Rhubarb Chicken with a Honey Rhubarb Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
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This honey rhubarb chicken recipe uses rhubarb, spring’s prized vegetable, in a delicious, tart-and-sweet sauce. It’s a play on sweet-and-sour chicken, with tender, juicy meat and bold, sweet flavors. Using just 10 ingredients, this easy-to-prepare dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.
Nothing signals spring quite like the return of rhubarb’s rosy stalks, and this honey rhubarb chicken is one of my favorite ways to use them. Instead of heading straight for dessert, the rhubarb is blended into a sweet-and-sour–style sauce with honey, onion, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. It’s bold, balanced, and surprisingly savory, with the rhubarb playing the starring role. The entire recipe uses just 10 ingredients, and all the sauce ingredients are blended together first, which keeps things simple and fast.
To make the dish, I lightly coat chicken thighs in cornstarch and sear them until golden, which gives them great texture and helps the sauce cling. The rhubarb sauce is then poured into the pan and simmered with the chicken until everything is glossy, flavorful, and cooked through—ready in under 30 minutes. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that feels a little special, especially served with steamed rice to soak up the sauce and a simple green veggie like broccoli on the side.
Ingredients for honey rhubarb chicken
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious savory-sweet dish:
- Rhubarb – fresh or frozen rhubarb adds its distinct tartness and makes the base of the sauce.
- Honey – a liquid honey adds sweetness.
- Onion, ginger, garlic – add layers of subtle flavor.
- Soy sauce – makes it salty and enhances other flavors.
- Chicken thighs – are tender and flavorful. You can swap them for boneless breasts, but you’ll need to cook them a little longer.
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce.
How to prepare rhubarb
Working with rhubarb is simple. Here are a few tips for preparing it:
- Trim the leaves and ends – if the rhubarb comes with the leaves on, make sure to trim them off and discard them. Rhubarb leaves contain toxic levels of oxalic acid and are not edible! Trim any rough ends.
- Store it in the fridge – keep rhubarb fresh by storing it in the refrigerator wrapped in a moist paper towel or with the bottoms down in a water-filled glass or jar.
- Use it fresh or freeze it – rhubarb is best when it’s fresh and firm. If you’re not using it right away, freeze it in an air-tight container for up to 12 months. Frozen rhubarb works excellently in this recipe!
- Check for any blemishes; use a vegetable peeler to remove them or brown spots.
- Cut into pieces – cut the rhubarb into ¼” pieces in preparation for the sauce.
What to serve with honey rhubarb chicken
Serve this chicken with a side of warm cooked rice to soak up all the sauce, and seasonal spring vegetables like roasted asparagus and sautéed sweet radishes.
Or play up the Asian flavors by serving it with sauteed bok choy or garlic butter snap peas!
Honey Rhubarb Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 medium chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Sesame seeds and minced cilantro (for serving)
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the rhubarb, honey, onion, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic and blend on high until smooth.1 cup chopped rhubarb, ½ cup honey, ¼ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chopped ginger, 4 cloves garlic
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch.8 medium chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Pour the sauce into the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it boil rapidly for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. Serve the chicken with some sesame seeds and minced cilantro sprinkled over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
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nice to see rhubarb outside of a pie! Love the tartness and combined with the sweet here, a great pairing, great idea with chicken, thank you!