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Orange Chicken with Bok Choy and Rice

A quick skillet glaze keeps the orange vivid while seared chicken, jasmine rice, and crisp-tender bok choy make a balanced bowl.

Glossy orange chicken sits over jasmine rice beside green bok choy with scallions and sesame.

This bowl builds a bright, savory-sweet orange glaze around browned chicken and a simple bed of jasmine rice. Cooking the bok choy first gives it a quick sear while keeping its stems crisp and leaves green.

Give the rice a quiet finish

Rinsing jasmine rice removes loose surface starch, and a covered simmer lets the grains cook evenly without constant stirring. Leaving the pan covered off heat keeps the rice warm and gives its texture time to settle while the chicken is glazed.

Keep the orange clear

Fresh zest and juice carry the citrus through the soy, honey, and rice vinegar, while ginger and garlic give the glaze a savory base. Cornstarch is mixed separately so it can thicken the sauce smoothly without dulling the orange with a long reduction.

Baby bok choy browns cut-side down in a skillet before the chicken is glazed. — Bok choy browns cut-side down before the chicken is seared in the same skillet.

Make room for a proper sear

Patting the chicken dry and spreading it in a single layer helps the pieces brown instead of releasing moisture into a crowded skillet. If the pan is tight, cook in batches and check the thickest pieces with a thermometer; the center should reach 165 F before the sauce goes in.

Keep contrast in the bowl

The bok choy is ready when its cut faces have browned and the stems have softened but still offer a little resistance. Set it aside while the chicken cooks, then arrange it beside the rice so the glossy glaze does not cover its fresh green leaves.

Orange glaze clings to browned chicken with sesame seeds and fresh scallion. — Glossy orange glaze clings to browned chicken with sesame and sliced scallions.

Adjust the glaze at the pan

Stir the cornstarch slurry again immediately before adding it because the starch settles quickly. If the sauce thickens before it coats the chicken, loosen it with a small splash of water and keep tossing over gentle heat until it is glossy.

Orange Chicken with Bok Choy and Rice

4 servings

38 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 large orange
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 lb baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Rinse and start the rice
Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs mostly clear, then combine it with the measured water and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Look for: The rice water is no longer cloudy, and the saucepan reaches a steady boil.
Steam the rice
Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and cook the rice until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Turn off the heat and leave it covered while you finish the bowl.
Look for: Little or no water remains at the bottom, and the rice grains are tender rather than chalky.
Mix the orange glaze
Finely zest the orange, then squeeze it to measure about 1/2 cup juice. Whisk the zest and juice with soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil; separately stir the cornstarch into its measured water until smooth.
Look for: The cornstarch slurry has no dry lumps, and the sauce smells fresh and citrusy.
Prepare the chicken and greens
Pat the chicken dry and keep it separate from the bok choy and scallions. Trim any browned stem ends from the bok choy and halve the heads lengthwise so they cook evenly.
Look for: Chicken pieces are dry on the surface, and the bok choy halves are similar in size.
Sauté the bok choy
Heat half of the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place bok choy cut-side down, cook until the cut faces are lightly browned, turn, and cook just until the stems are tender-crisp; transfer to a plate.
Look for: Cut faces have golden patches, while the leaves remain bright and the stems still have a little bite.
Sear the chicken
Add the remaining neutral oil to the skillet. Arrange chicken in a single layer and sear, turning the pieces so several sides brown; cook in batches if the skillet is crowded, and check the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer.
Look for: Chicken has browned edges and the center of the largest pieces reaches 165 F.
Thicken the glaze
Lower the heat to medium and pour the orange-soy mixture into the skillet around the cooked chicken. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, add it to the pan, and toss continuously until the glaze bubbles gently and clings in a shiny coat.
Look for: The sauce turns glossy and coats the chicken instead of pooling thinly on the skillet.
Finish and serve
Fluff the rice and divide it among four bowls. Arrange bok choy alongside, spoon glazed chicken over the rice, then finish with scallions and sesame seeds while the glaze is hot.
Look for: Each bowl has a balance of fluffy rice, glossy chicken, and green bok choy with the sesame garnish visible.