This tasty dish brings together tender cubed chicken coated in a sticky garlic butter sauce, served over fluffy rice with broccoli, creamy avocado, and tangy pickled red onion. Ready in around 35 minutes and thoughtfully crafted for meal-prep.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick & easy: just about 35 minutes from start to finish.
High in protein (roughly 42 g per serving) so it fills you up.
Meal-prep friendly: holds up well in the fridge for several days.
Balanced and flavour-packed: rich garlic butter sauce, fresh vegetables and rice, all in one bowl.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Chicken
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (about 3 cups or 2 large)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons honey
⅓ cup water
2 teaspoons tapioca starch
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon tamari sauce (optional)
Pickled Red Onion
1 medium red onion (halved and thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
For the Bowls
3 cups raw chopped broccoli florets (about 10 oz)
1 large Haas avocado
2 cups cooked rice (jasmine or brown)
Directions
In a large bowl, toss the cubed chicken with the tapioca starch, sea salt and pepper.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; add the avocado oil. Add the coated chicken and sauté for about 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5-8 minutes (or until the outsides are lightly golden and the chicken is fully cooked).
Meanwhile, in a small pot combine the butter, minced garlic, honey, water, tapioca starch, salt, pepper and tamari sauce. Bring to a simmer and whisk until the sauce thickens. Remove ¼ cup of the sauce and set aside for drizzling later (if you like).
Pour the remaining sauce over the cooked chicken in the skillet, add the broccoli florets and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until the broccoli has softened.
While the chicken is finishing, prepare the pickled red onion: in a medium jar combine the vinegar, water, honey and salt; microwave for 1 minute or until hot; carefully submerge the sliced onion and let it sit at least 5 minutes.
Divide the cooked rice equally into 4 bowls or meal-prep containers. Top each with the chicken-and-broccoli mixture, then add avocado slices and a portion of the pickled red onions. Drizzle each with the reserved extra sauce and enjoy!
Servings and timing
Serves: 4 bowls
Prep time: ~10 minutes
Cook time: ~25 minutes
Total time: ~35 minutes
Variations
Spicy: add ½–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the sauce.
Shrimp: substitute peeled, deveined shrimp for the chicken; cook only ~1-2 minutes per side before tossing in sauce.
Low-carb: skip the rice and serve the chicken and broccoli over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps.
Extra veggies: add sautéed zucchini, bell peppers or snap peas to the chicken & broccoli mix for more color and nutrition.
Sweet version: increase honey to 4 tablespoons and omit the tamari for a milder, sweeter sauce.
Storage/Reheating
Refrigerator: Store chicken + sauce, rice, veggies and pickled onions in separate airtight containers for up to 3-4 days. Keeping components separate helps textures stay fresh (especially the avocado and pickled onions).
Freezer: Freeze the chicken and rice together in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Omit avocado and pickled onions before freezing—they’re best added fresh.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. If microwaving, add 1-2 teaspoons of water or broth to prevent drying. Add fresh avocado and pickled onions after heating.
FAQs
What kind of chicken should I use?
Use boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed into roughly 1-inch pieces. They cook evenly and absorb the sauce well.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — the recipe is naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free tamari or soy sauce and verify that your tapioca starch is certified gluten-free.
Can I use a different starch instead of tapioca?
Absolutely. You can substitute cornstarch or potato starch in the same quantity to achieve similar coating and sauce-thickening effect.
What can I use instead of rice?
You can swap the rice for brown rice, quinoa, farro, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
How do I make the sauce without stirring on the stovetop?
You can use the shortcut method: melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl, whisk in garlic, honey, salt, pepper and soy/tamari, set aside ¼ cup for drizzling, then toss the cooked chicken directly in the larger portion of the sauce. Cook broccoli separately and then assemble the bowl.
Can I prepare this ahead for meal-prep?
Yes — it’s ideal for meal-prep. Cook the components in advance, store separately, and assemble right before eating or store assembled for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Will the broccoli get mushy if I heat it with the chicken?
If you prefer firmer broccoli, you can steam or lightly sauté it separately and add it after reheating the chicken, rather than cooking it together in the sauce for the full time.
Is avocado important for the recipe?
The avocado adds a creamy texture and fresh flavor contrast to the rich sauce and crunchy broccoli. You can omit or replace it if you prefer.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Yes — if using salted butter, you may want to reduce the added salt slightly to keep the flavour balanced.
Conclusion
This recipe delivers a satisfying, flavour-rich bowl that’s quick enough for busy weeknights yet still feels special. With tender chicken, a silky garlic butter sauce, fresh veggies and creamy avocado, it ticks the boxes for taste, texture and convenience. Whether you’re cooking for one or meal-prepping for the week, this dish is sure to become a go-to. Enjoy!
Sticky Garlic Butter Chicken Bowls feature tender chicken coated in a rich, garlicky butter sauce, served with fluffy rice, crisp broccoli, creamy avocado, and tangy pickled red onions. A flavorful, balanced, and meal-prep friendly dish ready in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons honey
⅓ cup water
2 teaspoons tapioca starch (for sauce)
¼ teaspoon sea salt (for sauce)
⅛ teaspoon pepper (for sauce)
1 teaspoon tamari sauce (optional)
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons water (for pickling)
1 teaspoon honey (for pickling)
1 teaspoon sea salt (for pickling)
3 cups raw chopped broccoli florets (about 10 oz)
1 large Haas avocado
2 cups cooked rice (jasmine or brown)
Instructions
In a large bowl, toss cubed chicken with tapioca starch, sea salt, and pepper.
Heat avocado oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-8 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
In a small pot, combine butter, minced garlic, honey, water, tapioca starch, salt, pepper, and tamari. Simmer and whisk until thickened. Reserve ¼ cup of sauce for drizzling.
Pour remaining sauce over cooked chicken, add broccoli, and stir. Cook for 5-7 minutes until broccoli softens.
Prepare pickled onions: combine vinegar, water, honey, and salt in a jar. Microwave for 1 minute. Add sliced onion and let sit at least 5 minutes.
Divide cooked rice into 4 bowls. Top with chicken and broccoli, avocado slices, and pickled onions. Drizzle with reserved sauce and serve.
Notes
For spicier flavor, add crushed red pepper or sriracha to the sauce.
Broccoli can be steamed separately for firmer texture.
Avocado and pickled onions are best added fresh, not frozen.
Swap rice with cauliflower rice or quinoa for lower-carb options.
Great for meal-prep — keeps well for 3–4 days refrigerated.
