Soy-Glazed Chicken Breasts With Pickled Cucumbers
The pan-steam method used here ensures boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook quickly while staying moist. The technique works with water, but a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, honey, garlic and coriander infuses the chicken with even more flavor. Depending on the size of the skillet you use, the sauce may reduce a little slower or faster than the time indicated. When you swipe a rubber spatula across the bottom of the skillet, the sauce should hold a spatula-wide trail that fills in with liquid pretty quickly. If you happen to reduce too much, whisk in water one tablespoon at a time until you’re back to a shiny sauce that can be drizzled. Rice is an obvious side, but the sliced chicken and pickled cucumbers are really good tucked inside flour tortillas, too.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1shallot, peeled, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
- ¼cup rice vinegar
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2garlic cloves, smashed
- 1teaspoon coriander seeds, roughly smashed with the side of a heavy knife
- Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving
- Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, toss to combine the cucumber, shallot, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside while you make the chicken.Step 2
In a shallow dish, stir soy sauce and honey together; add chicken and turn to coat.Step 3
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and coriander and stir to coat. Add chicken breasts (reserve the marinade) and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. (Browning happens a little faster than usual here because of the honey and soy; if the marinade is getting too dark, lower the heat slightly.)Step 4
Add reserved marinade and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more per side.Step 5
Uncover the skillet, increase heat to medium-high and cook, turning chicken occasionally, until liquid is reduced and chicken is glazed, about 5 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with any leftover glaze over rice with cucumber salad and cilantro.