Alright, let’s talk about that chicken with garlic sauce, you know, the one you get from them Chinese takeout places. I ain’t no fancy cook, mind you, but I figured out how to make it at home, and it ain’t half bad. Tastes pretty close to the real deal, if I do say so myself.
First off, you gotta get yourself some chicken. I like to use them boneless, skinless thighs. They’re juicier, see? Cut ‘em up into bite-sized pieces. Not too big, not too small. You know, like, the size you can pop in your mouth without choking.
Then, the garlic. Now, this dish, it’s all about the garlic. Don’t be shy with it. I use a whole bunch of cloves, like, maybe ten or twelve. Smash ‘em up a bit, so they get all flavorful. You don’t gotta mince ‘em real fine, just enough to break ‘em open.
- Ingredients you gonna need:
- Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- Lots of garlic
- Soy sauce (the regular kind, not that fancy low-sodium stuff)
- Sugar (just a bit, to balance things out)
- Vinegar (I use rice vinegar, but I reckon any kind will do in a pinch)
- Chicken broth (or water, if you ain’t got no broth)
- Cornstarch (to thicken things up)
- Some oil for cooking
- A pinch of salt and pepper, you know, for taste
- Optional: green onions and sesame seeds for makin’ it look pretty.
Okay, so now you got your chicken and your garlic ready. Heat up some oil in a big pan. Not too hot, not too cold. Medium-ish, you know? Throw in the chicken and cook it ‘til it’s brown all over. Don’t overcrowd the pan, or the chicken will steam instead of fry. Do it in batches if you gotta.
Once the chicken’s cooked, take it out of the pan and set it aside. Then, throw in the garlic and stir-fry it for a minute or two, ‘til it smells real good and garlicky. Don’t burn it, though! Burnt garlic tastes like…well, burnt garlic.
Now, here’s where the magic happens. Pour in some soy sauce, a little bit of sugar, and a splash of vinegar. Stir it all up. Then, add in some chicken broth. Not too much, just enough to make a sauce. Let it simmer for a bit, ‘til the sauce thickens up a little.
While the sauce is simmering, mix up a little cornstarch with some water. This is gonna make the sauce nice and thick, like the takeout stuff. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the sauce and stir it all up. It’ll thicken up real quick.
Now, throw the chicken back into the pan and stir it all together, so the chicken gets all coated in that garlicky sauce. Let it cook for another minute or two, just to make sure everything’s heated through.
And that’s it! You got yourself some chicken with garlic sauce, just like from the Chinese takeout, but you made it yourself! Serve it up with some rice, and maybe some steamed broccoli or something green, so you can pretend you’re eating healthy. I ain’t one for fancy fixin’s, but I do like to sprinkle on some chopped green onions and sesame seeds at the end – makes it look kinda special, you know?
Now, I ain’t gonna lie, this ain’t the prettiest dish in the world. But it tastes good, and that’s all that matters to me. It’s easy to make, too, even for an old woman like me. So give it a try, you might just surprise yourself. And if it don’t turn out perfect the first time, don’t you fret. Cooking ain’t rocket science, it’s just about throwing some stuff together and seein’ what happens. You can always add a little more of this or a little less of that next time. That’s how I learned, anyway.
One last thing, don’t be scared to adjust things to your liking. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar. If you want it tangier, add more vinegar. If you love garlic like I do, throw in even more! That’s the beauty of cookin’ at home, you get to be the boss.
Tags: chicken with garlic sauce, chinese takeout, recipe, easy chicken recipe, garlic chicken, stir fry, home cooking, chinese food, quick dinner