Chicken cutlets and baby bok choy make a super fast and easy weeknight meal. 30 minutes, start to finish. Cooks all in one pan, so minimal clean up.
Looking for a quick and easy midweek dinner? Here’s one of my favorites—chicken cutlets with baby bok choy.
It takes only 30 minutes to make, and only uses one skillet. Put a pot of rice on the stove to start, and by the time the rice is ready, so too will be the chicken.
Start by searing the bok choy on high heat. Then cook the thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets in the same skillet.
Finish off with a quick pan sauce made with the browned bits (tons of flavor!) that cling to the bottom of the pan and some chicken broth and soy sauce. Deglazing the pan this way makes it easier to clean too.
Added bonus? The recipe takes hardly any prep time. The only knife work you’ll do is slicing the heads of baby bok choy in half and chopping a couple cloves of garlic.
By the way, kitchen tongs are my favorite tool when searing things in a hot pan. They help keep your hands away from hot oil, which tends to sputter a bit when you’re cooking at high temperatures. Oven mitts can also help if the pan is especially sputtery.
Serve the chicken and bok choy with steamed rice on the side for a complete meal.
Skillet Chicken with Baby Bok Choy Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
This recipe goes well with a side of steamed rice. Put a pot of rice on the stove before you begin cooking the chicken and bok choy, and the rice should be ready around the same time as the chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, if gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 pound chicken breast cutlets or fillets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound (6 to 8 small heads) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
Method
1 Prepare the sauce and the chicken fillets: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, and corn starch. Season the chicken fillets lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
2 Sear the bok choy: Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer and you see a wisp of smoke rise from the skillet, use a pair of kitchen tongs to add the bok choy to the skillet in a single layer, sliced side down. It’s fine to crowd the pan for this recipe. Be careful as you add the bok choy since the oil will sputter a bit; wear oven mitts if needed.
Sear the bok choy until it has some color on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then turn over and sear on the other side for another 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked bok choy to a serving plate.
3 Sear the chicken: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken fillets to the pan. Sear the fillets for 4 minutes a side, until just cooked through and well browned. Transfer the cooked fillets to the serving plate on top of the bok choy.
4 Make the sauce: Add the garlic to the skillet and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Give the broth/soy sauce mixture a final stir to mix in any cornstarch that has settled to the bottom of the bowl, then pour the mixture into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer the sauce until thickened.
5 To serve: Pour the sauce over chicken and bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with steamed rice.
