Golden-brown chicken strips, a delicate garlic sauce, and rice with zucchini and yellow pepper make a tasty lunch or dinner from everyday ingredients. Thanks to the short preparation, the meat stays juicy, while milk, broth, and butter give the sauce a pleasantly creamy texture.
This recipe can be prepared in just a few simple steps. First, quickly sear the meat, then make the sauce in the same pan, and finally heat everything together. You can add zucchini to the side dish, but if you don’t have it or don’t use it, simply leave it out.
What you’ll need
For the chicken bites with sauce:
- 650 g chicken breast,
- 3 tablespoons oil,
- 2 tablespoons butter,
- 1 small onion,
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons plain flour,
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste,
- 1 cup milk,
- 1 cup broth,
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic,
- salt to taste,
- black pepper to taste.
For the vegetable rice:
- cooked rice,
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons oil,
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion,
- 1 zucchini, optional,
- 1 yellow pepper,
- salt to taste,
- black pepper to taste,
- dried garlic to taste.
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing the meat: Wash the chicken breasts, pat them dry thoroughly, and cut them into thin strips. Evenly cut pieces will sear faster and more evenly.
2. Searing the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the prepared meat, and sear it over high heat. Season with salt and pepper and fry until golden. Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside.
3. Making the onion base: In the same pan, add the butter and let it melt. Add the finely chopped small onion and sauté until translucent. Using the same pan allows you to capture the flavor left from searing the meat.
4. Thickening the sauce: Add the plain flour to the onion and mix well with the butter. Then add the tomato paste and mix everything thoroughly again to create a smooth base without dry lumps of flour.
5. Cooking the garlic sauce: Gradually pour milk and broth into the pan. Stir the mixture constantly as it cooks until it becomes smooth and thickened to your liking. Finally, season the sauce with 1 teaspoon of dried garlic, and if needed, add more salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Finishing the meat: Return the seared chicken strips, along with any juices, back to the sauce. Stir and simmer together for 5 minutes so the meat heats through and absorbs the flavor of the sauce.
7. Preparing the vegetables: In a pot, heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of oil and add 2 tablespoons of chopped onion. Sauté briefly, then add the chopped zucchini and yellow pepper. Fry the vegetables for 5 minutes.
8. Finishing the side dish: Add the cooked rice to the sautéed vegetables and mix everything thoroughly. Season the side dish with salt, black pepper, and dried garlic to taste. If you skip the zucchini, just prepare the rice with onion and yellow pepper.
9. Serving: Divide the finished chicken bites onto plates, pour over the creamy garlic sauce, and serve with the vegetable rice. Serve the dish warm so the sauce stays smooth and the meat juicy.
How to make a lump-free sauce
First, mix the flour thoroughly with the butter and onion, then gradually add the milk and broth. Add the liquids slowly and keep stirring the mixture. This way, you’ll get a smooth sauce that evenly coats the chicken bites.
How to adjust the side dish
Zucchini is optional in this recipe, so you can leave it out without any replacement. The rice will also taste great just with sautéed onion and yellow pepper. Adjust the amount of salt, pepper, and dried garlic to your own taste.
