Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
I recently had the urge to make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli and so I typed “Sly Rooster Chicken and Broccoli” into google–because I certainly must have posted a recipe for Chinese Chicken and Broccoli–but low and behold, I had not! Well, I had to remedy that immediately and lucky enough after selecting a recipe that looked good to me, I was able to nail it on the first go (not always the case).
This Chicken and Broccoli (Chinese Takeout Style) came together quickly once all of the ingredients were prepped, an essential component of any stir-fry or wok cooking. The sliced chicken breast marinates in the time it takes to whisk together the sauce and steam the broccoli. The original recipe has you steam the broccoli in boiling water and I will include those instructions in the following recipe. As an alternative, I always steam broccoli in the microwave. To do so, I wash and cut the broccoli into florets and put them in a glass bowl that is filled about halfway with water. I usually have a big bowl with at least three heads of broccoli so I start the microwave at 6 minutes, carefully stir the broccoli around (because it’s not submerged in the water) and heat for another 4 minutes or until done to my liking. I’m not sure if this is easier than boiling but it saves me a pot.
Other than that, this dish was delicious served over brown rice. A definite family friendly recipe. Enjoy!
PS: This recipe is dedicated to my son Reed, who has been doing a lot of cooking for himself as a second-year living in apartment in Charlottesville. He’s killing it in the kitchen and would love this one!
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (or thigh)
Marinade
- 1 Tbls Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Sauce
Stir-Fry
- 1 head broccoli , chopped into bite-sized florets
- 2 Tbls peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- steamed rice for serving
Instructions
- Slice the chicken against the grain into thin bite-size pieces, no thicker than 1/4”, transfer into a medium-size bowl. Add the marinade ingredients. Stir to mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
- Bring 1/3 cup of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cover. Steam until the broccoli just turns tender and the water evaporates, about 40 to 50 seconds. Transfer the broccoli to a plate.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel held in a pair of tongs if there’s any water left. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Spread the chicken in the skillet in a single layer. Allow to cook without touching for 30 seconds, or until the bottom side is browned. Flip to cook the other side for a few seconds. Stir and cook until the surface is lightly charred and the inside is still pink.*
- Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the flavor and fragrance.
- Return the broccoli to the pan. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely and pour it into the skillet. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer everything to a plate immediately.
- Serve hot with steamed rice .