Description
This Chinese chicken recipe gives you tender chicken coated in a savory sauce with soy, garlic, and ginger. It is a flavorful dinner that tastes better than takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs chicken breast
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 2 green onions
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Vegetables and Sauce:
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Cut 2 lbs of chicken breast into 1-inch cubes and place them on a plate.
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp of ginger finely, keeping them separate from 2 chopped green onions cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp white pepper in a small bowl.
- Stir 2 tbsp cornstarch with a little water until you have a smooth paste with no lumps.
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in your wok or large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add your chicken cubes and cook for 6 to 8 minutes at medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the exterior turns white and loses its pink color.
- Push the chicken to one side of your wok and add the minced garlic and ginger to the empty space, letting them cook for 30 seconds until they become fragrant.
- Pour the sauce mixture you prepared into your wok and stir everything together, then add 1 cup chicken broth.
- Add 1 red bell pepper (cut into pieces), 1 cup broccoli florets, and 1/2 cup water chestnuts, stirring gently so everything gets coated with sauce.
- Let everything simmer for 4 to 5 minutes at medium heat, stirring occasionally, until your vegetables reach a tender-crisp texture.
- Slowly pour your cornstarch paste into the wok while stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes at medium heat, stirring gently, until your sauce becomes thick and glossy and clings to the chicken and vegetables.
- Remove your wok from heat and sprinkle the chopped green onions over the top.
- Serve everything hot over steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- Cutting your chicken into uniform 1-inch pieces helps them cook at the same rate so everything finishes tender at once.
- Make sure to have all your ingredients prepped and within arm’s reach before you start cooking, since the actual cooking moves quickly and you won’t have time to chop once the heat is on.
- If you’re cooking for a vegetarian, skip the chicken and double the amount of vegetables; broccoli, bell peppers, and water chestnuts create a satisfying main dish with the same savory sauce.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce for tamari and check that your oyster sauce is certified gluten-free, since those are the only ingredients that typically contain gluten in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 275 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg