Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

From the garden

• 1½ lb broccoli, cut into bite-size florets, stems peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

From the pantry

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin against the grain
• 4 tsp cornstarch — divided: 1 tbsp for the chicken, 1 tsp for the sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce — divided
• 1½ tbsp brown sugar
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil — divided
• 1½ cups white rice — for serving

1. Start the rice. Toss the sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and let it sit 10 minutes — this quick velvet keeps the chicken silky at high heat.
2. Stir together the sauce: the remaining soy sauce, the chicken stock, brown sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and the sesame oil.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wide skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Stir-fry the broccoli 2 minutes, splash in 2 tablespoons water, cover, and steam 2 minutes more until bright green and crisp-tender. Tip it out onto a plate.
4. Add the remaining oil, then the chicken in a single layer. Let it sear undisturbed 1–2 minutes, then toss until no longer pink and cooked through to 165°F, about 3 minutes total.
5. Push the chicken aside, sizzle the garlic and ginger 30 seconds, then pour in the sauce. Let it bubble until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, return the broccoli, and toss everything together. Serve over rice with green onions.