Spicy Worcestershire sauce does the heavy lifting in this quick pan chicken, built on that singular bottle from the shelf and the pantry. The anchovies and tamarind fade into umami depth while pepper and spice cut through richness, finished in under thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 30 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 1130 calories a serving, 100 g protein, 106 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Start rice in a pot of 2 cups salted water brought to a boil, then cover and simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid while you cook the chicken.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season 2 chicken breast halves with salt and pepper on both sides, then lay them in the hot pan and cook without moving them for 4 minutes until the undersides are golden.4 min
3. Flip the chicken, then add 1 diced medium onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the pan around the meat and cook for another 3 minutes.3 min
4. Pour 3 tablespoons spicy Worcestershire sauce over the chicken and around it, add 1/4 cup water, and simmer for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, spooning sauce over the meat as it cooks and the liquid reduces to a glaze.5 min

Note Swap chicken breast for firm white fish fillets or thick-cut pork chops. Leftovers keep three days and rewarm gently in a low oven. Serve with the rice to soak up the sauce, or pile over greens and a squeeze of lime.