIONS

  • When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the grill to 375°F with the lid closed. Clean the grill and generously grease it with vegetable oil.
  • Grill chicken, covered, for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. (A digital thermometer should read 170°F for thighs, 160°F for breasts.) Brush the chicken with the reserved Glaze (that never touched the raw chicken) and let it rest for 5 minutes before chopping.

SKILLET DIRECTIONS

  • When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. The sugar will cause the chicken to char more, so I recommend using an indoor grill pan instead of a skillet.
  • Heat the pan over medium-high heat, then grease it with vegetable oil. If using a nonstick skillet, heat one tablespoon of neutral oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4-6 minutes per side or until cooked through. (A digital thermometer should read 170°F for thighs, 160°F for breasts.) Baste the chicken with the reserved sauce.

BOWLS

  • Divide the rice evenly between bowls. Divide the cheese, chopped chicken, corn salsa, black beans, pico de Gallo/tomatoes, avocado, etc., evenly among bowls. Add any optional toppings and drizzle with Cilantro Lime Dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

Customize the heat: I would consider 2 tablespoons of chipotle peppers to be medium spicy. Increase the number of peppers as desired.

CHAR CORN

Grilling the corn is optional but adds a delicious smokiness. You may also cut the corn straight off the cob and use it raw in the salad.
GRILLED CORN: Lightly brush each ear of corn with olive oil. Grease the grill and heat to high. Once hot, add corn and close the lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, rotating the corn until all sides are lightly charred, about 10-12 minutes total, and closing the lid between rotations. Set the corn aside and allow it to cool enough to handle. Cut the kernels off the cob.
SKILLET CORN: Cut the kernels off the cob or use defrosted frozen corn. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to char, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer kernels to a large bowl to cool to room temperature before using.