Sesame Chicken Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoons honey
• 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 cups total cucumber and carrots (sliced or shredded), plus scallions (sliced) and white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then place them on a cutting board and slice each one horizontally into two thin, even cutlets (about 1/2 inch thick) so they cook quickly and evenly.

2. 2

   Pour soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and minced garlic into a small bowl and whisk together until the honey dissolves completely and the mixture looks uniform.

3. 3

   Slice the cucumber lengthwise into thin matchsticks, then slice or shred the carrots into thin strips, and slice the scallions crosswise into thin rings; place all vegetables in a small bowl.

4. 4

   Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

5. 5

   Place the chicken cutlets in the hot skillet in a single layer and cook without moving them for 3 to 4 minutes until the undersides turn golden-brown and smell fragrant.

6. 6

   Flip each cutlet over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side until golden-brown and the thickest part feels firm when pressed with a fork.

7. 7

   Pour the sauce over the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tilting the pan and spooning the sauce over the chicken until it looks glossy and caramelized.

8. 8

   Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle the sesame oil all over the chicken so the oil makes thin streaks visible on the surface.

9. 9

   Divide the cooked rice evenly between two bowls, making a bed about 1 inch thick on the bottom of each.

10. 10

    Cut each chicken cutlet in half crosswise into two pieces, then arrange the pieces on top of the rice in the center of each bowl.

11. 11

    Arrange the cucumber matchsticks and shredded carrots in small piles alongside the chicken, then scatter the sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the top.

12. 12

    Drizzle any remaining sauce from the skillet over the rice and vegetables so each bite tastes rich and savory.

Tools you’ll need

• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small bowl
• whisk
• 12-inch skillet
• fork
• tongs or spatula

More recipes like this

• 

  Quick Pulled Pork Sandwiches

  10 min

• 

  Vegetarian Congee with Soft Eggs

  45 min

• 

  Brunost Toast with Apple & Honey

  10 min

• 

  Acarajé with Shrimp

  45 min