2

15m

Prep

12m

Cook

27m

Total

2

Serves

chicken thighs — bite-size pieces

garlic — minced

red chili — sliced

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.

💡

Mise en place isn't chef ceremony; stir-fries move faster than you can chop.

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.

💡

One layer, no crowding. Two batches beat one grey one.

Push the chicken aside, add garlic and chili to the center, and stir for 20 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in the sauce; it will bubble and thicken in about a minute. Toss to glaze every piece.

Kill the heat, add the spinach, and fold just until it wilts into emerald ribbons — 30 seconds. Serve over rice.

💡

Spinach cooks on contact. Residual heat is plenty; a wilted-not-slumped leaf keeps its color and bite.

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.

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Crusty bread or buttered rice

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A sharp green salad

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Roasted seasonal vegetables

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Umami

Heat