Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
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- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 431 calorie
- Total Fat
- 16 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 2 grams
- Cholesterol
- 66 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1097 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 40 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 grams
- Protein
- 32 grams
- Sugar
- 8 grams
- Total: 27 min
- Prep: 5 min
- Inactive: 15 min
- Cook: 7 min
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on a bias
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups broccoli florets and sliced stalks (keep the 2 cuts separate)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
Ttoasted sesame seeds, for serving, optional
Jasmine rice, for serving, optional
Directions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, sugar, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, about half the garlic, half the ginger, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/3 cup water in a small bowl and reserve.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic and ginger, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the chicken and red pepper flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like.
- Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.
Cook’s Note
This simple weeknight stir-fry is comforting and satisfying. The broccoli stems are used to add textural contrast and also to help bulk up the dish, and why waste them?