Spicy Maple Chicken Coconut Rice (Printable view)
Maple-glazed chicken with Sriracha heat over coconut jasmine rice; garnished with scallions, 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
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 freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Coconut Rice
10 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
11 - 1 can (14 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
# Steps:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, Sriracha, minced garlic, grated ginger, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides lightly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken breasts 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 halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
05 - In a saucepan, combine rinsed jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir once, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.
06 - Serve glazed chicken atop a bed of coconut rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sweet-spicy glaze clings to the chicken in a way that begs for second helpings—you might find yourself swiping your finger through the sauce drips.
- It’s ridiculously low effort for something that tastes like you ordered takeout (but actually made it on a Tuesday night).
02 -
- If you crowd the pan with chicken, steam wins and you lose that beautiful sear; cook in batches if your skillet is on the small side.
- Letting the rice sit five minutes after cooking is a small act of patience that leads to separate, pillowy grains—skip this and you’ll be scooping up mush.
03 -
- If your coconut milk has separated in the can, whisk it smooth before measuring for consistently creamy rice.
- For extra flavor, toast your rinsed rice in a little oil before adding the liquids—it makes the coconut aroma even toastier.