My chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce is a Cajun-Asian flavor fest that cooks from start to finish in ONE skillet, y'all!! Seasoned chicken and mushrooms, browned down then jazzed up with jarred roasted red pepper strips. Fresh broccoli florets join the trio, simmering down to fork-tenderness in just minutes. Finally, the easy, homemade sauce electrifies the meat and veggies at the finish, leaving you with intriguing tastes and textures and a truly stunning presentation. Yep and yay...
Cajun-Asian chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce is a fun, festive fusion with tender, juicy meat and veggies and an unforgettable flavor-popping sauce.
Sometimes a One-Skillet Meal is All That Will Do, Y'all...
As I write this, we're in the middle of another slap stupid hot south Louisiana summer. And, while we do love to grill outdoors, sometimes I'm sincerely in need of a one-skillet meal that looks and tastes like I tore up the entire kitchen cooking it.
Of course, I had chicken on hand, y'all. And some fresh broccoli and sliced mushrooms that were almost literally screaming inside of my fridge to be used up before they went bad.
So, I decided to challenge myself to make a one-skillet meal that celebrated the flavors of what I already had in my possession. And, since I love Cajun-Asian fusion, I went ahead and made this chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce.
And it's soooo good, y'all!! The naturally tender chicken thigh pieces need no marinade. So, they're ready to go at a moment's notice. And so are the pre-packaged sliced mushrooms. Then, once you cut the broccoli florets and grab the other ingredients, it all comes together kinda quickly yet oh soooo easily.
Yep. This Cajun-Asian chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce is amazing, y'all. The sauce is phenomenal, with a Cajun-y twang at the end from the south Louisiana spices and sauces. And, the way that it covers the tender meat and veggies makes you feel like you're eating restaurant-quality food without the muss, fuss, or pricey bill with tip. Indeed.
Serve this scrumptious dish as is for a hearty meal for 2 to 3 people. Or, serve it alongside rice or gluten free pasta to make the meal stretch even further.
How to Make Chicken and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce
Begin the recipe by gathering all of the ingredients:
Buying pre-sliced mushrooms and packaged minced garlic and broccoli florets save a lot of recipe prep time.
Then, whip up the easy homemade garlic sauce:
Whipping up the easy sauce before you cook the chicken and veggies helps the flavors to intermingle beautifully when the time comes to finish the dish.
Now, cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into strips. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper:
Seasoning the thigh pieces with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper sets the flavor stage for the dish.
Then, melt the butter or oil in your enameled cast iron skillet. Add the chicken and cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pan:
The chicken thigh strips and mushrooms cook down together harmoniously.
Let the meat and veggies cook down til a bit browned and soft. Then, add the roasted red pepper strips:
Adding the red pepper strips to the browned meat and veggies helps to create the stunning visual composition of the recipe.
Next, add the fresh, raw broccoli florets to the pan. Cook down for several minutes, or until the broccoli is fork-tender:
For best results, use fresh broccoli. But, you can also thawed frozen broccoli if you already have that on hand.
Finally, turn down the heat. Then, pour the sauce into the skillet. Give it a good stir, and cook down for just a few more minutes until done:
Adding the garlic sauce at the end helps it complement the natural flavors of the chicken and veggies to perfection.
And that's it, y'all!!
This gluten free Cajun-Asian chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce astounds with surprising depths of flavors. Best of all, it's super filling just as it is, so it's totally up to you if you want to serve it over rice or GF pasta to feed even more people. This recipe is also adaptable. So, feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand.
Share with those who show up at your door bearing love for you in their hearts and just what you needed to keep going in their hands. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Cajun-Asian chicken and broccoli in garlic sauce is a fun, festive fusion with tender, juicy meat and veggies and an unforgettable flavor-popping sauce.
Chicken and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless thighs
- 8 ounces cleaned sliced mushrooms
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
- ½ cup roasted red pepper strips
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 cup gluten free chicken broth, if needed, see notes
For the Cajun Asian Garlic Sauce
- ⅓ cup gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Crystal hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons gluten free cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon Steen's cane vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon each onion powder and dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon each dried paprika and celery seed
Instructions
- Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.
- Cut the chicken thighs into three or four strips.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Melt the butter or oil in a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Add the seasoned chicken thigh pieces and mushrooms.
- Cook until the thighs are browned lightly and the mushrooms have softened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Flip all of the contents often to ensure even cooking.
- Pour the roasted red pepper strips to the pan, and also the GF chicken broth, if needed. (See notes).
- Add the broccoli florets to the mixture, submerging as many as you can into the liquid.
- Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the florets become fork-tender. Stir often.
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Give the sauce a good stir, then pour into the skillet.
- Cover and cook for 5 additional minutes, stirring often.
- Ensure that a digital thermometer inserted into each piece of chicken reads at least 165 degrees F. If so, remove the skillet from heat, and let sit for 3 minutes before serving.
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