Chicken And Broccoli Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim fat from chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch). Pat dry with paper towels.

In a medium bowl combine 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice wine, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbs cornstarch and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, toss to coat thoroughly. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.

While chicken marinates, cut broccoli into small florets so they cook quickly (about 3 cups). Rinse and drain.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch broccoli for 1 minute until bright green and just-tender. Immediately drain and plunge into an ice bath or rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1 tsp hoisin sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil until homogeneous.

In a separate small cup dissolve 1 tsp cornstarch in 1 tbs water to make a slurry; set aside. This will be used to thicken the sauce at the end.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil and swirl to coat.

Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Stir-fry 3–4 minutes until the exterior is opaque and starting to brown. Remove chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tbs vegetable oil to the pan. Add the blanched broccoli and stir-fry 1 minute to reheat and pick up some color. Season broccoli with about 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Return the chicken to the pan with the broccoli. Pour the prepared sauce (broth + oyster/hoisin) over the mixture and bring to a simmer for 1–2 minutes.

Stir the cornstarch slurry again and slowly drizzle into the simmering sauce while stirring. Cook 30–60 seconds until sauce thickens and becomes glossy, coating chicken and broccoli evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 3/4 tsp additional salt total and up to 1/4 tsp black pepper if needed. If you like heat, sprinkle up to 1 tsp red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Turn off heat, drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil over the dish and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving plate or individual appetizer spoons if serving as small appetizer portions.

Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately.