Description
A flavorful Chinese-inspired Chicken with Garlic Sauce recipe featuring tender boneless chicken breasts cooked in a savory garlic-ginger soy sauce, enhanced with hints of honey, rice vinegar, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes, finished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh green onions for a perfect balance of taste and aroma.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Garnish
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
- Cook chicken: Once the oil is hot, carefully place the boneless chicken breasts in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Rest chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and set them aside on a plate to rest.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic and grated ginger.
- Cook garlic and ginger: Cook the garlic and ginger for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not burnt.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Add the soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar, honey, and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet, stirring to combine.
- Simmer sauce: Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to slightly reduce and thicken.
- Prepare cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water to create a slurry.
- Thicken sauce: Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Finish thickening: Continue to simmer the sauce for an additional 1-2 minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Slice chicken: Slice the cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and return them to the skillet with the sauce.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat it evenly, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat the chicken through.
- Add sesame oil: Drizzle the sesame oil over the chicken and sauce, stirring to combine.
- Garnish: Sprinkle the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the top of the dish.
- Serve: Serve the chicken with garlic sauce hot, alongside rice or your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for ease and quick cooking.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
- The cornstarch slurry helps to thicken the sauce without clumps; stir continuously when adding.
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in soy sauce and garlic for 30 minutes before cooking.
- This dish pairs excellently with steamed white rice or fried rice.
