Sticky Chicken Bowls (Printable)

Tender glazed chicken with sweet-savory sauce over rice and fresh veggies for a balanced meal.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ For the Sticky Sauce

06 - 1/3 cup soy sauce (low sodium recommended)
07 - 1/3 cup honey
08 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
09 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
12 - 1 tbsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)
13 - 1 tsp sesame oil

→ For Serving

14 - 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
15 - 1 cup shredded carrots
16 - 1 cup sliced cucumber
17 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
18 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
19 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning to brown all sides, until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, combine soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sriracha (if using), and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
04 - Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and glazes the chicken.
05 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top each with sticky chicken, carrots, cucumber, green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro.
06 - Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every bite, so you get that perfect balance of sweet, salty, and umami in each mouthful
  • Everything cooks in one skillet and the sauce comes together in minutes
  • You can customize the vegetables based on whatever is in your crisper drawer
02 -
  • The sauce continues to thicken as it cools, so remove it from heat when it still looks slightly thinner than you want
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when searing chicken or it will steam instead of brown
  • Warm your honey in the microwave for 10 seconds if it is too thick to measure easily
03 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before coating it with cornstarch for better browning
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one for the best sear and heat retention

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