Soy-Glazed Chicken Breasts With Pickled Cucumbers

By Dawn Perry

Updated February 25, 2020

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(2,625)
Comments
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The pan-steam method used here ensures boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook quickly while staying moist. The technique works with water, but a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, honey, garlic and coriander infuses the chicken with even more flavor. Depending on the size of the skillet you use, the sauce may reduce a little slower or faster than the time indicated. When you swipe a rubber spatula across the bottom of the skillet, the sauce should hold a spatula-wide trail that fills in with liquid pretty quickly. If you happen to reduce too much, whisk in water one tablespoon at a time until you’re back to a shiny sauce that can be drizzled. Rice is an obvious side, but the sliced chicken and pickled cucumbers are really good tucked inside flour tortillas, too.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

  • 1 shallot, peeled, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise

  • ¼ cup rice vinegar

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 ½ to 2 pounds)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roughly smashed with the side of a heavy knife

  • Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving

  • Steamed rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

28 grams carbs; 145 milligrams cholesterol; 432 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 910 milligrams sodium; 49 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, toss to combine the cucumber, shallot, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside while you make the chicken.

  2. Step 2

    In a shallow dish, stir soy sauce and honey together; add chicken and turn to coat.

  3. Step 3

    In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and coriander and stir to coat. Add chicken breasts (reserve the marinade) and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. (Browning happens a little faster than usual here because of the honey and soy; if the marinade is getting too dark, lower the heat slightly.)

  4. Step 4

    Add reserved marinade and ¼ cup water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more per side.

  5. Step 5

    Uncover the skillet, increase heat to medium-high and cook, turning chicken occasionally, until liquid is reduced and chicken is glazed, about 5 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with any leftover glaze over rice with cucumber salad and cilantro.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,625 user ratings
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Comments

Sweet Shuga

Make sure to use low sodium soy sauce. I used the regular kind and I can see every vein in my body and have consumed at least three glasses of water trying to reconstitute my blood stream. Salad was great.

Carol

add a little sugar to cucumber marinade

Ethan

Tasty and super simple, but would recommend a couple of changes: - thighs instead of breasts if you don’t hate yourself - use about 2/3 of the recommended salt on the cucumber salad - a half-half split of seasoned rice vinegar and lime juice as the acid for the salad was terrific; add the rest of the lime to the marinade right before step 4 - garnish with sliced scallion greens ( cilantro) if ya got em

D.

So much more than the sum of its parts! We loved this and it was on the table in no time!

Finn

I was dubious about the timings, but the timings worked perfectly exactly as written. The salad was a perfect counterpoint- everyone liked it and kept nibbling at the leftovers. I did a steamed rice and tossed it with fresh cilantro and parsley, which turned out to be the perfectly airy counterpart to the strong flavors. All in all, a nice wind-down dinner after a busy day.

Amelia

This was excellent and quick to put together. I served the chicken breast with brown rice and the cucumber salad topped with sliced avocado. It was good hot or cold.

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