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Epicurious

Quick Sesame Chicken With Broccoli

4.6

(147)

Image may contain Food Meal Dish Sesame Seasoning Plant and Lunch
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone

For this quick dinner, chicken gets a crisp crust thanks to a touch of cornstarch. This recipe calls for quick-cooking white rice to save time, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand and follow the package directions.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    22 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking white rice
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more
8 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, breasts, or a mix, patted dry, cut into 1" chunks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, divided
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook rice with a pinch of salt according to package directions.

    Step 2

    Set a steamer basket in a medium pot filled with 1" water, cover pot, and bring water to a boil. Steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender, 5–6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

    Step 3

    Whisk cornstarch, pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.

    Step 4

    Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over high. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and a light brown crust forms, about 5 minutes.

    Step 5

    Meanwhile, whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.

    Step 6

    Transfer first batch of chicken to a plate. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil and cook remaining chicken. Add sauce to skillet along with first batch of chicken. Toss well and cook until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Fold in reserved broccoli, toss to coat, and remove from heat.

    Step 7

    Divide chicken and broccoli among 4 plates and top with scallions and remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds. Serve with rice on the side.

Cooks' Note

Feel free to substitute traditional white or brown rice for quick-cooking rice. Make this meal gluten-free by substituting tamari for the soy sauce.

TagsRiceRice & GrainsChicken ThighChickenPoultryChicken BreastBroccoli/BroccoliniVegetableMainDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreeQuickEasy30 Minutes or LessSauteEpicurious
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Reviews (147)

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  • This is a great recipe Quick Sesame Chicken With Broccoli , had fun making it over the weekend. Recreated the meal that I get from <a href="https://www.flexpromeals.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer ugc">https://www.flexpromeals.com/</a> delivered. Good quality and fresh.

    • Vadim

    • 9/30/2023

  • Loved it. Easy and tasty. I didn't reduce the sauce enough before adding back the broccoli but it still tastes great.

    • Rookie Cook

    • 9/7/2022

  • Easy and delicious, will def make again. Like some other reviewers I used 1 lb chicken (boneless skinless chicken breasts). Chicken didn't crisp up as much as I would have liked, but may not have had the heat up high enough.

    • KD

    • Dallas TX

    • 1/24/2022

  • Quite good. Following the suggestion of one of the reviewers added the extra 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the sauce, thinning it with the sauce. Next time I will put all of the cornstarch listed in the raw chicken pieces which seemed to not quite have enough and will add another tablespoon of cornstarch thinned with water to the sauce. Did not seem that quick because of cutting the broccoli and chicken, but will definitely cook again.

    • Anonymous

    • Saint Peter, MN

    • 1/11/2022

  • Delicious and easy! One of our favorites!

    • Anonymous

    • Phoenix Arizona

    • 10/20/2021

  • Great delicious and easy weeknight dinner. I generally use about 1lb chicken thighs instead of 2lbs. This is part of our regular rotation.

    • shrushanti

    • Eagan, MN

    • 5/17/2021

  • This is delicious. I actually used just a lb of chicken, but made the listed amount of sauce--what can I say? I love sauce!! If I make it with the 2 lbs. of chicken, I'll double the sauce ingredients. My husband says this is definitely one of his new favorites:)

    • denvercris

    • Littleton CO

    • 3/26/2021

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