Chicken and Broccoli with Brown Sauce
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
287 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Chicken and Broccoli with Brown Sauce
Description
This recipe starts with marinating chicken slices in water, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and vegetable oil to ensure moisture and flavor infusion. The chicken is then seared over high heat to lock in juices and create a light crust. Broccoli florets are quickly blanched to maintain a slight crunch and vibrant color.
The brown sauce blends chicken stock with soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper, delivering a balance of savory, slightly sweet, and umami flavors. Ginger and garlic provide aromatic depth, while Shaoxing wine adds subtle complexity. The sauce is thickened with a cornstarch slurry that binds everything together in a silky glaze.
Assembled, the dish balances tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and a flavorful, rich sauce. It pairs well with steamed rice or noodles, making a complete meal with contrasting textures and satisfying savory flavors representative of classic Chinese-American cuisine.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 12 ounces chicken breast or thighs, 340g, boneless, skinless
- 3 tablespoons water (45 ml)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
For the rest of the dish:
- 2/3 cup chicken stock 160 ml, warmed, low sodium
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 4 cups broccoli 300g, florets
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger grated, optional, fresh
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water to form a cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Start by marinating your chicken. In a bowl, add the sliced chicken, 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil. Rub the marinade ingredients into the chicken with your hands until all the liquid has been absorbed by the chicken. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Next, prepare the sauce mixture. In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the warm chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce , oyster sauce, sesame oil and white pepper. Stir everything together until well combined and set aside.
- Boil water in your wok and blanch the broccoli for 1 minute (or 2 minutes if you like your broccoli softer). Drain and set aside.
- Clean and dry your wok. Place it over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and sear the chicken until opaque on all sides (this shoul d only take about 3 minutes). Turn off the heat, remove the chicken, and set aside. The chicken will be about 90% done, but will be cooked again at the end.
- Without washing the wok, set the flame to medium heat. Add another tablespoon of oil, along with the garlic and ginger (if using). Stir the garlic and ginger for 5 seconds and add the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok. Then pour in the sauce mixture. Use your wok spatula to stir the sauce around the sides of the wok to deglaze, and let it come to a simmer.
- Stir up the cornstarch and water slurry and drizzle the mixture into sauce while stirring constantly. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 seconds until thick and gravy-like.
- Toss in the chicken and its juices and the blanched broccoli. Stir-fry until the chicken and broccoli is coated in the sauce.
- At this point, you can make adjustments. If you like your brown sauce darker, add a dash more of dark soy sauce. Add more cornstarch slurry if your sauce is too thin, or more chicken stock or water if the sauce is too thick. Serve with steamed rice.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 287 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 287kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 829mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 650mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 590IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 82.7mg | 92% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1.3mg | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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