Chinese Chicken with Broccoli (Official Meal #4)

Ever since I stumbled upon this recipe, my parents seemed excited to try it.  I was supposed to cook this meal last week, but due to an overflow of recipes and such a small amount of time, I wasn't able to squeeze this into the dinner rotation.  This week, I made sure that this recipe was on the top of my "to - cook" list.


Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. peanut oil, divided
- 1½ tsp. sesame oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- ¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 6 tbsp. chicken broth, divided
- 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1½ tsp. cornstarch
- 3 scallions, chopped
- Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)


1. Heat about half of the peanut oil and the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté until golden brown and cooked through.

2. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add the remaining oil to the pan.  Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  

3. Add the red pepper flakes and broccoli florets to the pan.

4. Pour in about half of the chicken broth – it should steam and boil quickly.  Allow the broccoli to cook until crisp-tender and the broth has mostly evaporated. Add the oyster sauce and hoisin sauce to the pan.

  

5.  In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch, and add to the pan. 

6. Stir in the remaining chicken broth.  Return the chicken pieces to the pan.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.  

Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions.  Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

My parents and I were very pleased with the final product.  They both complimented the succulent and tasteful flavors that filled their mouths whenever they took a new bite.  Everything was cooked perfectly - the rice, the broccoli, the chicken, even the sauce.  While cooking, I was hesitant when adding in the red pepper flakes.  The recipe called for 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of flakes, but since I hadn't attempted this recipe before, I had no idea to how spicy the dish would turn out.  Ultimately, I decided to play it on the safe side and add 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes.
Thankfully, amount of red pepper was perfect.  You could taste a hint of the spiciness and zest that the red pepper added to the dish.  It wasn't too weak, yet it didn't overpower the overall balance of flavor of the dish.

A few suggestions that I would take into consideration would be...

1) The addition of tofu - Chicken, tofu, and broccoli... how could you go wrong?

2) More chicken broth and a little less hoisin sauce and oyster sauce -

The first few bites of chicken and broccoli were heavenly.  My mouth filled with delectable and delicious flavors that I had never thought I had the ability to create.  As the amount of food on our plates lessened, we had cooked up another suggestion.  We would remember to use more chicken broth and less hoisin and oyster sauce next time.  As the dish became colder after being removed from the heat, the hoisin and oyster sauce thickened out, causing the flavor to become more pungent than desired.  The chicken broth would "thin out" the sauce while lightly diluting it.

3) Toss the sesame seeds into pan mixture instead of sprinkling on after -

Considering my parents and I don't use sesame seeds, we were pleasantly surprised with the texture and taste that the sesame seeds added when they were sprinkled on the final product.  The next time we make this recipe, we will be sure to added in the sesame seeds into the mixture instead of on top of it.  This way, the texture would be consistent throughout the whole dish, instead of just on top.  

While cooking this dish, I have improved my ability to taste.  I know, it may sound silly, but I feel as if that is quite possible.  By improving my taste, I have improved my ability to pick out what each spice/sauce/oil does to the dish and what I can change in order to improve it.  For example, while cooking, I got a sense of how much oil and herbs I added in order to end up with my resulting dish.  By become accustomed to this practice, I could master each recipe I attempt within a few tries.  Learning how to "taste" and adjust can help make bland and uninteresting ingredients turn into decadent and appetizing meals.