Week of Lunchbox Meals: Honey Garlic Chicken, Beef Gyudon, Creamy Mushroom Udon & Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites, Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans
Week of Lunchbox Meals: Honey Garlic Chicken, Beef Gyudon, Creamy Mushroom Udon & Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites, Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans
Ingredients
For the Honey Garlic Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- 1 cup broccoli florets, steamed, for serving
For the Beef Gyudon
- 1 pound thinly sliced beef (shaved beef or sukiyaki cut)
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups dashi stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 4 eggs, poached
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (beni shoga), for garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
For the Creamy Mushroom Udon
- 16 ounces udon noodles
- 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (shiitake, cremini), sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chives or green onions, chopped, for garnish
For the Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed for air fryer
For the Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans
- 1 1/2 pounds pork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- 1 pound green beans, steamed, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Honey Garlic Chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, cornstarch, and water to create the sauce. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Season chicken thighs with black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce over the chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve with cooked white rice and steamed broccoli.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare the Beef Gyudon: In a large skillet or pot, combine dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add the thinly sliced onions to the simmering broth and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the thinly sliced beef and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring gently, until the beef is cooked through. Stir in chopped green onions.
⏱️ 8 min
- 6
To serve, place a generous portion of cooked white rice in a bowl. Spoon the beef and onion mixture over the rice, ensuring plenty of broth. Top with a poached egg, pickled ginger, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Prepare the Creamy Mushroom Udon: Cook udon noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min
- 9
Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Add the cooked udon noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Heat through for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Prepare the Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites: In a shallow dish, whisk together gluten-free flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
In another shallow dish, beat the egg. Dip each chicken piece first into the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Repeat for all chicken pieces.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
To pan-fry: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Carefully add chicken bites in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. To air-fry: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Spray chicken bites lightly with oil. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 13
Prepare the Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Add the pork belly cubes to the simmering sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until pork belly is tender. Stir occasionally.
⏱️ 60 min
- 15
Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened into a sticky glaze, coating the pork belly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
⏱️ 20 min
- 16
Serve the sticky pork belly over cooked white rice, drizzling with extra sauce from the pan. Serve with a side of steamed green beans.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Week of Lunchbox Meals: Honey Garlic Chicken, Beef Gyudon, Creamy Mushroom Udon & Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites, Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans
For the Honey Garlic Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- 1 cup broccoli florets, steamed, for serving
For the Beef Gyudon
- 1 pound thinly sliced beef (shaved beef or sukiyaki cut)
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups dashi stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 4 eggs, poached
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (beni shoga), for garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
For the Creamy Mushroom Udon
- 16 ounces udon noodles
- 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (shiitake, cremini), sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chives or green onions, chopped, for garnish
For the Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed for air fryer
For the Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans
- 1 1/2 pounds pork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
- 1 pound green beans, steamed, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Honey Garlic Chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, cornstarch, and water to create the sauce. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Season chicken thighs with black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce over the chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve with cooked white rice and steamed broccoli.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare the Beef Gyudon: In a large skillet or pot, combine dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add the thinly sliced onions to the simmering broth and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the thinly sliced beef and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring gently, until the beef is cooked through. Stir in chopped green onions.
⏱️ 8 min - 6
To serve, place a generous portion of cooked white rice in a bowl. Spoon the beef and onion mixture over the rice, ensuring plenty of broth. Top with a poached egg, pickled ginger, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Prepare the Creamy Mushroom Udon: Cook udon noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min - 9
Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Add the cooked udon noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Heat through for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Prepare the Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Bites: In a shallow dish, whisk together gluten-free flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
In another shallow dish, beat the egg. Dip each chicken piece first into the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Repeat for all chicken pieces.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
To pan-fry: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Carefully add chicken bites in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. To air-fry: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Spray chicken bites lightly with oil. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 13
Prepare the Sticky Pork Belly with Green Beans: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Add the pork belly cubes to the simmering sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until pork belly is tender. Stir occasionally.
⏱️ 60 min - 15
Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened into a sticky glaze, coating the pork belly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
⏱️ 20 min - 16
Serve the sticky pork belly over cooked white rice, drizzling with extra sauce from the pan. Serve with a side of steamed green beans.
⏱️ 5 min