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. This version of the dish is a really light, pure-flavored one in a white sauce rather than brown sauce, and it’s also a bonus for all of you gluten free folks since this recipe does not use any soy sauce.
For those of you who like the brown sauce you can add a teaspoon of light soy and a teaspoon of dark soy and use less salt. If you want to kick it up, them add a teaspoon of oyster sauce too!
And, for those of you who are not fond of the cornstarch based gravy or just trying to avoid the carbs, just leave out the corn starch slurry and eat you chicken and broccoli without any gravy. I mean why would you even consider going to the takeout place and ordering from the “healthy” menu when you can whip this up at home?
I like my chicken with broccoli with some hot white rice but you can have it any way you like!
What can I say, this chicken and broccoli is just a great, simple dish and with that, it deserves a simple post so on with the recipe!
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 chicken breast, sliced
- oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- pinch of sugar
- salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- white pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli, drain, and set aside. Some like it crunchy and some like it soft so you just cook it the way you like it!
Then blanch the chicken until it turns opaque. This makes for really clean flavors in the final dish. My dad tells me this is how a lot of the restaurants do it.
Heat your wok over medium high heat and add the oil and garlic. Throw in the broccoli and the chicken and stir-fry for a minute. Then pour in the chicken stock, sugar, salt, sesame oil, wine, and white pepper.The chicken stock is key so best to make Judy’s homemade chicken stock recipe or use a good organic chicken stock or chicken boullion. Keep stirring for another minute to combine.
Just remember to put enough salt into this dish and balance it accordingly with sugar (1 part sugar to 2 parts salt) or your dish will just taste bland and you may not make this again at home!
Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Move the chicken and broccoli to the sides of the wok. There should be a little well of chicken stock/liquid at the center of the pan. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and stir until it thickens until the sauce clings to the chicken and the broccoli – just like you get at a good Chinese takeout restaurant.
Give everything a final stir. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed and plate!
Serve your homemade chicken and broccoli over white rice!
Chinese Takeout Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 chicken breast (sliced)
- oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup chicken stock (180 ml)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- salt (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- white pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli, drain, and set aside. Then blanch the chicken until it turns opaque.
- Heat your wok over medium high heat and add the oil and garlic. Throw in the broccoli and the chicken and stir-fry for a minute. Then pour in the chicken stock, sugar, salt, sesame oil, wine, and white pepper. Keep stirring for another minute to combine.
- Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Move the chicken and broccoli to the sides of the wok. There should be a little well of chicken stock/liquid at the center of the pan. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and stir until it thickens.
- Give everything a final stir. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Plate and serve!
Nutrition
Ivelisse Piker says
It was quick and very tasty, just like the ones I takeout in NYC
Bill says
Hi Ivelisse, great to hear you liked it!
Joan says
We made this vegan by using Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken-Chicken Broth and eliminating the meat. It was really delicious and super easy and quick to prepare. Really nice served with brown rice and Spicy Tofu Steaks but I cannot wait to try it with your Vegan Mapo Tofu. Thanks so much!
Bill says
Ho Joan, never tried it but sounds delicious!