Korean-Style Chicken Thighs

Quarter lime. Peel cucumber, then halve lengthwise. Scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard. Slice flesh into thin semicircles. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. In a medium bowl, toss together cucumber, scallion whites, vinegar, 1 TBSP sesame oil (1 pack), 1 tsp sugar, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.

Place rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat, and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Keep covered off heat until meal is ready.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (use a nonstick pan if you have one). Add chicken and cook until surface is crisp and a deep golden brown, about 6 minutes per side. While chicken cooks, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil (save the rest for the next step), 4 tsp sugar, and sriracha. TIP: Add the sriracha to taste—use all if you like it spicy or 3 tsp for mild heat.

Once chicken is done, remove from pan. Discard excess oil and let pan cool off heat for about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture to pan and let bubble using residual heat. (TIP: If sauce doesn’t bubble, heat pan over medium-low heat until it does.) Return chicken to pan and flip to coat. Fluff rice with a fork, then stir in remaining sesame oil, a squeeze of lime, and half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper.