Late-Night Food Confession
It’s not about the fancy or complicated stuff. Honestly, I think I just love how the soy and honey caramelize in the pan — that sticky, slightly burnt edge that makes everything taste like a sweet-salty secret. I’ve done the rice, chicken, and enough quick dinners that you’d think I’d be over it. Nope. Something about the smell of garlic browning, the way the sauce bubbles and sticks, makes me forget all the other food in the world.
Right now, with snacks being a never-ending quest and energy waning at the worst times, this feels like the answer. A bowl full of sticky chicken chunks over rice that’s soft and warm — it’s comfort that’s loud enough to cut through the late-night quiet. I don’t even care if it’s not perfect. Just the smell alone gets me. Maybe I’ll eat this standing in the kitchen, maybe I won’t bother plating it properly. Who cares.
Sticky Soy-Honey Chicken over Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the rinsed rice and water into a rice cooker or pot, then cook until rice is tender and fluffy, about 15 minutes.1 cup long-grain rice
- While rice cooks, cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks on a cutting board using a sharp knife.1 cup long-grain rice
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot.1 cup long-grain rice
- Add the chicken chunks to the hot skillet in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.1 cup long-grain rice
- Add minced garlic to the skillet with the chicken. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly golden, with garlic sizzling and aromatic.1 cup long-grain rice
- Pour soy sauce and honey into the skillet. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky, about 4-5 minutes; the mixture should bubble and reduce to a glossy, caramelized glaze, with the chicken edges slightly burnt but not stuck.1 cup long-grain rice
- Serve the caramelized chicken chunks over the hot steamed rice, allowing the sticky sauce to glisten on the surface. Optionally, garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds.
There’s a certain joy in simplicity, in pulling something like this together without much fuss. Maybe it’s a bad idea to eat this every night, but who’s counting? Sometimes the best meals are the ones that surprise you with how fast they come together and how much they stick — literally and figuratively.