Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy macaroni loaded with cheddar and sticky honey BBQ chicken in one skillet

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 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 apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional

→ Pasta and Cheese

10 - 10 ounces elbow macaroni or short pasta
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
14 - 2 cups whole milk
15 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 scallions, sliced
20 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Add to the skillet and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce to the skillet. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Return chicken to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sticky sauce. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - Wipe the skillet clean. Melt butter over medium heat, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Gradually pour in milk, whisking to avoid lumps. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese until smooth and melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Gently fold in the sticky honey BBQ chicken, mixing until well distributed.
07 - Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped parsley. Serve hot, straight from the skillet.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying actual food with people you like.
  • The honey BBQ coating gets sticky and caramelized in a way that makes you question why every chicken dish doesn't taste like this.
  • Creamy cheddar pasta absorbs all that smoky-sweet flavor, creating something that tastes restaurant-quality but took less than 45 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the whisk moment when adding flour to butter, because if you don't cook that mixture for a full minute, you'll taste raw flour in your sauce no matter how long it sits.
  • The pasta must be al dente before mixing because it continues cooking in the residual heat of the cheese sauce, and mushy pasta transforms the whole dish from craveable to regrettable.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after adding pasta, a splash of reserved pasta water brings everything back to creamy consistency without diluting the cheese flavor.
03 -
  • Cook the chicken only until golden on the outside, not until it's fully cooked through, because it finishes cooking when folded into the warm cheese sauce and won't dry out that way.
  • Reserve some pasta water before draining because a splash of starchy water thins overly thick sauce without compromising cheese flavor, a technique that solves more kitchen problems than people realize.
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