To begin, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, dark brown sugar, mirin, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then, in a separate tiny bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until you get a smooth, lump-free slurry, and stir it into the sauce. Set it aside — it goes in at the right moment, and not a second before.

Next, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and toss them in the cornstarch until lightly coated on all sides. Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering hot. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked, pour the teriyaki sauce directly into the skillet over the chicken. It will immediately begin bubbling. Toss everything together and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a glossy, sticky glaze that clings to every piece. Now, transfer the glazed chicken to a plate and set it aside — you’ll add it back in at the very end so it stays sticky and juicy.

In that same skillet — no need to wash it — add just a tiny drizzle of oil if needed. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them cook for about 30 seconds undisturbed. Then gently scramble them with a spatula until they’re just barely set and still slightly moist. Transfer the eggs to the same plate as the chicken. Don’t overcook them here — they’ll finish cooking when everything comes back together at the end.

Now comes the most satisfying part of this whole recipe. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and crank the heat up to high. Add the cold day-old rice and press it firmly down against the hot surface of the pan with a spatula. Let it sit undisturbed for about 2 full minutes — you’ll hear it sizzling and crackling. That’s exactly what you want. That’s the rice building up a lightly crispy bottom layer that gives this dish its incredible texture.

After the rice has crisped up on the bottom, toss in the scallion whites, peas and carrots, corn, and diced red bell pepper. Stir everything together and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Then drizzle the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce directly over the rice and toss to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout. Everything in the pan should be coated in a light, savory glaze at this point.

Finally, add the glazed chicken and scrambled eggs back into the skillet. Toss everything together gently so the rice, chicken, eggs, and vegetables all combine without breaking up the eggs too much. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top and give it one final toss. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning, and top with sesame seeds and sliced scallion greens. Serve directly from the skillet — because one pan deserves all the glory.