HONEY-SRIRACHA CHICKEN OVER JASMINE RICE WITH COCONUT KAFFIR LIME LEAF BROTH & GARLIC CHILI CRISP

Rice

• 1½ cups jasmine rice
• Water, according to your rice cooker's instructions
• ½ teaspoon salt

Chicken & Glaze

• 6 skin-on chicken thighs, about 1½–2 pounds
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp sriracha
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1–2 Tbsp garlic crisp or chili crisp (for the marinade)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper or Pimento pepper flakes
• 1½ Tbsp light sesame oil, for searing

Coconut Kaffir Lime Leaf Broth

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (2-inch) knob ginger, sliced into coins
• 6 premium kaffir lime leaves, lightly torn
• 1 Tbsp Charlo Farm pimento flakes, or to taste
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
• ½ tsp onion powder
• Salt, to taste

To Finish

• 2–3 Tbsp Mama Tea garlic chili crisp
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, divided across bowls
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Small handful cilantro leaves, optional
• Lime wedges

1. Start the rice. Rinse the jasmine rice until the water mostly runs clear. Add it to the rice cooker with water per the cooker's instructions and ½ tsp salt. Start the cooker while you prep the chicken and broth.
2. Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, whisk together the honey, sriracha, dark soy sauce, garlic crisp or chili crisp, kosher salt, and black pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the glaze for finishing. Toss the chicken thighs in the remaining marinade and let them sit at least 15 minutes while you build the broth.
3. Build the broth. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the smashed garlic, ginger coins, torn kaffir lime leaves, and pimento flakes. Toast 60–90 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, dark soy sauce, and onion powder. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 12–15 minutes to infuse.
4. Finish the broth with coconut milk. Lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Gently simmer 3–5 minutes more — don't let it boil hard or the milk will separate. Taste and adjust salt. Strain or fish out the aromatics before serving.
5. Sear the chicken. Heat the light sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high. Scrape excess marinade off the chicken before placing it in the pan. Sear 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned and the internal temp hits 165°F. The honey and dark soy will darken quickly — if the outside is going too dark before it's cooked through, drop the heat to medium and let it finish more gently.
6. Rest, glaze, slice. Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest 3 minutes. Brush with the reserved honey-sriracha glaze. Slice each thigh against the grain into 3–4 pieces.
7. Plate. Spoon jasmine rice into wide, shallow bowls. Ladle the warm coconut kaffir lime leaf broth around the rice so the bottom gets brothy while the top stays fluffy. Lay sliced chicken over the rice. Finish with garlic chili crisp, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, scallions, cilantro, and a lime wedge on the side.