I’m going to keep this week’s recipe intro a bit short, because to be honest I’m a little distracted – we welcomed our second child into the world yesterday! His name is Elliott and I’m sure plenty of pics will soon be coming to my various social media platforms.
I recently asked my readers what recipes they’d like me to tackle next, and an overwhelming majority asked for pressure-cooker meals; for those folks, I have something special in store for next week. Meanwhile, a vocal minority asked for appetizers to bring to holiday parties, so I put together this recipe as a fun way to enjoy a classic Chinese takeout dish: Chicken & Broccoli. While not as celebrated as its big brother, Beef & Broccoli, I like the contrast of crisp chicken with a dark sauce. Enjoy!
Chicken & Broccoli Bites (Gluten-free, Paleo, Perfect Health Diet)
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 egg white
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tsp rice wine
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp tamari (or coconut aminos)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Sauce:
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup tamari (or coconut aminos)
1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tbsp honey or coconut palm sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil, more if needed
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
1 tbsp water
sesame seeds to garnish
crushed red pepper flakes to garnish
1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, egg white, arrowroot, rice wine, tamari, salt, and white pepper; toss until evenly coated then set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat to low to gently simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry until golden brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside; repeat the process with the remaining chicken, adding more oil if needed. Once the chicken is done, transfer it to the plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium, and check the oil level – you need about 1 tbsp in the wok. Add the broccoli, and stir-fry until the oil has been absorbed; add 1 tbsp water and stir-fry until the broccoli has cooked, about 1 minute; set aside.
5. Skewer the chicken and broccoli, then taste the sauce and add salt if needed. You can either drizzle the sauce over the chicken and broccoli bites or serve it as a dipping sauce. Serve warm garnished with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.
** The sauce should be plenty thick, but if you’d like to thicken it a bit more, combine 1 tbsp arrowroot starch and 1 tbsp water and stir into a slurry, then add to the bubbling sauce to thicken.
** Not attending a holiday party anytime soon? This dish can easily be transformed into the classic interpretation. Simply cook the chicken as instructed, then instead of step #3, toss the cooked chicken together with the broccoli over medium-high heat until the broccoli starts to soften, then add enough sauce to coat everything (you may not need all of it).
The Domestic Man 
Congratulations to you and your family!
I asked for a pressure cooker for Christmas – so your recipes would be very timely (if I get one)! :-)
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Congrats!! My son’s name is Elliot, it’s a great name!
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Congrats on your newest addition!! I love the name Elliot. These bites look great! They look like they would be a perfect appetizer.
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Congratulations! These look delicious!
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Congratulations on your little guy!!
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Sounds great, and congrats!
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Timely stuff for feeding the neighbours around Christmas.
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What is the unit of measurement for the arrowroot in the sauce?
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tbsp, thanks for the catch! just fixed it.
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Congrats on Elliot!! Love the recipe – keep them coming and get some rest 😊
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Congrats! What a great Christmas gift to your family!
We wife bought me an InstaPot for Christmas thanks to your suggestions, and I’m so excited to try some of your recipes in it!
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Made it (classic version) and it’s delicious! My chicken pieces didn’t come out looking a little crispy after cooking the way yours looks in the picture – my coating seemed just to slide off and cook on the bottom of the pan, so maybe something was off when I did it. Regardless, it tastes great.
Congratulations! Babies are the best!
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Congratulations! Family should always come first.
Great recipe.
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Congratulations on the new arrival. This is a special time to savor and enjoy. Have a wonderful Christmas.
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Congratulation on your new addition-:))
And Thank you for sharing your great recipes!
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Elliot is a beautiful name. Congratz on your second child, my world changed drastic with the birth of my second child, so I wish you lots of sleep, and hope you find time to enjoy. The recipe looks yummy, I might save it and leave it around the house, hoping my boyfriend will pick it up :)
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I’ve always been a huge fan of chicken and broccoli and still prefer it over beef & broccoli, so I love the idea of this appetizer version.
Huge congratulations on your baby boy!
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Congratulations to you and your family! Thanks much for including the pressure cooker recipes, I bought the Instant Pot after reading about it here and it’s been a real game changer.
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Congratulations. My daughter’s name is Elliott. Lovely.
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Congratulations on Elliott! What a wonderful gift. My family will keep yours in our prayers. Have a blessed Christmas. I look forward to those pressure cooker recipes. Homeschooling 3 kids = fast meals.
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