Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

Whenever I find myself bored with making the same old thing, I head to Tastespotting for inspiration. It has never disappointed. This is how it works: 1) I decide I'm bored. 2) I realize I haven't viewed Tastespotting in a while. 3) I scroll through page after page of luscious food photos, nabbing roughly 20 of them that pique my interest. Then I check through them recipes I nabbed to see if a) it looks like something I can actually do and b) it looks like something I have most of the ingredients on hand for. One of the recipes I found earlier this week was perfect because met both criteria and it took me in a direction I've been wanting to head...Asian-style cooking. This Chinese Chicken and Broccoli recipe was really easy and gratifyingly successful. Some Asian recipes seem so intimidating (I know it is just me, but still), so I shy away from them. This recipe was not like that. First, Blogchef.net had a ton of pictures...that always helps me. Secondly, the ingredients were all things I was familiar with and had (I lie...we had no oyster sauce...why is that?). Anyway, it was a big hit with everyone and it was super easy, so there you go: the perfect recipe.

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
from Blogchef.net

Ingredients:
1 1/2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small chunks)
corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
6 tablespoons chicken broth (divided)
3 tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
5 green onions (sliced--to sprinkle on top when served, optional)
¼ cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
Sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)

Directions:
(Okay, so if you want to see the original directions, click here. These directions are the way I will do it going forward. Some of the directions seemed out of order to me, so I'm organizing them in a manner that seems logical to me.)

Start rice cooking in rice cooker or on stove top.

Cut chicken breast into cubes/chunks and set aside.

Mix salt and pepper (not too much salt) with cornstarch in medium bowl, add cubed chicken breast and set aside.

Pour 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, and red peppers into frying pan/wok and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add broccoli florets and 3 tablespoons of chicken broth and cook for roughly 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside (you'll be adding it back into the pan after the chicken is cooked).

Add the other 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and corn starch-coated chicken to the frying pan and cook until done (3-5 minutes). Then add 3 tablespoons chicken broth, hoisin sauce, and oyster sauce, stirring through to coat the chicken. Add broccoli mixture to pan, stir to coat with sauce and heat through.

Remove from heat and serve on white rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

There you go! It is that easy. Next time I think I'll add a cubed zucchini to the broccoli mixture because I like a lot vegetables in my meals.