Description
Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken and Fried Rice in 40 min — a better-than-takeout dinner idea featuring golden battered chicken in a five-ingredient sticky glaze served over toasty egg fried rice. Makes 4 generous bowls in 40 minutes with simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Chicken:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil for frying
- For the Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- For the Fried Rice:
- 3 cups cooked chilled rice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup diced carrots
- 2 tablespoons peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- To Serve (optional):
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Buffalo Wild Wings Southwest Ranch
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the chicken with the egg and water until evenly coated.
- Add cornstarch, flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, then toss until the chicken is fully coated.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
- In a saucepan, simmer soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, ketchup, garlic, ginger, and water until combined and fragrant.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
- Toss the fried chicken in the thickened honey garlic sauce until every piece is coated and shiny.
- For the fried rice, heat oil in a pan, scramble the eggs, then stir in chilled rice, carrots, peas, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper until hot and lightly golden; serve with the glazed chicken and optional toppings.
Notes
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, keep the sticky protein and the grain base separated if possible to maintain optimal texture overnight.
- Freezer: Freeze in tightly sealed containers for up to 2 months. Do not freeze with any fresh garnishes like cilantro or sour cream, as they will dramatically lose their structural integrity.
- Oven Reheat: Warm the entire dish in a baking pan covered with foil at 350°F for 15 minutes. This gentle method ensures the meat stays juicy without scorching the delicate sugars in the glaze.
- Microwave Reheat: Heat individual portions on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a splash of water to the grains to generate steam and prevent them from drying out entirely.
- Air Fryer Reheat: Revive the crispy texture of the meat by air-frying at 375°F for 5 minutes. Reheat the grains separately in the microwave to ensure everything is hot and perfectly textured.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dinner Ideas
- Method: Frying, Simmering, Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous
- Calories: 680 calories
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 1850mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 210mg