By The week after the workshop I woke up Monday feeling something I had forgotten was available to me: forward momentum. Not the grinding forward of grief-survival, not the determined forward of batch prep as coping mechanism, but something lighter, the feeling of having done a thing that worked and wanting to do more things that work. Brandon said: you seem different this week. I said: I taught a class. He said: I know. Then he said: it was good to see. I did not know what to say so I handed him the pineapple for the Hawaiian haystacks I was making for Sunday dinner.
Father's Day was Sunday and I made Brandon's favorite: slow-roasted BBQ chicken thighs, low and slow in the oven because Brandon's grill skills are aspirational rather than technical. He did man the grill for the corn, however, with the ceremony of someone who takes corn on the cob seriously, which I find endearing. The kids gave him cards. Ethan's was typed, which is very Ethan. Mason's was hand-drawn and depicted Brandon apparently fighting a bear, which Mason confirmed was intentional and complimentary.
I called my father. Gary Cooper, not the actor, the one who manages the bishop's storehouse in Orem and who has spent forty years finding people who need to be fed and giving them the means to feed themselves. I told him about the workshop. He was quiet for a moment and then he said: your mother always said you would find your thing. I said accounting was supposed to be my thing. He said: that was the backup. I have been thinking about that since, about what a backup is and what a thing is and how you know the difference.
Second workshop: second Saturday of August. I reached out to a community center in Orem about kitchen space. The coordinator responded within four hours. She said they had twenty inquiries last year for something like this and no one had offered it. I said: I am offering it now.
Father’s Day called for Brandon’s slow-roasted BBQ thighs, and the Hawaiian haystacks were already behind us, but the week had that particular feeling where even a fast weeknight dinner deserved to be good—not just edible, but actually good. This garlic honey chicken is the one I reach for when I want something that tastes like I tried without requiring me to have tried very hard, which is exactly the kind of cooking that fits a season where I’m already spending my energy on things that matter. It comes together in fifteen minutes, it smells like something is happening, and Brandon will eat two servings without being asked.
15-Minute Garlic Honey Chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley or sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Sear until golden. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken thighs smooth side down and cook without moving for 4 to 5 minutes, until deeply golden and releasing easily from the pan.
- Flip and finish. Flip the thighs and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through and an internal thermometer reads 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Build the glaze. Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Finish with butter. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until melted and glossy. Return chicken to the skillet and turn to coat in the glaze.
- Serve. Plate over rice or alongside roasted vegetables. Spoon extra glaze from the pan over the top and garnish with parsley or green onions.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 480mg