Taiwanese-Style Chicken

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Cut off and discard the chile stem; halve lengthwise. (For a milder dish, remove and discard the seeds.) Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling the chile.

In a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Drizzle with olive oil and set aside in a warm place.

While the rice cooks, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), combine the soy sauce, sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and as much of the chile as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Heat to boiling on medium-high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid has reduced in volume by about half. Transfer to a large bowl; carefully remove and discard the chile. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

While the rice continues to cook, place the flour and shallot in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a piece of shallot sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the coated shallot in a single, even layer (tapping off any excess flour before adding). Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook 4 to 6 minutes on the first side, or until browned. Flip the chicken and add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Leaving any liquid in the pan, transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Using 2 forks, carefully shred into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to the bowl of sauce. Stir to coat. Set aside in a warm place.

Add the cabbage to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add 1/4 cup of water.) Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until wilted and the liquid has cooked off. Divide the cooked rice between 2 dishes. Top with the cooked cabbage and shredded chicken. Garnish with the fried shallot and cilantro. Enjoy!