Description
This delicious Sticky Chicken with Vegetable Fried Rice recipe combines tender chicken thigh fillets with a sweet and tangy sticky sauce, served alongside vibrant vegetable-packed fried rice. The dish features a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors, enhanced by fresh ginger, garlic, and a hint of sriracha. Quick to prepare using a wok, this meal is ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner that brings a taste of Asian-inspired cooking to your home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sticky Chicken:
- 250g (8oz) chicken thigh fillets, sliced into 1cm (1/3″) slices
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey (or substitute with 1 tbsp brown sugar)
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced or finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp sriracha (optional)
For the Vegetable Fried Rice:
- 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (see notes)
- 1/2 brown or white onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup baby corn, cut into 1cm (1/3″) slices (or canned or frozen corn)
- 3 bok choys
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil, separated
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shao hsing wine) or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp chicken stock powder or crumbled bouillon cube (or 1/2 tsp salt)
- 1 shallot/scallion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Make Ahead Preparation: Combine chicken and marinade ingredients (soy sauce, tomato sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and sriracha if using) in a bowl, mix to coat the chicken well. Set aside for 20 minutes or place in a ziplock bag and freeze until needed.
- Cook Rice: Place uncooked rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool uncovered, then portion into two freezer bags (about 1 1/2 cups rice per bag). Use one bag for this recipe and freeze the other.
- Prepare Vegetables: Wash and cut the carrot, thaw peas if frozen, slice baby corn, and clean and separate bok choy stems from leaves. Cut stems into 1cm sticks.
- Toast Sesame Seeds: Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add sesame seeds and toast for 15 seconds until fragrant, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Flavor Oil with Garlic: Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok. Add smashed garlic clove and stir fry for 20 seconds to infuse the oil. Remove and discard the garlic.
- Cook Vegetables: Add diced onion to wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Then add carrot, peas, and baby corn and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add bok choy stems and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add Rice and Seasonings: Stir in the cooked rice, cooking wine, soy sauce, and chicken stock powder. Stir fry everything together for 30 seconds until combined and heated through.
- Finish Fried Rice: Remove wok from heat, quickly stir in bok choy leaves to the rice to wilt them slightly. Transfer fried rice to a large bowl.
- Cook Chicken: Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil to the wok and heat on high. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and stir fry chicken for 1 1/2 minutes until browned but slightly undercooked. Add reserved marinade plus 2 tablespoons water and cook for another 30 seconds, allowing sauce to thicken and become sticky. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Plate the vegetable fried rice into bowls, top with sticky chicken, and garnish with sliced shallots/scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- The recipe uses cooked rice that can be prepared ahead and frozen for convenience.
- Bok choy stems are firmer and need a bit longer cooking than the leafy parts.
- Sriracha is optional and can be adjusted for preferred spice level.
- If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry is a good substitute.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with tofu and use vegetable stock powder.
- Use day-old rice if possible to prevent mushy fried rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Sticky chicken, vegetable fried rice, Chinese cooking, wok recipe, easy dinner, chicken thigh recipe
