Takeout runs forty dollars. This runs twelve minutes.
A pound and a half of chicken thigh pieces tossed in two tablespoons of cornstarch, spread in one layer in the basket, 400F for twelve minutes with a shake halfway, until the edges crisp and it reads 165F.
While that runs, broccoli steams three minutes in the microwave and the sauce goes together in a bowl: half a cup of marmalade, three tablespoons of soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, forty-five seconds to loosen.
Ingredients
The recipe serves 4. Plan on 12 minutes to finish (plus earlier prep).
- 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- cooking spray
How to Make It
- Toss the chicken with cornstarch. Spray the air fryer basket and add the chicken in one layer.
- Air fry at 400F for 12 minutes, shaking halfway, until the chicken reaches 165F and the edges crisp.
- While it cooks, steam the broccoli in the microwave 3 minutes.
- Whisk the marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger in a bowl, then microwave 45 seconds until pourable.
- Toss the hot chicken in the sauce and serve over rice with the broccoli.
Do the Slow Part Early
Cut the chicken and cook the rice before practice so the air fryer does the rest.
- Cut and cornstarch-coat the chicken, then chill it covered
- Cook the rice in the morning
- Whisk the orange sauce ahead and keep it in a jar
Store and Reheat
Store the chicken and rice apart so the rice does not go gummy.
- Microwave the chicken 90 seconds, then toss with warm sauce
- Reheat rice with a splash of water, covered, 2 minutes
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Serve with: edamame, sliced cucumber, mandarin oranges
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
Cornstarch, never flour
It is what gives the outside a crust the sticky sauce can grab onto.
Sauce it while it is hot
Toss the chicken the second it leaves the basket or the coating goes dull.
One layer in the basket
Crowded chicken steams instead of crisping, every single time, without exception.
Sauce in a jar at four
Whisk it in the afternoon and that is one fewer bowl to wash at nine.
Chicken and rice apart
Stored together, the rice goes gummy under the sauce by morning.
Plan the next step
Save your weeknight favorites
Use the planner to keep crowd-pleasers like this on the calendar so takeout cravings have an answer at home.