Pan-Seared Chicken with Bitter Melon and Garlic Sauce
A savory dish featuring tender chicken breasts paired with stir-fried bitter melon in a fragrant garlic sauce that balances bitterness with umami. This Asian-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs chicken breasts, bitter melon, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces (6 oz each) chicken breasts
- 1 medium (about 150 g), sliced thinly bitter melon
- 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 2 chicken breasts (6 oz each), season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, then remove and keep warm.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 4 minced garlic cloves, sauté over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 3: Add 1 medium sliced bitter melon (about 150 g) and stir-fry for 3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Step 4: Pour in 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1/4 cup water, cook for 2 more minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the bitter melon.
- Step 5: Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil over the bitter melon and stir to combine. Serve the bitter melon alongside the chicken breasts.








