Velvety Soy Chicken And Broccoli Recipe: One of the classic American Chinese takeout staples is chicken and broccoli. It has sweetness, richness, and comforting qualities. The sauce is usually extra delicious, and the chicken is always exceptionally tender for some reason.
It turns out that baking soda and cornstarch are two unique components that hold the key to the secret.
Baking soda is a great meat tenderizer that may be added to the chicken marinade in this dish by Leah Maroney.
It takes very little to tenderize the meat. It is possible to marinate meat for a brief period of time and still achieve the desired flavor and texture.
After the chicken and broccoli are cooked, cornstarch is added to the sauce in this recipe. It produces the dense, smooth texture that entices you to return for more.
Velvety Soy Chicken And Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ + ¼ cup soy sauce, divided
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 pound broccoli florets
Also See
Directions
- Cut the chicken breasts into slender, one-inch chunks.
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry sherry, ¼ cup soy sauce, and baking soda.
Cover and marinate the chicken slices for at least an hour or up to overnight. Add the chicken slices to the marinade.
- Whisk together the oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce. Set aside.
- In a wok or sizable sauté pan set over high heat, add the sesame oil and two teaspoons of the vegetable oil.
- Add the broccoli to the wok and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the broccoli turns a brilliant green color.
- After adding several tablespoons of water and letting it absorb, take the broccoli out of the pan.
- Pour in the remaining oil and add the chicken to the heated pan, discarding the marinade.
- Simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned.
- Reintroduce the broccoli to the pan.
- Stir the prepared sauce in and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens. Enjoy it served over rice.
FAQs AND Questions
Gather your ingredients for this velvety soy chicken and broccoli recipe
- This dish calls for marinating tender chicken breast in a mixture of baking soda, dry sherry, and soy sauce. The alkaline element contributes to the chicken’s added tenderness and luscious texture.
- Minced ginger and garlic are mixed with oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, pepper, and cornstarch to make the sauce. Sesame and vegetable oils are the last items you’ll need to fry the chicken and broccoli over high heat.
Step 1: Cut the chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into slender, one-inch chunks.
Step 2: Prepare the marinade
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry sherry, ¼ cup soy sauce, and baking soda.
Step 3: Marinate the chicken
- Cover and marinate the chicken slices for at least an hour or up to overnight. Add the chicken slices to the marinade.
Step 4: Prepare the sauce
- Whisk together the oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce. Set aside.
Step 5: Heat the oil
- In a wok or sizable sauté pan set over high heat, add the sesame oil and two teaspoons of the vegetable oil.
Step 6: Cook the broccoli
- Add the broccoli to the wok and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the broccoli turns a brilliant green color.
Step 7: Steam the broccoli
- After adding several tablespoons of water and letting it absorb, take the broccoli out of the pan.
Step 8: Cook the chicken
- Pour in the remaining oil and add the chicken to the heated pan, discarding the marinad
Step 9: Finish browning the chicken
- Simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned.
Step 10: Add in the broccoli
- Reintroduce the broccoli to the pan.
Step 11: Add the sauce
- Stir the prepared sauce in and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
Step 12: Serve with rice
- Enjoy served over rice.
