Chicken and Broccoli is the Spaghetti and Meatballs of the Chinese takeout world—basic, familiar, and ubiquitous.
This is a healthy, tasty, and super easy dish to make at home. While we have Chicken and Broccoli with Brown Sauce, which is more of a gravy (and SUPER delicious too, by the way), this version of the dish has a really light white sauce.
Rather than searing the chicken (i.e. oil velveting), the chicken is water velveted, or blanched, making for a lighter flavored dish.
Why go to a takeout place and order from the “healthy” menu when you can whip this up at home?
It’s just a great, simple dish, and it deserves a simple post. So with that, on to the recipe!
Note: This recipe was first published in November 2013. We have since re-tested and re-photographed it, and added metric measurements and clearer instructions. Enjoy!
Takeout Chicken Broccoli with White Sauce: Recipe Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken, water, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and vegetable oil. Massage the marinade ingredients until absorbed by the chicken, and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
Meanwhile, make the sauce mixture. Combine the sugar, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, and chicken stock, and set aside.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 1-2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
How long you cook your broccoli is a personal preference. If you like your broccoli crunchy, 1 minute is plenty of time. If you like your broccoli soft, for 2 minutes (or even a little longer), or until it is to your liking.
Let the water come back up to a boil. Add the chicken, and stir to separate the pieces. Cook just until the chicken turns opaque, and remove using a strainer. Set aside. Discard the water in the wok, and wash it clean.
Heat your wok over medium high heat until it’s completely dry. Add the vegetable oil, ginger, and garlic.
Cook for 20 seconds, and add the rice wine around the perimeter of the wok.
Next, stir up the warmed chicken stock and seasonings, and add it into the wok. Keep stirring for another minute to combine, and let everything come up to a simmer.
Mix the cornstarch and water together into a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the liquid slowly, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Use only ¾ of the slurry, and check the thickness of the sauce. Add the rest if necessary. Or if the sauce is too thick, add more chicken stock or water.
Add the chicken and broccoli back to the wok…
Stir it in for 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if needed. Serve immediately!
Chinese Takeout Chicken & Broccoli with White Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast (thinly sliced)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
For the rest of the dish:
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock (warmed)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon clear rice wine (or Shaoxing wine)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons/30 ml water)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken, water, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and vegetable oil. Massage the marinade ingredients until absorbed by the chicken, and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce mixture. Combine the sugar, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, and chicken stock, and set aside.
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 1-2 minutes, drain, and set aside. How long you cook your broccoli is a personal preference. If you like your broccoli crunchy, 1 minute is plenty of time. If you like your broccoli soft, for 2 minutes (or even a little longer), or until it is to your liking.
- Let the water come back up to a boil. Add the chicken, and stir to separate the pieces. Cook just until the chicken turns opaque, and remove using a strainer. Set aside. Discard the water in the wok, and wash the wok clean.
- Heat your wok over medium high heat until it's completely dry. Add the vegetable oil, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 20 seconds, and add the rice wine around the perimeter of the wok.
- Next, stir up the warmed chicken stock and seasonings, and add it into the wok. Keep stirring for another minute to combine, and let everything come up to a simmer.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together into a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the liquid slowly, stirring constantly, until thickened. Use only ¾ of the slurry, and check the thickness of the sauce. Add the rest if necessary. Or if the sauce is too thick, add more chicken stock or water.
- Add the chicken and broccoli back to the wok, and stir it in for 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if needed. Serve immediately!
Are you supposed to dump out the water after the chicken and before adding the oil, ginger, etc?
Yes, Stephanie! I will make that clearer in the recipe.
Excellent recipe, was just what we were craving! Easy to make and so yummy. I added a dash more of oyster sauce, white pepper and some chicken bouillon at the end. Delicious!
Thanks Tiffany, great additions to this dish:)
So, this is an upgrade to the prior Chicken and Broccoli you had, eh? I made that a couple of times and it was good, but always sorta missing something. This version fills in the holes It’s so wonderful. This is one of my very favorite dishes, so it is a real delight for me to be able to make it at home, whenever I want it. Thank you. My local take out joint probably won’t thank you, but you have my gratitude. ;-)
Hi Debba, yes it is an upgrade indeed. We are always updating our existing recipes whenever we feel we can improve on them ;-)
This recipe is awesome. I had broccoli and chicken breasts on hand, and wanted something fast and simple. This fit the bill and the family raved about it – said they felt like they were eating restaurant food, and I know what went into it. Love your site!
Oops. forgot the rating – 5 stars for sure!
Hi Susan, happy to hear you and your family enjoyed this classic but more delicate tasting chicken and broccoli with white sauce.
Is this similar to Moo Goo Gai Pan? The white sauce seems similar, but not sure. Thx!
Hi Denise, here is our Moo Goo Gai Pan recipe.
Incredibly amazing! This is the first recipe I have tried in your collection and have been searching for right white sauce and this is the perfect one! We LOVE LOVE this! The flavors are lovely and so fresh and light – the chicken is soooo tender! Thank you for sharing with us – really thrilled to have found the Woks of Life! Can’t wait to try more of your exceptional dishes/recipes! :-) Blessings to you all.
Hi Rebecca, glad you found us – keep on cooking!