Time: 30 minutes

Nothing speaks to love and romance like this warm, cozy, super easy dish – comfort food that makes you want to snuggle with the one who is your reason…

Music Selection: Calum Scott & Leona Lewis – You Are The Reason

Ingredients:

1 cup rice (alternatively this is great with chilean rice).

2 cups water

8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes

6 – 8 green onions, trimmed

4 carrots, peeled and sliced on diagonal about ¼ inch thick

Sesame seeds

Olive oil

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup pineapple juice

3 lemons

½ cup honey

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 – 3 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

In large pot, add rice and 2 cups water. Salt the water (approx. ½ tsp). Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce temperature to simmer, cover with lid and let cook for 20 minutes. (As an alternative, I like to make Chilean rice to get a few extra vegetables in).

In meantime, take a large skillet and drizzle it with oil. Turn to high and fry the green onions until browned on each side. Remove green onions and set aside. Lightly salt the onions.

In same pan, add a little extra oil and while on high, saute the carrots. Salt the carrots. Saute until cooked to your liking, a little browned. Remove carrots and set aside.

Take two of the lemons and juice two of them.

Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the chicken on high so it has a bit of browned crispiness to the chicken. Then add in the garlic and saute a little longer. Add in the chicken stock, pineapple juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce. Salt/pepper. Bring to a boil and mix well so the ingredients are well blended.

In a cup, put the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water. Whisk it well and slowly stream it into the chicken, until it thickens to your liking. Remove from heat.

Take remaining lemon and cut into 6 – 8 wedges.

In a bowl, place a cup of rice, then top with the chicken and sauce. Add some green onion and carrots. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds! Serve with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!