Slow cookers are convenient when you're organized enough to plan ahead, which we often aren't. But this recipe for honey-and-ginger-flavored chicken easily converted to a stove-top dish when we needed to get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Add some microwave-steamed green beans or other vegetable and dinner is done.

Honey Ginger Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and ground black pepper

Olive oil

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup

Ground red pepper (cayenne)

Hot cooked rice (recipe follows)

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat enough olive oil to coat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is almost cooked through.

Meanwhile, whisk together the garlic, ginger, honey, ketchup and a generous pinch of ground red pepper.

Pour sauce over chicken and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until chicken is completely coated and cooked through. Serve over rice.

Makes 2 servings.

Recipe inspired by Slow Cooking for Two by Cynthia Graubart

So many recipes make cooking rice complicated. This simple method works for us every time. This recipe makes more rice than needed. Freeze the extra for later or refrigerate and use within 3 days.

Easy Rice

1 cup aromatic long-grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati, rinsed

2 cups PLUS a slosh of water

Salt

In a saucepan, combine the rice and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt, stir once and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, without disturbing (no peeking) for 20 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Makes about 3 cups.

Food on 05/14/2014