Lemon Chicken, Veggies & Fluffy Basmati Rice Recipe
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Remove broccoli florets and cut the stems into bite‑sized pieces, discarding the very bottom of each stem. Trim green beans by cutting off the top and tail; leave them whole or halve them. Slice two lemons in half, juice them, and be sure no seeds fall into the liquid. Use one kilogram of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, slice them into strips, then dice into bite‑size pieces.
Sauce Formulation
In a bowl combine 125 ml chicken stock, the juice of the two lemons, three cloves of micro‑planed or grated garlic, and 80 ml warmed honey. Add 2.5 g onion powder, 30 ml soy sauce, 10 ml sesame oil, and 12 g corn flour. Whisk until the corn flour is fully dissolved. Finish the sauce with a pinch of sea‑salt flakes and ten cracks of black pepper.
Cooking Process
Rice – Measure 350 g basmati rice and rinse it, then add to 700 ml cold water (a 2:1 ratio) with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for 14 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, let it sit, covered, for 4 minutes, then fluff the grains.
Vegetables – Heat 30 ml olive oil in a pan over medium‑high heat. Add the broccoli and sauté for 3–4 minutes. Toss in the green beans and sauté an additional 3 minutes. Pour in 80 ml water, cover the pan, and steam for 2 minutes so the vegetables stay tender yet retain a bite.
Chicken – In another pan, heat 20 ml olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring until they are browned and cooked through. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, stirring for 1.5–2 minutes until the mixture thickens. For extra texture, sprinkle 5 g each of white and black sesame seeds, if desired.
Storage and Serving
Portion the dish as 210 g cooked basmati rice, 130 g of the vegetable mix, and 200 g of honey‑lemon chicken per serving. Store leftovers in a standard container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or five days when vacuum‑sealed. In the freezer the meal keeps for four months.
Takeaways
- The recipe uses 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs sliced into bite‑size pieces, combined with a lemon‑honey sauce thickened by corn flour.
- Uniformly trimmed broccoli florets and stems, plus whole or halved green beans, are sautéed then briefly steamed to achieve a tender‑but‑crisp texture.
- Basmati rice cooked with a 2:1 water ratio, simmered 14 minutes and rested 4 minutes yields soft, fluffy grains.
- The sauce is made by whisking chicken stock, garlic, lemon juice, warmed honey, onion powder, soy sauce, sesame oil and corn flour, then seasoned with sea‑salt flakes and cracked black pepper.
- The finished dish stores for up to 4 days in the fridge (5 days vacuum‑sealed) or 4 months in the freezer, and is portioned as 210 g rice, 130 g vegetables, and 200 g honey chicken per serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does corn flour thicken the lemon‑honey sauce?
Corn flour’s starch granules absorb water and swell when the sauce reaches a boil; the heat ruptures the granules, releasing starch that creates a viscous network, thickening the sauce so it clings to the chicken pieces.
Why trim broccoli to uniform bite‑size pieces?
Uniform size ensures even cooking, so all pieces reach the same temperature at the same time, preventing undercooked stems or overcooked florets.
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