Sticky Garlic Chicken and Broccoli

By Cathie davidson

The garlicky, Asian-inspired sauce lends the panko breaded chicken breasts and green, crisp broccoli its sticky sweet and spicy flavors that will bring you back for more.

Ingredients

• SAUCE:
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
• 1 cup buttermilk, or milk mixed with 1 spoonful vinegar
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3 to 4 cups broccoli florets
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 piece fresh ginger, 1-inch
• 3/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sambal oelek

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from pinchofyum.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a metal cooling rack on top if you have one (it can work without, too).

Soak the chicken in the buttermilk.

Mix the panko, cornmeal, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Remove the chicken one piece at a time, let the buttermilk drip off, and gently press into the panko cornmeal mixture until coated with crumbs.

Place the chicken on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. At 10 minutes, flip each piece and bake for another 10 minutes (so total bake time for the chicken is about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, as your chicken bakes, pulse all the sauce ingredients in a food processor. This is optional, but to help the sauce develop its flavor and thicken a bit, you can put it in a skillet over medium low heat and let it simmer for a while.

Prepare your broccoli by boiling for 1 minute and plunging into ice water (it stays so bright green and crispy!) or by stir frying until tender crisp.

When the chicken is done, dip each piece in the sauce and return to the baking sheet. Bake another 5 minutes, re-dip for one last sauce love, and let rest for a minute or two. Serve over rice, with the broccoli and extra sauce.

NOTES:
You might have some extra breading and sauce, so you can also use closer to two pounds of chicken depending on how many people you have to feed. Also, the key to the 30 minute trick is prepping the sauce, broccoli, and rice while the chicken bakes. Voila!