Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Rice Bowls
Sticky chicken and tender veg are glazed with honey, garlic and chilli, then spooned over rice. It is a fast dinner with sweet heat and crisp edges.
Ingredients
Method
- 01
Rinse the rice, then put it in a saucepan with 300ml water, and the salt if using. Bring to a boil on induction setting 8, then cover and cook on setting 2 for 12 to 14 minutes, until the grains are tender and steam holes appear on top.
Tip · Rinsing removes extra starch, so the rice cooks up fluffy instead of gluey. - 02
Mix the honey, soy sauce, sriracha and rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth and glossy.
Tip · Mixing the sauce first keeps cooking calm later, because the chicken will cook quickly. - 03
Stir the cornflour and 30ml water in a small cup until no lumps remain and it looks like thin milk.
Tip · A cornflour slurry thickens the sauce evenly without leaving powdery bits. - 04
Pat the chicken dry, then season it with the black pepper. The pieces should feel slightly tacky, not wet.
Tip · Dry chicken browns better, which gives you more flavour in the pan. - 05
Heat a large frying pan over induction setting 7 for 1 minute, then add the oil. When the oil looks loose and shimmers, add the chicken in one layer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and you hear a steady sizzle.
Tip · Leaving the chicken still at first helps it form colour instead of steaming. - 06
Turn the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the pieces are browned all over and nearly cooked through, with clear juices on the thickest pieces.
Tip · Cooking in two sides builds colour and keeps the meat juicy. - 07
Add the broccoli and red pepper to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green and the pepper softens at the edges but still looks a little crisp.
Tip · Adding veg now lets them pick up flavour from the pan while keeping some bite. - 08
Add the garlic and stir for 30 to 60 seconds, until it smells fragrant and no longer raw. Do not let it darken.
Tip · Garlic cooks fast. A short cook removes harshness and keeps it sweet. - 09
Pour in the honey sauce and stir for 30 seconds, until it bubbles around the chicken and smells sweet and savoury.
Tip · Bringing the sauce to a bubble wakes up the flavours and starts reducing it. - 10
Stir the cornflour slurry again, then pour it into the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce turns thick, shiny and coats the chicken in a sticky glaze.
Tip · Stirring the slurry again stops the cornflour settling at the bottom. - 11
Rest the rice off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork until the grains separate and look light.
Tip · A short rest lets the steam finish the rice gently, so it stays fluffy. - 12
Divide the rice between bowls, then spoon over the chicken and vegetables. Scatter with spring onions and sesame seeds if using, and serve while the sauce is hot and glossy.
Tip · Layering the rice first catches the extra sauce, so every bite gets flavour.
