Garlic chicken is one of my favorite dishes to order when I’m not cooking Chinese at home. There are several variations of this wonderful dish. The one that I prefer has a clear sauce which mainly consists of garlic and chicken broth. The more popular version of this dish has a brown garlic flavored sauce. The wonderful brown color comes from a base of oyster sauce which gives this dish a rich and delicious flavor. The chicken in this recipe should be velveted to give it a smooth and silky texture. Velveted chicken is simply pre coated with cornstarch and egg white and pre cooked in either water or oil. Here is the recipe to velvet the chicken and below is the recipe for this wonderful garlic chicken favorite. Enjoy!

To watch a video on how to velvet chicken using the frying method click here.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables (Birds Eye Steam Fresh Asian Medley is excellent for this recipe)
2 tbsp peanut oil
3 tsp jarred chopped garlic
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
½ cup chicken broth
5 tbsp oyster sauce

1. Remove all the fat from the chicken and cut it into thin strips approximately 1 ½ inches long and ½ inch wide. Velvet the cut chicken using the boiling method. If you chose not to velvet the chicken, simply marinate it in 1 tablespoon of sherry, ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for about 30 minutes.


2. Microwave the frozen vegetables for about 5 minutes or just until they are warm. For this recipe I found that Birds Eye Steam Fresh Asian Medley works the best, but any 12 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables can be used. Just be sure to warm them and not overcook them. Remember in stir frying we want the vegetables to retain their bright color and crisp texture.


3. Once the vegetables are slightly warm and the chicken has marinated, heat the oil on high.


4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook just until the garlic is lightly brown, about one minute.


5. If you chose not to velvet the chicken, then cook the chicken first for about 5 minutes or until cooked through and then add the vegetables.


6. If you did velvet the chicken, simply add the vegetables and velveted chicken and cook for just 2 minutes. Try to keep the vegetables bright and crisp. If you see that they are starting to wither, take the pan off the heat.


7. Add in the chicken broth and oyster sauce and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. The cornstarch from the velveted chicken should be enough to thicken the sauce. However, if you chose not to velvet the chicken, or you find the sauce is too thin, simply add a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a little water to dissolve. Add this mixture to the pan and stir until thick.


8. This dish is best served with white rice. It soaks up the sauce and creates an overall wonderful texture and flavor. Makes 3 generous servings.