Description

This One-Pan Tangy Honey BBQ Chicken Penne recipe combines tender, smoky BBQ chicken with perfectly cooked penne pasta in a single skillet for an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner. Featuring a balance of tangy, sweet, and savory notes from BBQ sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce, this dish is a crowd-pleaser that comes together quickly and requires minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
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

Optional Garnish

Chopped parsley or green onion

Instructions

Heat oil and sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, then cook until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Deglaze and cook pasta: In the same skillet, add water or chicken broth and bring to a simmer while scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in the uncooked penne pasta, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
Add sauce ingredients: Reduce heat and stir in BBQ sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder to the pasta, mixing well.
Combine chicken and simmer: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, stir to combine, and let it all simmer for 2–3 minutes so the flavors meld together.
Garnish and serve: Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if desired, and serve hot directly from the skillet.

Notes

Use chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor.
Adjust honey amount to make it sweeter if preferred.
Smoked paprika adds a nice depth; regular paprika can be substituted if necessary.
Leftover chicken can be replaced with pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to reduce prep time.
For a spicier twist, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili flakes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: one-pan, BBQ chicken, honey BBQ chicken, penne pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meal, skillet recipe