How do I keep broccoli green?

Blanch the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of fluid added to the pan after the broccoli is added. Steaming the broccoli helps maintain its green color. The broccoli should be removed from the heating liquid when the broccoli is deep green. Continued heating will continue to lessen the green color of the broccoli. The broccoli should still be somewhat crisp.

Is the garlic sauce spicy?

The sauce contains garlic but not spice. To add spice, mix 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of garlic chili paste with the chopped garlic.

Why is my garlic sauce cloudy?

If the sauce is cloudy, the cornstarch was not heated enough to fully thicken the sauce, or the sauce is undercooked. Bring the sauce to a full simmer until it clears. Cornstarch and dark soy sauce are used to thicken and darken the sauce. A small whisk can be used to stir the sauce ingredients before adding them to the pan to avoid lumps. Chicken should be covered with sauce, not sauce buildup in the pan.

Can I freeze this dish?

I don't suggest freezing this recipe. When you thaw the broccoli and bell pepper, their cells will be damaged, causing them to lose their crispness.

How should I store and reheat it?

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The cornstarch glaze will thicken over time. Add water or chicken broth to the sauce before reheating in the microwave or another method.

Chinese Chicken in Garlic Sauce With Broccoli and Bell Pepper

By Victor LangNov 6, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

To cook Chinese-style garlic-flavored chicken, start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into large pieces. These cuts help keep the inside of the chicken moist and the outside browned. Benefits of Chinese-style garlic-flavored chicken: garlic flavor and dark-brown sauce. Broccoli picks up sauce on the leaves.

Chinese Chicken in Garlic Sauce With Broccoli and Bell Pepper

I use a heavy pan for searing. A carbon-steel wok would be suitable. Dry the chicken before adding it to a hot pan where you can see smoke from the oil. Do not move the chicken until browned on one side. Adding too much chicken at once will steam it rather than sear it.

I plate the stir-fry in a white ceramic dish, garnished with sliced scallions and white sesame seeds. Jasmine rice and brown rice absorb some of the sauce. A side of cucumber salad offers a cool taste contrast. Red bell peppers maintain their color in this dish.

I prefer using a knife to mince garlic instead of a garlic press so that some minced garlic pieces will stand out in the glaze. Minced garlic should be cooked for no more than 30 seconds and then the sauce should be added to the pan to avoid a bitter taste. Toasted sesame oil should be added to the stir-fry after it is taken off the heat.

Reasons to make this

Three tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic include garlic pieces in the sauce and a strong garlic flavor in the dish.
Dark soy sauce is added to give the glaze an amber color. Soy sauce is one of the ingredients in the glaze.
Fresh broccoli florets absorb sauce well and retain their color if cooked briefly.
Sliced red bell peppers and carrots sliced on the bias add texture and flavor to dishes made with cooked chicken.
A small amount of toasted sesame oil is added at the end of cooking to preserve the flavor.
The garnish includes thin slices of scallions and sesame seeds floating on a dark sauce.

Instructions

Pat the chicken chunks bone-dry with paper towels and season them with a pinch of salt.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat until you see a faint wisp of smoke.

Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it untouched for at least 2-3 minutes.

Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side until it has a deep golden-brown crust, then remove it from the pan.

Add the diagonal carrot slices and stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly tender.

Add the broccoli and red bell pepper, splash in about 1 tbsp water, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan, add the minced garlic to the center with a tiny drop of oil, and sauté for 30 seconds.

Whisk together the dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, chicken stock, cornstarch, rice vinegar, and brown sugar, then pour the mixture into the center of the pan.

Bring the sauce to a simmer until it changes from opaque to translucent and thickens into a glaze.

Return the chicken to the pan and toss until each piece is coated in the garlic sauce.

Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil.

Transfer the stir-fry to a white ceramic bowl and finish with the scallion rounds and white sesame seeds.

FAQ

Chicken thighs are a suitable substitute for chicken breast. I would cut the chicken thighs into the same pieces you would cut chicken breast and give them more room in the pan for browning. The chicken thighs won't overcook as easily as chicken breast and might need a minute or two longer to cook. Look for browning on the thighs.

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Lunch Dinner Chicken Quick Meals Chinese Stovetop

Chinese Chicken in Garlic Sauce With Broccoli and Bell Pepper

Name: Chinese Chicken in Garlic Sauce With Broccoli and Bell Pepper
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb chicken breast (680 g, boneless, skinless, cut into large chunks); 2 cups broccoli florets (150 g, fresh); 1 large red bell pepper (150 g, cut into strips); 2 medium carrots (120 g, cut into thin diagonal slices); 3 tbsp garlic (45 g, freshly minced); 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (30 ml); 3 tbsp regular soy sauce (45 ml); 1/2 cup chicken stock (120 ml); 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (12 g); 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml); 1 tbsp brown sugar (12 g); 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (5 ml); 2 whole scallions (15 g, sliced into green rounds); 1 tsp white sesame seeds (3 g); 2 tbsp high-smoke-point oil (30 ml, such as vegetable or grapeseed oil); 1 pinch salt; 1 tbsp water (about 1 tbsp, for steaming the vegetables)

By Victor LangNov 6, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Reasons to make this

Three tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic include garlic pieces in the sauce and a strong garlic flavor in the dish.
Dark soy sauce is added to give the glaze an amber color. Soy sauce is one of the ingredients in the glaze.
Fresh broccoli florets absorb sauce well and retain their color if cooked briefly.
Sliced red bell peppers and carrots sliced on the bias add texture and flavor to dishes made with cooked chicken.
A small amount of toasted sesame oil is added at the end of cooking to preserve the flavor.
The garnish includes thin slices of scallions and sesame seeds floating on a dark sauce.

Ingredients

Servings4

•1 ½ lb chicken breast (680 g, boneless, skinless, cut into large chunks)
•2 cups broccoli florets (150 g, fresh)
•1 large red bell pepper (150 g, cut into strips)
•2 medium carrots (120 g, cut into thin diagonal slices)
•3 tbsp garlic (45 g, freshly minced)
•2 tbsp dark soy sauce (30 ml)
•3 tbsp regular soy sauce (45 ml)
•½ cup chicken stock (120 ml)
•1 ½ tbsp cornstarch (12 g)
•1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
•1 tbsp brown sugar (12 g)
•1 tsp toasted sesame oil (5 ml)
•2 whole scallions (15 g, sliced into green rounds)
•1 tsp white sesame seeds (3 g)
•2 tbsp high-smoke-point oil (30 ml, such as vegetable or grapeseed oil)
•1 pinch salt
•1 tbsp water (about 1 tbsp, for steaming the vegetables)

Instructions

1
Pat the chicken chunks bone-dry with paper towels and season them with a pinch of salt.
2
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat until you see a faint wisp of smoke.
3
Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it untouched for at least 2-3 minutes.
4
Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side until it has a deep golden-brown crust, then remove it from the pan.
5
Add the diagonal carrot slices and stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly tender.
6
Add the broccoli and red bell pepper, splash in about 1 tbsp water, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
7
Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan, add the minced garlic to the center with a tiny drop of oil, and sauté for 30 seconds.
8
Whisk together the dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, chicken stock, cornstarch, rice vinegar, and brown sugar, then pour the mixture into the center of the pan.
9
Bring the sauce to a simmer until it changes from opaque to translucent and thickens into a glaze.
10
Return the chicken to the pan and toss until each piece is coated in the garlic sauce.
11
Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil.
12
Transfer the stir-fry to a white ceramic bowl and finish with the scallion rounds and white sesame seeds.