Three dishes, one-pot: Chinese chicken vegetables and rice

Cooktop Cove: Three dishes, one-pot: Chinese chicken vegetables and rice

By Audrey Michels

What is the best part of a cooking show? Watching the judges freak out? Imagining what the food tastes like? Or is it laughing at the insane challenges issued to the contestants? Why not challenge yourself to make a delicious weeknight meal with just one pot? This Chinese chicken and rice with bok choy and carrots is full of flavor and requires only one pot, making it the perfect weeknight meal for two. Of course, you can double it if you’re cooking for four, or if you just want some leftovers for lunch the next day. So, if you’re a college student or just a frugal chef with only one pot to use, this is the ideal recipe for you.

If you’re concerned about keeping everything warm, you can set your oven to warm and keep your covered serving dish in there while everything else cooks. Just be careful when serving— the dish will be very hot.

One-pot Chinese chicken and rice

20 minutes

30 minutes

50 minutes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

½ cup jasmine rice

1 cup water

4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

1 head baby bok choy

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on an angle

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Place a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high heat, and add the vegetable oil, garlic and ginger.

Sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the rice and 1 cup of water. Turn the heat to high, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and cover for 12-14 minutes, or until fully cooked. Fluff with a fork, then transfer the rice to a serving dish and cover to retain heat.

Add half of the sesame oil. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then place in the saucepan. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side.

Add the rice wine vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and hoisin sauce, and mix. Spoon over the chicken, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and all of the sauce to the serving dish with the rice.

Place the saucepan pack on the heat, and add the remaining half-tablespoon of sesame oil.

Once hot, add the carrot and cook 3-4 minutes. Then, add the bok choy and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

Add the vegetables to the serving dish and serve immediately.