Phil’s Asian Honey Chicken Thighs
I get my work ethic from my dad — he’s the hardest worker I know. I also get my red lips, long legs, sharp nose, and blue eyes from my dad. Just kidding, I didn’t get his blue eyes, but Charlie did!
Since I was born my dad’s been an entrepreneur, and for many years of that journey, he was the sole-bread winner for our family. When my mom went back to work when I was in elementary school, I remember her having to leave for work travel, here and there. Whenever she did, my brothers and I knew what we were going to have for dinner that night… Steak and potatoes! Dad’s specialty.
After all of us kids fled the nest, and my mom took on her own entrepreneurial journey building Mahan Family Wines, alongside my dad, the wine-maker, my dad decided he wanted to take some of the cooking burden off my mom’s hands, which meant he had to learn a few more recipes. These days, he’s always whipping up something delicious, but these chicken thighs with rice have become a Mahan family favorite. They’re simple, glazy, and delicious. Enjoy!
Downloadable Recipe Card: Here
Prep Time: 35 mins
Serves: 4
What You’ll Need
Chicken
2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup honey (Phil’s note, if you need to swap in agave or maple syrup)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil
Sliced ginger, to taste (sushi ginger works great!)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Rice
1 cup white or brown rice
2 cups of veggie broth
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced crosswise (garnish)
How to Make
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
First, let’s get our chicken baking.
Place chicken in the pan, in a single layer. Brush thighs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Once finished, transfer to a cutting board and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Next, let’s prepare our glaze.
Add the lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil to a large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Low the heat to medium and simmer glaze for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by about half.
Now, let’s get our rice going.
Rinse rice with a fine mesh strainer, until water runs clear. Rinse rice with a fine mesh strainer, until water runs clear. Measure appropriate broth to rice ratio, typically 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. Add water and rice to a medium saucepan, and stir in a teaspoon of butter. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the water. Turn off heat and let pot sit, covered, for 10 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing with a fork.
Then, with your glaze ready, and your chicken cut into bite-sized pieces, finish your glaze.
Stir ginger and chicken into the glaze, turning the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken has a beautiful amber glaze and almost all the sauce is absorbed.
Finally, you’re ready to eat!
Serve chicken over rice, garnish with scallions, and enjoy!
Enjoy!
