This Sheet Pan Hot Honey Garlic Chicken & Zucchini is a bold and fiery dinner that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort. Tender, flour-dusted chicken bites are roasted alongside fresh zucchini, then glazed in a homemade sticky, spicy, garlic-infused buffalo honey sauce.
Perfect for busy weeknights, this one-pan wonder combines the addictive heat of hot wings with the sweetness of honey for a meal that is both satisfying and exciting.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A dynamic mix of spicy hot sauce and cayenne, balanced by sweet honey and rich butter, with a savory garlic punch.
- Texture: The chicken gets a light crust from the flour and high heat, while the zucchini stays tender-crisp. The sauce becomes sticky and caramelized in the oven.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves tossing ingredients on a sheet pan and simmering a quick sauce.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. A small saucepan is required to melt the butter and hot sauce glaze. The ingredients rely on boneless chicken, fresh zucchini or summer squash, and a robust spice cabinet including smoked paprika and chipotle powder to build the heat.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – You can use 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes. Thighs will be juicier, but breasts work well with the quick cook time.
- Zucchini/Yellow Squash – Sliced rounds of summer squash roast quickly alongside the meat. They add a fresh, mild balance to the spicy chicken.
- Flour – All-purpose flour (or a gluten-free blend) coats the chicken, creating a slight crust that helps the sauce cling to every bite.
- Hot Sauce – Use your favorite cayenne-based hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot) as the base for the buffalo-style glaze.
- Honey – This is the “sweet” in the hot honey garlic sauce. It caramelizes in the oven and mellows the intense heat.
- Butter – Salted butter adds richness and gives the sauce a glossy, velvety texture.
- Spices – A blend of smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, and cayenne pepper creates layers of smoky, savory heat.
- Garlic – Fresh chopped garlic in the sauce adds texture and pungent flavor that powder can’t match.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spice Level – This recipe packs a punch. To make it milder, reduce the cayenne pepper and chipotle powder, or use less hot sauce.
- Vegetables – Bell peppers, broccoli florets, or red onion wedges can be roasted on the same pan.
- Serving Base – As mentioned, this is delicious over rice or with french fries, but cauliflower rice or quinoa are great healthy alternatives.
- Dressing – Cool, creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing is essential for dipping to cool down the palate.
How to Make Sheet Pan Hot Honey Garlic Chicken & Zucchini
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or rub with oil to prevent sticking.
- Season Chicken: On the sheet pan, toss together the chicken cubes, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss again to coat evenly. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat.
- Arrange and Roast: Arrange the chicken to one side of the baking sheet. Add the sliced zucchini to the other side. Toss the zucchini with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Make the Sauce: Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt together the hot sauce, butter, chopped garlic, chipotle chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and mix in the honey and a season with salt.
- Glaze: Remove the pan from the oven. Pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken and toss the chicken up in the sauce directly on the pan.
- Caramelize: Bake for another 5 minutes, until the hot honey sauce is bubbly and baked onto the chicken.
- Serve: Serve the chicken, zucchini, and hot honey with chunks of avocado, fresh basil, green onions, and blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Pro Tip: Don’t add the honey to the saucepan while it’s on high heat. Stir it in off the heat at the end. This preserves the raw honey flavor and prevents it from boiling over or burning before it hits the oven.
Recipe Tips
- High Heat: Roasting at 450°F is key. It cooks the chicken quickly so it stays juicy while crisping the flour coating and roasting the zucchini rather than steaming it.
- Separate Zones: Keep the zucchini and chicken on separate sides of the pan initially. This allows you to toss the chicken in the sauce later without getting sauce all over the plain roasted veggies (unless you want spicy zucchini!).
- Flour Coating: The flour is essential for the texture. It creates a “breading” effect that absorbs the sauce, making the chicken sticky and delicious instead of just wet.
FAQs
- Is this gluten-free? The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you can easily substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch to make it gluten-free.
- Can I use chicken tenders? Yes, just cut them into bite-sized chunks.
- How spicy is this? With hot sauce, cayenne, and chipotle powder, it is definitely spicy (medium-high heat). Reduce the cayenne for a milder “medium” heat.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Steamed jasmine rice soaks up the spicy butter sauce perfectly.
- Cooling Sides: Serve with celery sticks or a cucumber salad to balance the heat.
- Potatoes: Roasted potato wedges can be cooked on a separate rack for a “chicken and fries” vibe.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can cut the chicken and zucchini in advance.
- Sauce: The sauce can be made days ahead and reheated when ready to use.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Sheet Pan Hot Honey Garlic Chicken & Zucchini
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This Sheet Pan Hot Honey Garlic Chicken & Zucchini is a bold and fiery dinner that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort. Tender, flour-dusted chicken bites are roasted alongside fresh zucchini, then glazed in a homemade sticky, spicy, garlic-infused buffalo honey sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, this one-pan wonder combines the addictive heat of hot wings with the sweet caramelization of honey for a meal that is both satisfying and exciting.
Ingredients
The Chicken & Veggies
- 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes
- 2 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced into rounds
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
The Hot Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4–6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1–2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (adjust for heat)
- 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
For Serving
- Blue cheese or ranch dressing
- Fresh toppings: Avocado, basil, sliced green onions
Instructions
Prep
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (lightly oiled).
Season Chicken
On the baking sheet, toss the chicken cubes with smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Dust
Sprinkle flour over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
Oil
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss again.
Arrange & Roast
Push the chicken to one side of the pan. Add the zucchini slices to the other side. Season Veggies: Toss zucchini with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake
Roast for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Make Sauce
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the hot sauce, butter, chopped garlic, chipotle powder, and cayenne pepper.
Finish
Stir until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the honey. Season with a pinch of salt.
Glaze
Remove the pan from the oven. Pour the hot honey sauce over the chicken (you can toss it directly on the pan, keeping the zucchini separate or mixing it in if you like spicy veggies).
Caramelize
Return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes. Check: The sauce should be bubbly, sticky, and baked onto the chicken.
Serve
Serve hot topped with avocado, basil, green onions, and a side of cooling blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Notes
Heat Control: This recipe packs a punch (medium-high heat). To make it milder, reduce the cayenne pepper and chipotle powder to a pinch, or use a milder hot sauce.
The Flour Trick: Don’t skip the flour! It creates a light crust on the chicken that absorbs the sauce, making it sticky rather than just wet.
Honey Timing: Add the honey after you remove the sauce from the heat. This preserves the raw honey flavor and prevents it from boiling over or burning on the stovetop.
Oven Temp: The high heat (450°F) is crucial. It crisps the flour coating and roasts the zucchini quickly so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Sheet Pan
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of Recipe
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 1450mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: sheet pan chicken dinner, hot honey chicken, spicy chicken recipes, roasted zucchini, buffalo chicken bites, easy weeknight meals, honey garlic sauce
