Spicy Maple Chicken, Coconut Rice (Printable)
Sweet-spicy maple-glazed chicken on coconut-scented jasmine rice, finished with green onions, toasted sesame, and lime.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Spicy Maple Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
05 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot sauce
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Coconut Rice
10 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
11 - 1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
12 - 1 cup water
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
14 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - Lime wedges
# How-to Steps:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, Sriracha, minced garlic, grated ginger, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and lightly season both sides with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
04 - Pour maple glaze over the chicken in the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, turning chicken halfway through, until fully cooked and sauce is thickened.
05 - While chicken simmers, combine rinsed jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork.
06 - Place a portion of coconut rice on each plate, top with spicy maple chicken and sauce. Garnish with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The maple glaze clings to the chicken in a way that makes every bite a tiny celebration.
- Coconut rice turns out impossibly aromatic and makes leftovers almost as good as the first night.
02 -
- I once tried to skip letting the rice rest, and ended up with wet, sticky clumps instead of fluffy grains.
- Turning the chicken halfway through the simmer prevents one side from absorbing all the sweet-spicy glaze (trust me, it’s worth the extra move).
03 -
- Using a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet makes cleanup so much easier once the maple starts bubbling up.
- Grate the ginger directly into the bowl to catch all the flavorful juice—it really warms up the whole glaze.