Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Name: Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, patted dry, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick bite-size slices; 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry; 2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch; ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce; 1 tbsp (9 g) cornstarch; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground white pepper (or black pepper); 1 lb (450 g) broccoli crowns, washed and dried well, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) florets, thick stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch (6 mm) thick; about 5 cups; 3½ tbsp (52 ml) neutral high-heat oil (vegetable, canola or peanut), divided: 2 tbsp (30 ml) for the chicken (1 tbsp per batch), 1 tbsp (15 ml) for the broccoli, ½ tbsp (7 ml) for the aromatics; 3 tbsp (45 ml) water; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional); 1⅓ cups (260 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, cooked with water according to package directions; yields about 4 cups (about 720 g) cooked, 1 cup per person (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, velvety chicken and bright, crisp-tender broccoli in a glossy garlic-ginger oyster sauce. It's a takeout favorite you can make in under an hour, with the rice cooking while you prep.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 49 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 5 cups stir-fry, plus about 4 cups cooked rice)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, patted dry, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick bite-size slices
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch
For the sauce
½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce
1 tbsp (9 g) cornstarch
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground white pepper (or black pepper)
For the stir-fry
1 lb (450 g) broccoli crowns, washed and dried well, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) florets, thick stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch (6 mm) thick; about 5 cups
3½ tbsp (52 ml) neutral high-heat oil (vegetable, canola or peanut), divided: 2 tbsp (30 ml) for the chicken (1 tbsp per batch), 1 tbsp (15 ml) for the broccoli, ½ tbsp (7 ml) for the aromatics
3 tbsp (45 ml) water
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
For serving
1⅓ cups (260 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, cooked with water according to package directions; yields about 4 cups (about 720 g) cooked, 1 cup per person (optional)

Equipment (7)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or 14-inch (35 cm) flat-bottomed wok, with a lid or a baking sheet that covers it
2 cutting boards (one for vegetables, one just for raw chicken) and 2 sharp knives, or wash one set between uses
Medium bowl for marinating the chicken
Liquid measuring cup or small bowl for the sauce
2 spatulas or wok spatulas (one for raw chicken, one for cooked food), plus a clean plate for the seared chicken
Medium saucepan with lid, or rice cooker, for the rice
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Timing: the rice (about 20 minutes) cooks unattended while you prep, and it is finished before the chicken is done marinating, so it is not added to the total. The 15-minute marinade is the only true wait, and you wash up during it.
Work in this order for food safety: cut the vegetables first, and slice the raw chicken last. If you only have one board and knife, wash them in hot soapy water after the chicken.
Freeze the chicken breast for 15 minutes if it is fully thawed. Firm chicken is much easier to slice thinly. Do not rinse raw chicken, because it spreads bacteria around the sink.
Stir-frying moves fast. Have the sauce mixed and everything cut and within reach of the stove before you turn on the heat, and turn on your exhaust fan.
Set out a clean plate and a clean spatula for the cooked chicken. Never use the plate, bowl or utensil that touched raw chicken.

1
Start the rice
- Cook 1⅓ cups (260 g) uncooked rice with water according to the package directions, in a covered saucepan or rice cooker.
- It takes about 20 minutes and needs no attention, so carry on with the next steps while it cooks.
- When it is done, keep it covered and off the heat until serving.
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Ready when: Rice is tender and all the water is absorbed (it keeps cooking unattended during the following steps)
Tip: Skip this step if you are using about 4 cups of leftover cooked rice. Reheat it before serving.
2
Mix the sauce
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, 2 tbsp soy sauce, oyster sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil and white pepper until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
- Set it next to the stove.
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Ready when: Sauce looks smooth and uniformly brown
Tip: Cornstarch settles quickly. Whisk the sauce again right before pouring it into the pan.
3
Prep vegetables and aromatics
- Do this before touching the raw chicken.
- Cut the broccoli into 1½-inch (4 cm) florets.
- Peel the tough outer skin from the thick stems and slice them ¼-inch (6 mm) thick.
- Mince the garlic and ginger together on a small plate.
- Thinly slice the scallions, if using.
- Measure 3 tbsp water into a small cup.
- Keep everything within arm's reach of the stove.
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Ready when: Florets are roughly the same size so they cook evenly
Tip: Dry the broccoli well after washing. Excess water causes spattering and steams the pan.
4
Slice and marinate chicken
- Use a separate board and knife for the chicken, or the same ones after the vegetables are cut.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels (do not rinse it) and discard the towels.
- Slice the breast against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick bite-size pieces.
- In the medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine and 2 tsp cornstarch until every piece is lightly coated and slightly tacky.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- While it marinates, wash your hands, the board, the knife and anything else that touched raw chicken in hot soapy water, and put out a clean plate and a clean spatula for the cooked chicken.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated with no pools of liquid in the bowl
Tip: Slicing against the grain (across the muscle fibers) is the key to tender stir-fried chicken. Wash your hands for 20 seconds after handling raw chicken, before touching anything else.
5
Sear the chicken in batches
- Heat the 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, then add 1 tbsp of the oil and let it heat until it shimmers, 15 to 20 seconds.
- Add half the chicken in a single layer, using the raw-chicken spatula, and leave it undisturbed for 1½ minutes.
- Stir-fry for 1 minute more.
- Transfer to the clean plate with the clean spatula.
- Wipe out any burnt bits if needed, add another 1 tbsp oil, heat until it shimmers, and cook the second half the same way.
- The chicken is only partly cooked and is NOT safe to eat yet.
- It finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Put the raw-chicken spatula and bowl in the sink and wash your hands.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden on the outside and opaque at the edges, but the centers are still pink or translucent (partly cooked)
Tip: If the oil smokes heavily, lower the heat slightly. Crowding steams the chicken instead of searing it, so do not skip the batches. A 14-inch wok on high heat can handle the chicken in 2 batches too.
6
Steam-fry the broccoli
- Keep the heat at medium-high.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan (no need to wash it) and add the broccoli.
- Stir-fry for 1 minute until bright green.
- Pour in the 3 tbsp water, immediately cover, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Uncover and stir-fry for 30 seconds until the water has evaporated.
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Ready when: Broccoli is vivid green and a knife tip pierces the stems with slight resistance (crisp-tender)
Tip: Stand back when adding the water, as it will spit and steam.
7
Bloom garlic and ginger
- Push the broccoli to the sides to clear a space in the center of the pan.
- Add the remaining ½ tbsp oil, then the garlic and ginger.
- Stir them constantly in the center for 20 to 30 seconds, then toss everything together.
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Ready when: Garlic and ginger smell fragrant and are barely golden, not brown
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter. If it darkens quickly, lower the heat or add the sauce right away.
8
Finish chicken in the sauce
- Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pan.
- Whisk the sauce again and pour it in.
- Stir continuously with the clean spatula for 1½ to 2 minutes as the sauce comes to a bubbling simmer and thickens.
- This temperature check is required: cut into or probe the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer.
- Every piece must reach 165°F (74°C) and be white throughout.
- If any piece is below that, keep simmering and stirring and check again after 30 seconds.
- Do not serve until all pieces pass.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon; the thickest chicken pieces read at least 165°F (74°C) and are white throughout
Tip: If the sauce gets too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp of water. If it's too thin, simmer 30 seconds longer.
9
Finish and serve
- Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with the scallions, if using.
- Taste with a clean spoon and add a splash of soy sauce if it needs more salt.
- Fluff the rice and serve the stir-fry immediately over it.
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Ready when: Broccoli is still bright green and the sauce clings to the chicken
Tip: Serve right away. Broccoli keeps cooking from residual heat if it sits in the hot pan.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the cornstarch marinade. It protects the chicken from the high heat so it stays tender and helps the sauce cling.
Preheat the pan, then add the oil just before the chicken and watch for smoke. You should hear a sizzle as soon as the chicken hits the pan.
Peeling and slicing the broccoli stems lets you use the sweetest part of the vegetable, and they cook at the same rate as the florets.
For heat, add ½ tsp chili garlic sauce to the sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic.

Make ahead

Whisk the sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in a jar (shake well before using). Cut the broccoli up to 1 day ahead and store it in a paper towel-lined container in the fridge. Slice and marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead, covered, on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the broccoli will be softer after thawing. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 1 to 2 tbsp of water for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Or microwave covered for 1½ to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, and check the temperature.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breast → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Slice the same way. Thighs are juicier and more forgiving, and may need 1 extra minute of searing. They still must reach 165°F (74°C).
Shaoxing wine or dry sherry → dry sherry or low-sodium chicken broth. Broth gives a milder flavor but works fine in the marinade.
oyster sauce → vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce or hoisin sauce. Mushroom sauce is the closest match. Hoisin is sweeter, so omit the sugar.
broccoli crowns → broccolini, or green beans trimmed to 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Broccolini cooks in about the same time. Green beans need 1 extra minute covered.