If you’ve ever been to Sweetgreen, you know their bowls are fresh, flavorful, and addictive. One of my all-time favorites is the Hot Honey Chicken Plate. It’s got blackened chicken, crispy sweet potatoes, fluffy quinoa, tangy slaw, and the most irresistible hot honey dressing drizzled on top. I decided to make my own version at home so I can enjoy it anytime—and the best part is this recipe makes six servings. That means I can cook once and enjoy it all week long!
Method
Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, onion powder, chili powder, and nutritional yeast. Toss well to make sure every piece is coated evenly with the seasonings. Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet, giving them space so they roast rather than steam. Bake for 35–40 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. The sweet potatoes are ready when the edges are golden and crispy.
Cook the Chicken
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, prepare the chicken. Place the bite-sized chicken thigh pieces into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the chili powder, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and kosher salt. Toss everything together until the chicken is coated evenly. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and transfer the chicken into the pan in a single layer. Cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is blackened on the outside and cooked through in the center. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the Quinoa
Rinse the quinoa under cold running water to remove its natural coating, which can taste bitter. Add the rinsed quinoa to a small saucepan along with the broth or water. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the pan from the heat but keep the lid on for another 5 minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the grains. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork before serving.
Prepare the Hot Honey Dressing
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and emulsified, with no visible separation between the oil and other ingredients. Set aside for drizzling over the finished bowls.
Make the Slaw
In a large bowl, add the shredded purple cabbage and shredded carrots. In a separate small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chopped parsley, and kosher salt until well combined. Pour this dressing over the cabbage and carrots, then toss until the vegetables are evenly coated and the flavors are distributed throughout.
Assemble the Plates
To build your bowls, divide the cooked quinoa evenly among six plates or meal prep containers. Add a portion of roasted sweet potatoes and a serving of blackened chicken to each. Place a scoop of the tangy slaw alongside, then finish with a generous drizzle of the hot honey dressing over the top. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for meal prep.
Necessary Tools
- Baking sheet
- Large mixing bowls
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Large skillet
- Small saucepan with lid (for quinoa)
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Sweetgreen Hot Honey Chicken Plate
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes40
minutes1
hourIngredients
Blackened Chicken
2 lbs chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Quinoa
1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed well
3 cups broth (or water)
Sweet Potatoes
1 lb sweet potatoes (~2 medium), cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Hot Honey Dressing
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Slaw
3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss them with olive oil, onion powder, chili powder, and nutritional yeast until coated evenly. Spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are golden and crispy. - Cook the Chicken:
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and salt. Toss until the chicken is well coated. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken until blackened on the outside and fully cooked inside, about 8–10 minutes. - Make the Quinoa:
Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove bitterness. Add it to a small saucepan with the broth (or water). Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. - Prepare the Hot Honey Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt until smooth and well combined. - Make the Slaw:
In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage and carrots. In a separate small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, parsley, and salt. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until the slaw is evenly coated. - Assemble the Plates:
Divide the quinoa evenly among six plates or bowls. Add a scoop of sweet potatoes, a serving of blackened chicken, and some slaw. Drizzle generously with the hot honey dressing.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet or they’ll steam instead of crisp.
- Cut the chicken evenly so it cooks at the same rate.
- Taste the dressing before serving to adjust sweetness or spice to your preference.
- Let quinoa rest after cooking so it gets fluffy instead of mushy.
Serving Suggestions
- Meal Prep Win: Store each component separately in the fridge and assemble when ready to eat.
- Extra Protein: Add hard-boiled eggs or roasted chickpeas on top.
- More Veggies: Toss in roasted broccoli, asparagus, or zucchini.
- Spice Boost: Add extra red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the dressing.
Fun Fact
Sweetgreen started in 2007 as a single salad shop in Washington, D.C., founded by three college students. Now it’s a nationwide chain known for fresh, seasonal, and customizable bowls.
Conclusion
This Sweetgreen Hot Honey Chicken Plate is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory. With blackened chicken, crispy sweet potatoes, quinoa, and slaw all topped with that irresistible hot honey drizzle, every bite is a flavor explosion. Plus, since this recipe makes six servings, it’s a total lifesaver for meal prep. Once you try it, you might find yourself skipping the takeout line and heading straight to your own kitchen.
