Does anyone else remember how delicious we used to think Panda Express was? I loved that place when I was a teenager, long before I knew any better. I mean, what’s so great about Panda (besides their orange chicken, obvi)? Do you know what I hated about Panda Express? Their food always tasted like it had been sitting out for hours under a heat lamp. Surely there’s gotta be a better way to enjoy the tastes of Panda in a healthier, fresher way, right?
That brings me to this Honey-Sesame Chicken & Bok Choy dish that I made. Mmmmm… This quick cooking favorite highlights the rich, sweet sauce that brings together lightly crisped chicken tenders and bok choy. For vibrant contrast, I served it over jasmine rice that was, wait for it, infused with spicy gochujang – a traditional Korean chile paste. Needless to say, this meal was fantastic! Once again likely the best meal I’ve ever made!
(Pro-tip, click the photo and zoom in to see my new camera gear at work! Oh my God, I’m becoming a food blogger!!!)
Ingredients for the best meal ever
- ¾ lb Chicken Tenders
- ½ cup Jasmine Rice
- 10 oz Baby Bok Choy
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsps Soy Glaze
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- 2 tsps Gochujang
- 1 tsp Black & White Sesame Seeds
Recipe for the best meal ever
Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. In a medium pot, combine 1 cup of water, a big pinch of salt, and as much of the gochujang as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Add the rice and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.
While the rice cooks, wash and dry the bok choy. Cut off and discard the root end of the bok choy, then roughly chop. In a bowl, whisk together the honey (kneading the packet before opening), soy glaze, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of warm water.
While the rice continues to cook, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch and stir to coat.
In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated chicken in an even layer (shaking off any excess cornstarch before adding). Cook, without stirring, 3 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until lightly browned. Flip the chicken, then add the chopped bok choy and sauce. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook, without stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bok choy is wilted and the chicken is cooked through. Stir to combine. Serve the cooked chicken, bok choy, and sauce over the cooked rice. Garnish with the sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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Wanna hear my Blue Apron secret?
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen a handful of delicious meals that I’ve been making the last several months. How do I make these super delicious meals?? Well, these are all made possible by Blue Apron. I’ve always struggled with cooking, but Blue Apron has taught me how to cook like a rock star. If you’ve ever contemplated using a meal service like Blue Apron, I highly reccomend it – the meals are always super delicious and they’re a lot of fun too. Give them a try and tell me what you think!
