Weeknight wok energy: chili-garlic chicken with spinach wilted in at the last moment, over rice. Hot pan, fast hands, dinner in under half an hour.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
2
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Wok or largest skillet
Small bowl for sauce
Prep checklist
chicken thighs — bite-size pieces
garlic — minced
red chili — sliced
5 steps
Method
1
Stir soy, honey, vinegar, cornstarch, and 3 tbsp water into a sauce. Set it next to the stove — once the wok is hot there is no time to measure.
Why this works
Mise en place isn't chef ceremony; stir-fries move faster than you can chop.
2
Get the wok properly hot — oil shimmering, first wisp of smoke. Sear the chicken in one layer, undisturbed, for 2 minutes before tossing. Cook until golden, about 6 minutes total.
6 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
One layer, no crowding. Two batches beat one grey one.
3
Push the chicken aside, add garlic and chili to the center, and stir for 20 seconds until fragrant.
4
Pour in the sauce; it will bubble and thicken in about a minute. Toss to glaze every piece.
1 min — timer available in cooking mode
5
Kill the heat, add the spinach, and fold just until it wilts into emerald ribbons — 30 seconds. Serve over rice.
Why this works
Spinach cooks on contact. Residual heat is plenty; a wilted-not-slumped leaf keeps its color and bite.
From the pass
Chef's notes
The sauce ratio (2 soy : 1 sweet : 1 acid + cornstarch) is a template. Swap honey for brown sugar, vinegar for lime, add ginger — you now improvise stir-fries.
No panic
Substitutions
Tofu or tempeh for chicken (press it dry first)
Tamari for soy sauce (gluten-free)
Chard ribbons for spinach — add 1 minute earlier
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate 3 days. The spinach fades but the flavor holds.
Freezing
Freezes fine (minus the spinach) for 2 months; add fresh greens when reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Off-dry Riesling handles the heat; cold lager is the honest answer.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.