(Family Features) It’s easy to get into a recipe rut when every day feels the same – work, kids’ activities, social events and bedtime routines make it tough to experiment in the kitchen. If your family’s meals are growing boring, all you need is a touch of heat to bring new life to the menu.

Add a delicious blend of savory, sweet and a hint of spice to mealtime with Minute Hot Honey Chicken Seasoned Rice Cups, which are ready to serve fast for busy families. Packed with flavor, they complement main courses, snacks and sides without the hassle.

With just the right balance of heat and honey, they add delicious sizzle and mouthwatering flavor to recipes like Hot Honey Chicken Meatball Subs. Perfectly toasted hoagie rolls are packed with spicy, sweet chicken meatballs and smothered in melted provolone for a tough-to-top taste. Ready in 35 minutes, the subs offer a blend of convenience and gourmet flavor, making this meal an unbeatable choice at dinner time.

Sandwiches deliver an easy way to make mealtime customizable so all your loved ones are satisfied. Try topping your subs with coleslaw for a crunchy, creamy texture or pickled vegetables for an added touch of tanginess to complement the sweet, rich meatballs. For fans of spice, turn up the heat with extra hot sauce.

Solve afternoon hunger pangs with these Hot Honey Chicken Rice Crackers and Ranch Dip, loaded with the sweet heat of hot honey chicken and baked to crispy perfection. This inventive snack is uniquely crunchy and flavorful, blending fiery sweetness with savory chicken flavor as a convenient way to shake up snack time.

For the adventurous types, these homemade crackers pair with more than just ranch. Engage your taste buds further with these suggestions:

• Spicy cheese dip: Add a little extra kick with cheese dip that’s spiced up with jalapenos or chili flakes.
• Cucumber dill yogurt: A perfect match for the sweet heat of hot honey chicken with its refreshing, cooling effect.
• Barbecue sauce: Smoky and slightly sweet, it pairs well with the honey in the crackers.
• Garlic aioli: Rich and garlicky, this dip brings a robust flavor contrast to the table.

Discover more ways to shake up mealtimes by visiting MinuteRice.com.

Hot Honey Chicken Meatball Subs

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1          Minute Hot Honey Chicken Seasoned Rice Cup
• 1          pound ground chicken
• 1          teaspoon salt
• 1          teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4       cup breadcrumbs
• 4          hoagie rolls
• 2          tablespoons butter
• 4          slices provolone cheese
• garlic sauce, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Heat rice according to package directions.
2. In large bowl, mix rice; chicken; salt; cayenne, if desired; and breadcrumbs.
3. Use cookie scoop or hand roll chicken mixture into balls. Place on aluminum foil-lined sheet tray, leaving small space between each ball. Bake 25 minutes, flipping meatballs halfway through.
4. Slice hoagies in half, lengthwise. Remove some bread from middle to make room for meatballs. Butter inside of each hoagie and place on sheet tray.
5. Once meatballs are cooked through, turn broiler on high and place buttered hoagies in oven. Cook 1 minute, or until butter is melted and hoagie has browned.
6. Remove hoagies from oven, place 3-4 meatballs inside (depending on size) and cover with slice of cheese. Broil on high 30 seconds to melt cheese.
7. Drizzle garlic sauce on top.

Tip: Garlic sauce can be substituted with topping of choice.

Hot Honey Chicken Rice Crackers andRanch Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2

• 1          Minute Hot Honey Chicken Seasoned Rice Cup
• 1          cup sour cream
• 1/2       packet ranch dip seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat rice according to package directions.
2. Lay rice on parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Use rolling pin to roll out rice into thin layer.
3. Bake 20 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, mix sour cream and ranch seasoning.
5. Once crackers are cooked, cut into squares while still hot. Allow to cool.
6. Serve crackers with ranch dip.

Tip: Ranch dip can be substituted with hummus or any flavored dip.

SOURCE:
Minute Rice