Honey Garlic Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Tender glazed chicken over fluffy rice with crisp vegetables and sesame topping.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
04 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Honey Garlic Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons honey
06 - 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Rice

11 - 1.25 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice
12 - 2 cups water
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Vegetables

14 - 1.5 cups broccoli florets
15 - 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
16 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

→ Garnishes

17 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
18 - 2 spring onions, sliced

# How-To:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, 2 cups water, and pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil until well blended. Set aside.
03 - Toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated on all sides.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in single layer and cook 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through.
05 - Pour honey garlic sauce over chicken. Stir to coat and simmer 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens and clings to chicken.
06 - While chicken cooks, steam broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper until just tender, approximately 4-5 minutes. Alternatively, sauté in separate pan with splash of oil for enhanced flavor.
07 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each with glazed chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and spring onions.
08 - Serve immediately while hot and enjoy.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • The honey garlic sauce is pure magic—sweet, savory, and glossy enough to make even simple chicken feel fancy.
  • It's genuinely ready in 35 minutes, which means you can serve something this impressive on a busy Tuesday without stress.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet with minimal cleanup, so you won't dread the kitchen after eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I learned this the hard way with a gluey, disappointing batch that stuck together like paste.
  • The cornstarch coating makes all the difference in getting that restaurant-quality texture; plain chicken won't develop the same golden sear or sauce adhesion.
  • Medium-high heat is your friend for the chicken—too low and it steams instead of sears, too high and it burns before cooking through.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before sprinkling—the warmth unlocks their nutty aroma and makes them taste exponentially better.
  • Make the sauce the night before if you're meal prepping; it actually develops more depth as it sits and saves you precious minutes during the week.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after simmering, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon of water and stir it in—it thickens instantly.
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