Description
Sizzling chicken and broccoli stir fry brings classic Chinese flavors to your kitchen with lightning-fast preparation. Crisp vegetables, tender chicken, and savory sauce combine for a quick weeknight dinner that satisfies hunger and delights your palate.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast or thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Vegetables:
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ¼ cup sliced green onions (optional, for garnish)
Sauce and Seasonings:
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup chicken broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional, for tang)
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional, for flavor)
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, chicken broth, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small mixing vessel, creating a harmonious sauce blend. Reserve for later use.
- Fire up a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, drizzling vegetable oil across the cooking surface.
- Introduce chicken pieces into the heated pan, allowing them to sizzle and transform into golden-hued morsels. Rotate periodically to ensure uniform cooking, approximately 5-6 minutes until fully done. Carefully transfer cooked chicken to a temporary holding plate.
- Reintroduce additional oil to the same pan, then tumble fresh broccoli florets into the hot environment. Rapidly agitate the vegetables to promote even heating and slight caramelization.
- Sprinkle minced garlic and grated ginger into the pan, stirring vigorously to release their aromatic essence. Allow ingredients to dance together for roughly one minute.
- Repatriate the previously cooked chicken back into the pan’s landscape, creating a unified culinary terrain.
- Cascade the prepared sauce across the chicken and broccoli, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Gently fold ingredients to distribute sauce evenly.
- Allow the mixture to simmer, watching the sauce transform and thicken while maintaining the broccoli’s vibrant crispness, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Optional: Crown the dish with delicate green onion slivers for visual and flavor enhancement. Present alongside steamed rice, noodles, or quinoa for a complete gastronomic experience.
Notes
- Ensure chicken is cut into uniform bite-sized pieces for even cooking and quick heat distribution.
- Marinate chicken in a small amount of soy sauce and cornstarch beforehand to enhance tenderness and create a silky texture.
- Use high heat and keep ingredients moving quickly to maintain crisp broccoli and prevent burning, which helps preserve nutritional value.
- For low-carb adaptation, replace honey with monk fruit sweetener and serve over cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg