Quick & Easy 30-Minute Gluten-Free Korean Chicken and Broccoli: A Family Favorite Allergy-Friendly Meal
Discover a fantastic, ground chicken dish bursting with a harmonious sweet and savory flavor, complemented by a hint of heat. This recipe is incredibly simple, featuring a sauce made from just six core ingredients, and it’s all ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a delicious, wholesome, and allergy-friendly meal on the table fast!
Finding a dinner recipe that’s both quick to prepare and caters to various dietary needs can feel like a culinary quest. Look no further! This Korean Chicken and Broccoli dish has been a consistent staple in our household for years, cherished for its simplicity, delightful taste, and adaptability. It all started when a dear friend introduced me to a beef version of this recipe. While it’s excellent with beef – and certainly an option if your diet allows – my son’s allergy meant we had to get creative. Swapping to ground chicken proved to be a brilliant move, maintaining all the deliciousness while making it safe and enjoyable for everyone.
One of the primary reasons this meal consistently wins over my kids is its irresistible sweet and savory sauce. The subtle sweetness perfectly balances the savory notes, making it incredibly appealing to younger palates. For me, the appeal lies in its efficiency: minimal work, short cooking time, and a handful of pantry staples. It’s a true weeknight warrior, requiring no special trips to the grocery store, as most of us likely have these basic ingredients on hand.
Beyond its convenience and flavor, I particularly appreciate that this recipe utilizes ground chicken, often derived from chicken thighs. I typically find chicken thighs a bit chewier than breast meat, which isn’t always my preference. However, they are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with more micronutrients and healthy fats compared to leaner chicken breasts. This makes them an excellent choice, especially for families like mine where gaining weight can be a challenge due to conditions like EOE (Eosinophilic Esophagitis) and restricted diets. This recipe offers a clever and delicious way to incorporate the benefits of chicken thighs into our meals without anyone even realizing they’re there!
Customize Your Korean Chicken: Heat, Protein, and Veggies
This recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing you to tailor it to your family’s preferences and dietary needs. If you’re cooking for adults or simply enjoy a bolder kick, feel free to increase the amount of Sriracha sauce. I confess, I’m a bit of a lightweight when it comes to extreme heat, so I usually keep it mild. But the beauty of this dish is that it’s entirely adjustable – make it as fiery or as subtle as you desire! Don’t be shy to experiment with a little extra for a truly adult-friendly version.
Another aspect I adore about this meal is its built-in vegetable component. Often, I find recipes suggest a main dish but leave me wondering what side to prepare. This Korean Chicken thoughtfully incorporates broccoli directly into the cooking process, ensuring you have a complete, well-rounded meal without extra effort. The sauce creates a generous amount, so I simply remove the cooked chicken and let the fresh broccoli simmer directly in that flavorful sauce until it’s bright green and tender-crisp. This infuses the broccoli with all the savory-sweet goodness, making even vegetable skeptics happy. Serve this vibrant chicken and broccoli mixture over a bed of fluffy brown rice – which I often prepare in a large batch at the start of the week for multiple dinners – and you’ve got an entire, satisfying meal with minimal fuss and maximum flavor, perfect for meal prepping.
My hope is that this Korean Chicken and Broccoli dish becomes your go-to solution on those hectic weekday evenings, just as it has for us. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavors, all while accommodating important dietary needs like gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free requirements, making it truly Top 8 allergen-friendly. Enjoy the ease and deliciousness!
Frequently Asked Questions About Allergy-Friendly Korean Chicken
Is soy sauce gluten-free?
Unfortunately, many conventional brands of soy sauce are not gluten-free because they incorporate wheat as a primary ingredient in their brewing process. For those seeking a certified gluten-free option, Tamari is an excellent choice and widely available. Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that typically contains little to no wheat, with many brands explicitly labeled as gluten-free. Alternatively, if you’re comfortable relying on label ingredients, brands like La Choy often state no wheat on their labels, making them another potential option for those avoiding gluten in their diet.
What can I use in place of soy sauce if I have a soy allergy?
For individuals with a soy allergy, finding a suitable substitute for soy sauce is crucial to enjoy Asian-inspired flavors safely. I’ve found that coconut aminos make a fantastic and flavorful replacement. Derived from the sap of coconut blossoms, coconut aminos offer a similar savory and slightly sweet profile to soy sauce, without any soy or gluten. They are perfect not only for this Korean Chicken recipe but also for any other Asian-inspired dish where soy sauce is typically used. They’re naturally gluten-free and soy-free, making them a safe and delicious alternative that many people find indistinguishable from traditional soy sauce in recipes.
Do I have to use chicken as the protein in this Korean Chicken recipe?
Not at all! This recipe is wonderfully flexible when it comes to protein, making it easy to adapt to your preferences or what you have available. While ground chicken is our preferred choice due to dietary needs and its excellent texture in this dish, any ground meat will work beautifully. Feel free to substitute with ground beef, ground turkey, or even ground pork. Each variation will offer a slightly different flavor profile and fat content, so you might adjust cooking times slightly as needed to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked. This versatility is one of the many reasons this recipe is a true family favorite!
Is there any other vegetable I can use in this Korean Chicken dinner?
Absolutely! While broccoli is a classic choice and one we love for its vibrant color and texture, this recipe is very forgiving with vegetables. It’s a great opportunity to use whatever you have on hand, making it perfect for “cleaning out the fridge” and reducing food waste. Traditional options like bok choy would be an authentic addition, or you could opt for a mixed vegetable medley that includes carrots, snap peas, or bell peppers. Other great choices include baby corn, spinach, or even chopped cabbage. If you prefer, you can also omit the vegetables entirely and serve the chicken with a separate side salad or steamed greens. Whatever suits your fancy and pantry!
Do you have any other gluten-free Asian dishes?
Yes, we are huge fans of Asian cuisine in our house! However, managing multiple allergies (nut, gluten, and egg) means I’ve had to develop many of my own recipes to ensure they are safe, delicious, and cater to these specific dietary needs. You’ll definitely love these other allergy-friendly, gluten-free Asian substitutes that bring all the flavor without the allergens:
- Gluten-Free Lo Mein (with a delicious meatless option!) – A flavorful noodle dish without common allergens.
- Gluten-Free Instant Pot Bacon Ramen Noodles – A quick and comforting ramen experience.
- Gluten & Dairy-Free Thai Coconut Soup – A creamy and aromatic soup perfect for any season.
- Gluten-Free Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry – A classic stir-fry that’s easy to customize.
- Gluten, Dairy & Egg-Free Asian Quinoa Meatballs – A unique and healthy twist on meatballs.
- Gluten-Free Ham Fried Rice – A hearty and satisfying one-pan meal.
- Gluten-Free Black Pepper Chicken – A bold and zesty chicken dish that’s incredibly flavorful.
If you’re looking to explore other culinary creations from fellow bloggers, I highly recommend checking out this delicious Miso Chicken recipe, which offers another fantastic Asian-inspired flavor profile.
Do you have a video showing how to make the Korean Chicken & Broccoli?
Yes, I certainly do! For a quick and engaging visual guide, I love using TikTok, as their videos are known for being short, sweet, and to the point. This brief overview should give you an excellent idea of the simple steps involved in preparing this 30-Minute Korean Chicken & Broccoli. Visual learners often find these quick clips incredibly helpful for understanding the cooking process and ensuring success. You can also find this helpful video saved to my Instagram Highlight Bubbles for easy access whenever you need a refresher. Happy cooking and enjoy making this delightful meal!
@allergyawesomeness30 Minute Gluten Free Korean Chicken. Quick & kid approved! ##greenscreen ##glutenfreerecipes ##learnontiktok ##tiktokpartner♬ original sound – Megan Lavin
30 Minute Korean Chicken and Broccoli (GF, DF, Egg, Soy, Peanut/Tree nut Free, Top 8 Free)
4 servings
5 minutes
25 minutes
30 minutes
A sweet heat, no fuss, easy weekday meal that’s done in 30 minutes and gluten free!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (if you are soy free, you can use coconut aminos)
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil (if you have a sesame allergy, it’s great without it, just sub in olive oil)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch green onions, diced for garnish
- 2 heads of broccoli, washed and cut
- Two cans of drained water chestnuts (optional)
- Brown or white rice, cooked
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken with garlic in the sesame oil (or olive oil if needed).
- Add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt, pepper, and sriracha. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors and chicken is cooked through.
- Take the chicken out, set aside and keep covered to stay warm.
- Put the broccoli in the pan with the remaining sauce and cook until bright green and softened.
- If using, add the drained water chestnuts and chicken mixture back into the sauce with the broccoli. Stir to combine everything.
- Serve the chicken and broccoli mixture over steamed rice and top with green onions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 480Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 1155mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 8gSugar: 26gProtein: 34g
Adapted from: Six Sister’s Stuff