Equipment
Ingredients
Brown Rice
- 200 g brown jasmine rice, dry, uncooked
- 450 ml water
- 2 g fine sea salt
Honey Soy Chicken
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3 cm cubes
- 15 ml neutral cooking oil
- 60 ml soy sauce
- 85 g honey
- 3 garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 15 ml rice vinegar
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 8 g cornstarch
- 15 ml water
Garlic Wilted Bok Choi
- 400 g baby bok choi, halved lengthwise and thoroughly rinsed
- 10 ml neutral cooking oil
- 2 garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 30 ml water
- 1 g fine sea salt
Garnish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 5 g toasted white sesame seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 598 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 63 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 20 g
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Water
- 241 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse 200g of brown jasmine rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the runoff is clear, then drain thoroughly.
Transfer the rinsed rice to a medium saucepan with lid, add 450ml of water and 2g of fine sea salt, and bring to a rolling boil at 100°C (212°F) over high heat.
Cover the saucepan with the lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer gently for 40 minutes without lifting the lid.
Remove the covered saucepan from the heat source and allow the rice to rest undisturbed with the lid on for 10 minutes to complete steaming.
Place 600g of boneless skinless chicken thighs on a cutting board, cut into uniform 3 cm bite-sized pieces using a chef knife, then immediately sanitize hands, knife, and cutting board.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 60ml of soy sauce, 85g of honey, 15ml of rice vinegar, 5ml of toasted sesame oil, 9g of minced garlic, and 15g of grated ginger until the honey dissolves completely.
In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk 8g of cornstarch with 15ml of cold water until a completely smooth slurry forms.
Heat 15ml of neutral cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat at 180°C (356°F) until shimmering.
Add the chicken pieces to the hot large non-stick skillet in a single layer using tongs, searing undisturbed for 4 minutes until a golden-brown crust develops underneath.
Turn the chicken pieces over with tongs and pour the prepared honey soy sauce mixture into the large non-stick skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the chicken in the sauce for 5 minutes until the thickest piece registers at least 74°C (165°F) on a digital instant-read food thermometer.
Stir the cornstarch slurry briefly to recombine, pour it into the bubbling sauce, and stir continuously for 2 minutes until a thick, shiny glaze coats the chicken.
Heat 10ml of neutral cooking oil in a medium skillet with lid over medium heat, add 6g of sliced garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Place 400g of rinsed baby bok choi cut-side down into the medium skillet, add 30ml of water, sprinkle with 1g of fine sea salt, cover tightly with the lid, and steam for 3 minutes.
Fluff the rested brown rice with a fork, divide it evenly among 4 serving plates, arrange the wilted bok choi alongside, and spoon the glazed chicken and residual pan sauce over the rice.
Scatter 30g of thinly sliced scallions and 5g of toasted white sesame seeds over the glazed chicken and bok choi, then serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Chicken thighs are uniquely suited to sweet glazed applications because their high intramuscular fat and gelatin content keep the meat moist while the sugars reduce.
- Brown jasmine rice requires a longer simmer and mandatory 10-minute steam rest to permit heat redistribution through the fibrous bran layer.
- Always re-whisk the cornstarch slurry immediately prior to introducing it to the skillet, as raw starch granules settle quickly out of cold water.
- Slicing the baby bok choi lengthwise through the root core keeps each half intact during rapid sautéing and steaming, preventing leaf separation.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cool leftovers rapidly and refrigerate in airtight containers within 2 hours of preparation.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze glazed chicken and cooked brown rice in airtight freezer containers; bok choi does not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat leftover chicken, rice, and greens in a covered skillet or microwave until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Glaze burns or turns dark and unpleasantly bitter in the skillet
Cause: Skillet temperature was too high after adding the honey-laden sauce, causing delicate sugars to scorch
Fix: Cannot be fixed if burnt residue clings to the meat; discard burnt sauce, wipe the skillet clean, and toss the chicken in a freshly mixed glaze batch
Prevention: Lower burner heat to medium as soon as the sauce enters the pan, and never leave simmering honey unattended
Chicken registers below 74°C (165°F) while the glaze is already thick
Cause: Chicken pieces were cut larger than 3 cm or the glaze thickened prematurely before heat penetrated the core
Fix: Add 30ml of water to dilute the glaze, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer over low heat until the meat reaches 74°C (165°F)
Prevention: Ensure chicken is cut into uniform 3 cm pieces and cook the meat to temperature before adding the cornstarch slurry
Bok choi turns dull olive-green, limp, and watery
Cause: Greens were steamed beyond 3 minutes or allowed to sit covered in hot residual liquid
Fix: Drain excess water immediately on paper towels and serve promptly; the mushy texture cannot be reversed
Prevention: Strictly observe the 3-minute steaming limit and vent steam immediately upon uncovering the skillet
Cultural Context
Glazed poultry dishes balancing savory fermented soy sauce with sweet honey or maltose reflect time-honored Cantonese culinary principles. Serving rich, lacquered poultry alongside steamed brassicas like bok choi and plain grains establishes harmony across texture, richness, and digestion.
