Description
So I was craving takeout something fierce last week, but my wallet was giving me that judgmental empty stare. You know the one. I started rummaging through my fridge and found some chicken thighs that were about to hit their “maybe don’t eat this anymore” date. A little digging in the pantry unearthed some honey, soy sauce, and a ridiculous amount of black pepper (what can I say, I stock up when it’s on sale). Twenty minutes later, my kitchen smelled like the best Chinese restaurant you’ve ever been to, and this dish was born. The sweet-spicy chicken paired with slurpy lo mein noodles AND rice? Yeah, I’m doubling up on carbs and I’m not even sorry about it.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
For that Killer Honey Pepper Sauce:
- 1/3 cup honey (the real stuff, not that bear-shaped imposter)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium if you’re watching that kind of thing)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper (YES, that much)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I don’t judge)
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated (the fresh stuff makes a difference)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (depending on your spice tolerance)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)
For the Lo Mein:
- 8 oz lo mein noodles (or spaghetti if that’s what you’ve got)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 3 green onions, chopped (separate white and green parts)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional but awesome)
For the Rice:
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Garnishes:
- Sliced green onions (the green parts you saved)
- Sesame seeds
- Extra black pepper
- Chopped cilantro (if you’re not a soap-taster)