Boneless chicken thighs sear to a golden crust in a very hot cast iron pan, then finish in the oven and get basted with a honey-garlic glaze in the last two minutes so the sauce goes sticky without burning. Broccolini roasts at the same time until the tips char, and brown rice from the rice cooker soaks up the glaze. Dark meat stays juicy and forgiving, and boneless thighs get crispier than bone-in. Leftover chicken is excellent cold over spring mix.
Ingredients
- ~2½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
- Garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Honey-Garlic Glaze
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1½ tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Roasted Broccolini
- 2 bunches broccolini (~1 lb), ends trimmed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Garlic and salt
- Brown rice, cooked in a rice cooker (¾ cup per Him & Son, ½ cup per Her)
Preparation
- Pat the chicken dry and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken on a sheet pan. I like to use parchment paper to keep the chicken from sticking. Transfer to a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is done.
- Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. For the last 2 minutes of oven time, baste each thigh generously with the glaze, return to the oven, and baste again when done.
- Toss the broccolini with olive oil, garlic, and salt and roast at 425°F for 12–15 minutes alongside the chicken until the tips char. The chicken is done at 165°F.
- Serve over brown rice with the broccolini.
- Set aside extra chicken for the next day’s lunch.
Notes
Portions: Him & Son: ~7 oz chicken + generous roasted broccolini + ¾ cup brown rice (~790 cal) | Her: ~5 oz chicken + roasted broccolini + ½ cup brown rice (~530 cal)
