In my home, one of our go-to dishes for Chinese takeout is chicken and broccoli. It’s so flavorful and never dry! The secret to the super tender meat is velveting, the technique of cooking marinated proteins briefly in hot oil. I wanted to replicate the same flavors and textures at home in a budget-friendly way. With just a few fresh vegetables, lots of pantry condiments and only one chicken breast, this recipe will serve four. If you have any leftovers or are meal planning, the velveting technique ensures that the chicken will remain succulent even when reheated.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, about 12 ounces
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 ounces broccoli florets
- 4 ounces shiitake or button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, optional
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast in the freezer until firm enough to thinly slice, about 20 minutes. Using a sharp or serrated knife, thinly slice the chicken 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a medium bowl and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and mix well. Set aside in a cool place for 20 minutes.
- Whisk the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken slices in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until they just turn opaque, about 45 seconds. Flip and cook, undisturbed, until almost entirely opaque, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove to a bowl.
- Add the ginger and garlic to the wok. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is slightly golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and toss to coat; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and carrot; toss to combine. Add the Shaoxing wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the chicken stock, white pepper if using, chicken and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
- Mix the cornstarch mixture in the bowl until well combined then add to the wok. Stir until everything is nicely coated, reduce the heat to medium low and cover with a lid. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with the sesame oil. Toss until everything is well combined and transfer to a serving platter. Enjoy warm with steamed rice on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 458 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Cholesterol | 62 mg |
| Sodium | 337 mg |
Reviews
This recipe is delicious. Will certainly make again. Thank you Ms Chan.
Excellent recipe. I used frozen broccoli (thawed) and some extra carrots. I also cooked some rice linguini and added that to the stir-fry at the very end.
I made the sauce separatrly then add the chicken and vegetables.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. The chicken was very tender.