Honey Soy Chicken

The lid-on sear is one of those small techniques that makes a big difference. Most home cooks sear chicken thighs open on a pan, which works but leaves the top of the thigh pale and raw-looking while you wait for the bottom to cook through. Covering the pan with a lid during the sear traps steam, which gently cooks the top of the chicken while the bottom builds a hard golden crust. Four minutes with the lid on gives you chicken that's already cooked most of the way through.

Pull the chicken. The fond left on the pan is the whole flavor foundation for everything that comes next. Deglaze with the sauce liquid while the pan is still hot: sesame oil, water, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Scrape the bottom with a spatula as you stir, releasing every browned bit into the sauce.

The cut-in-pan trick is worth knowing. Instead of pulling the chicken to a cutting board, cutting it, and putting it back, use a spatula or pair of kitchen scissors to cut the chicken directly in the pan. It saves a step and it lets the cut edges soak up sauce while the interior cooks the rest of the way in the liquid. The juices stay in the pan.

Carrots and cabbage go in on top of the cut chicken. Reduce the heat slightly and let everything simmer together until the vegetables are tender. The vegetables cook in the sauce, picking up flavor as they soften.

The honey goes in at the end, not the beginning. Adding honey early lets its sugars caramelize and potentially burn. Adding it at the end lets it glaze the chicken and vegetables as a finishing coat. Stir to coat everything and serve over rice. Sliced green onions and optional sesame seeds. It's a one-pan dinner that eats like it took twice as long as it did.