Hot Box Lunches Recipe
Make Hot Box Lunches Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Rice Base
Protein & Marinade
Vegetables & Toppings
Sauce for Finishing
Assembly & Packaging
Method
Rice Base
- 1
Rinse and cook rice
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. In a medium saucepan bring 2.5 cups water, 1 tbs vegetable oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt to a gentle boil. Add the rinsed rice, stir once, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before assembling.
Protein & Marinade
- 2
Marinate chicken
Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. In a bowl combine soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger and black pepper. Toss chicken pieces in the marinade and let sit 15–30 minutes at room temperature (or refrigerate up to 2 hours). Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade for finishing sauce if desired.
- 3
Cook chicken
Heat a large nonstick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs neutral oil. When hot, add chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear without moving for 2 minutes to get color. Stir and continue to cook 4–5 more minutes until pieces are cooked through and internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
Vegetables & Toppings
- 4
Stir-fry vegetables
In the same hot pan (add a splash more oil if pan is dry), add broccoli, carrot and red bell pepper. Stir-fry over medium-high heat 3–4 minutes until vegetables are bright and just tender-crisp. Add sliced green onions and cook 30 seconds more. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss to combine.
Sauce for Finishing
- 5
Make finishing sauce
Whisk together 1/2 cup stock, reserved marinade (if using), 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional) until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan with chicken and vegetables and simmer 1–2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens and coats the ingredients.
Assembly & Packaging
- 6
Assemble hot box lunches
Divide the fluffed rice evenly into 4 meal containers (about 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving before accounting for toppings). Top each portion of rice with equal amounts of the chicken and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp sesame seeds over each, add 2–3 slices pickled jalapeños to preferred containers, and place a lime wedge in each box.
- 7
Cool and store
Allow the hot food to cool slightly (no more than 30 minutes) before sealing containers. Refrigerate up to 4 days. For reheating, microwave sealed-open for 2–3 minutes until hot (stir halfway) or reheat in a 350°F oven for 12–15 minutes covered.