Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice

Name: Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice
Cook time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 180 g jasmine rice rinsed; 360 ml water for cooking rice; 3 g salt for rice water; 680 g boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 4 cm pieces; 4 g salt for chicken seasoning; 1 g black pepper ground; 45 ml honey; 45 ml soy sauce; 15 ml rice vinegar; 15 ml lime juice freshly squeezed; 2 g red pepper flakes; 2 cloves garlic cloves minced, divided; 20 ml neutral oil divided; 10 ml neutral oil divided; 2 cloves garlic cloves minced, divided; 8 g cornstarch mixed with water; 30 ml water for cornstarch slurry; 20 g scallions thinly sliced; 8 g sesame seeds toasted

Chicken thighs are seared, glazed with a honey-garlic-chili sauce, and served over jasmine rice with scallions and sesame seeds for contrast. The recipe stays within the thirty-minute series and keeps the chicken as the featured protein in a substantial main portion.

By Julienne

Cook time: 18 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

180 g jasmine rice rinsed
360 ml water for cooking rice
3 g salt for rice water
680 g boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 4 cm pieces
4 g salt for chicken seasoning
1 g black pepper ground
45 ml honey
45 ml soy sauce
15 ml rice vinegar
15 ml lime juice freshly squeezed
2 g red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic cloves minced, divided
20 ml neutral oil divided
10 ml neutral oil divided
2 cloves garlic cloves minced, divided
8 g cornstarch mixed with water
30 ml water for cornstarch slurry
20 g scallions thinly sliced
8 g sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

Combine the jasmine rice, water, and salt in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered. Rice is tender and fluffy, with no visible water remaining.
While the rice cooks, season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Mix the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and half of the garlic in the small bowl. Chicken is evenly seasoned and the sauce is smooth.
Heat 20 ml of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until browned on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and cook until nearly cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Chicken is browned and nearly cooked through, with no raw pink on the outside.
Push the chicken to the edges of the skillet and add the remaining 10 ml oil and the remaining garlic. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds, then pour in the sauce mixture and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Sauce begins to bubble and smell fragrant.
Stir the cornstarch with the slurry water, add it to the skillet, and simmer 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats the chicken. Fold in the scallions off the heat. Sauce clings to the chicken in a thin, shiny glaze.
Fluff the rice, divide it among four bowls, spoon the chicken and sauce over the top, and finish with sesame seeds. Rice is fluffy and the chicken is evenly glazed on top.