THAI-STYLE CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

After posting the recipe for Broiled Shrimp and Broccoli, I was asked if chicken could be substituted for the shrimp. I decided to try it since it was such a good idea.  Then, I started wondering if it would work with tofu, also.  I haven’t yet made the tofu version but hope to do so soon. Until then, I hope you like this chicken version.

When cooking the original recipe, it was necessary to start the broccoli first because it takes longer to cook than the shrimp.  I wanted to try to make this version even easier by cutting the broccoli and chicken to a size that would allow them both to broil alongside and finish at the same time.  So I cut the broccoli florets smaller than I usually would for roasting.  In addition, I cut the chicken pieces into larger chunks than I normally would for a stir fry or casserole. 

IT WORKED!

You can see from the photo that the chicken chunks and broccoli ended up being similar in size.  And, as luck would have it, the chicken cooked to juicy perfection and finished at the same time as the broccoli florets. Don’t you love it when things turn out as they should?

After cutting the chicken breasts into chunks, I coated them with the peanut butter sauce, just as I did with the shrimp in the original recipe.  Then I sprinkled the broccoli with a little olive oil, again, the same as in the original recipe. The chicken (or shrimp) releases juices when broiled, so the sauce doesn’t burn. But broccoli does not exude additional moisture when broiled. The oil is good for the broccoli, but it could scorch and give a pungent, bitter flavor if the sauce was on it.

CORRAL ALL OF THE JUICES

Be sure to line the sheet pan with foil or use a silpat, to help with clean up. I like to use foil because it makes it easy to gently stir the chicken and broccoli together after broiling. Then I just lift up the foil, dump it all out into a serving dish, and pour the sauce right in on top of the chicken and broccoli. If not using foil, try to scrape up any tidbits along with the saucy juice and stir it into the final dish.

I served this with a pilaf-style brown rice. Simply sauté some finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery in a little oil. Then substitute low-sodium chicken broth for water as the rice cooks.

It was fun to see if the chicken version would be as good as the shrimp recipe. The chicken was still moist, delectable and quick to make. Thank you to everyone who suggested it. This new version is just as scrumptious and delicious!

THAI CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BROIL

• Cooking Oil Spray if using foil as a liner
• 3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. Sriracha; more to taste
• 1 tsp. plain rice vinegar
• grated zest of one lime
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/4 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 1 lb. 1-inch broccoli florets (about 4 cups)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the broiler and position a rack about 5- 6 inches from the broiler element. Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with a silpat or aluminum foil. If using foil, spray it lightly with cooking oil spray.

Put the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, vinegar, zest, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, and whisk until combined. Set aside half of the sauce for serving and toss the chicken with the remaining sauce.

On the prepared pan, sprinkle the broccoli with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the prepared broccoli and chicken in a single layer, next to each other on the sheet pan. Broil about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Add the reserved peanut sauce and gently combine everything right in the pan, scraping up juices and cooked bits.

Pour it all into a serving dish and serve with brown rice, if desired. Serves 4.