Sweet and Saucy Chicken

Vanessa's wedding is September 15th. Three weeks. The planning has reached its crescendo — fittings, rehearsals, the bachelorette party (last Saturday, low-key, wine and music at Vanessa's apartment because we are women in our thirties who consider a night without children to be the wildest possible celebration). I gave a toast. I said, "Vanessa, you are the sister I chose. Brian, you are the brother she chose. And if you hurt her, I know where you sleep." Everyone laughed. Brian looked slightly terrified. Mission accomplished.

Derek and I had a conversation about timing. Not a big conversation — a kitchen-counter conversation, standing in my kitchen on a Tuesday while I made stir-fry and he stood with his back against the counter and his hands around a coffee mug and we talked the way people talk when they're close enough to touch but choosing words instead. He said, "I want the kids to spend more time together." I said, "I know." He said, "And I want to spend more time with you." I said, "You see me three times a week." He said, "I want to see you every time." I didn't say anything. I stirred the stir-fry. The sizzle spoke for me. Some things you feel before you can say them, and the feeling is the answer even when the mouth hasn't caught up yet.

Set the Table: second anniversary class. Ten girls cooked a full meal for each other — a celebration of two years of Saturdays. Diamond made cornbread (she's the cornbread queen now — her version rivals mine, and I mean that). Destiny made fried chicken (her specialty, perfected over two years of practice). Each girl cooked her best dish. We set the table — ten places, ten plates, ten napkins — and we sat down together and ate and I said, "Two years ago, some of you had never held a spatula. Look at this table. YOU made this table." Tasha said, "You made us, Miss Tamika." I said, "I showed you the kitchen. You made yourselves." It's the truest thing I've ever said.

That Tuesday night stir-fry wasn’t fancy — it never is when it’s a weeknight and your heart is doing more work than your hands. But there’s something about a pan of sweet and saucy chicken sizzling on the stove that fills a kitchen with enough warmth to hold a conversation you’re not quite ready to finish. This is the dish I was stirring when Derek said what he said, and the dish I’ve made a dozen times since, because every time I taste it I remember that the feeling came first — and the feeling was the answer.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

Season the chicken. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear the chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook without moving for 3–4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and ginger until combined.
Thicken the sauce. In a separate small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Pour the sauce into the skillet over medium heat, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Combine and coat. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes more until everything is heated through and the chicken is well glazed.
Serve. Spoon over cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sweet and Saucy Chicken — The Sizzle That Said Everything