A quick and easy Chinese dish, this Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is our go-to for busy weeknights when we need to get dinner on the table under 30 minutes. Tender chicken and crunchy broccoli is tossed in a homemade savory sweet sauce using simple pantry-friendly ingredients.
This broccoli chicken recipe can be made using a non-stick skillet or wok. I’ll show you just how easy it is to make this easy dinner recipe with appliances and cookware you already probably have in your home!
Chicken and broccoli stir fry
This broccoli chicken recipe is a copycat of the chicken and broccoli stir fry we find regularly at Chinese restaurants and takeout places, except that it is much tastier, with truly complex and delicious flavors, and also healthier and more budget-friendly!
I grew up eating broccoli chicken, and this is the recipe I’ve been using for a few decades. Not only do I love the nostalgia and familiarity of chicken and broccoli stir fry, it’s also incredibly delicious and a simple homemade meal for a quick dinner.
Both chicken (and broccoli) are smothered in our homemade brown savory sauce with hints of sweetness and umami flavors from ingredients unique to Chinese cooking.
Chicken comes out tender and flavorful, and broccoli maintains that delicious crunch. There’s nothing worse than tough, bland chicken and soggy veggies!
Serve broccoli chicken over rice and let it sock up all that yummy sauce. This is a kid-friendly dish that your whole family will love.
If you love chicken and broccoli stir fry, you will also love more of our fabulous, easy Chinese stir fry recipes such as Kung Pao Chicken, Cashew Chicken and Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry. These are, in my humble opinion, the best of the best. 🙂
Ingredients
Without further delay, here are all the ingredients you will need to make chicken and broccoli stir fry:
- Chicken breast – slice it into thin strips before cooking. Slicing it into thin strips will ensure they will be cooked quickly and thoroughly under high heat.
- Broccoli – Slice through the head of the broccoli to create small, uniform broccoli florets, and then slice off the stems if needed. Avoid frozen or canned broccoli as it’ll lose its crunchy texture.
- Fresh garlic – avoid substituting with garlic powder – it just doesn’t taste the same!
- Fresh ginger – avoid substituting with ginger powder as well.
- Soy sauce – the most commonly used sauce for Asian or Chinese inspired stir fry, it brings umami flavors and saltiness to the dish.
- Oyster sauce – adds umami flavors as well, widely available in mainstream grocery stores at the Asian aisle.
- Dark soy sauce – not only does this add a nice dark color, it also adds a touch of depth in flavor. If you really can’t find it, feel free to omit this ingredient.
- Sesame oil – brings a distinct nutty umami flavor that is unique to Asian dishes
- Granulated sugar – adding a touch of sweetness in this savory dish – it’s not to make it super sweet, but to balance out the other flavors of the other sauces. Brown sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar if needed.
- Rice wine – sometimes known as ‘cooking wine’, available in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. More authentic Chinese stir fry dishes will use Shaoxing rice wine, but any rice wine work fine.
- Corn starch – a thickening agent and is used to thicken the sauce for our chicken and broccoli. Easily available in all regular grocery stores.
Cookware needed: Wok or Skillet
Use a wok or a large skillet to stir fry the chicken and broccoli. Either works!
A wok is designed to produce really high heat and cooks the chicken and broccoli quickly, and give high maneuverability when stir frying the ingredients properly.
If you don’t have a wok, you can totally still make chicken and broccoli stir fry – you really just skillet that is 1) large enough (preferably 12″ or more in diameter) to fit all the ingredients in and move them around, and 2) heats up well.
However, that being said, a wok does produce a more authentic flavor in chicken broccoli due to the high heat it cooks the food in. So if you have it, totally use it!
When using a skillet instead of a wok, keep this simple tip in mind: preheat the skillet well – get it nice and hot by heating it over high heat before adding ingredients to the skillet.
How to make Chicken and Broccoli
Step 1: Prepare Ingredients
Prepping and lining up the ingredients ahead of time is crucial, especially when cooking a quick and high heat dish like chicken and broccoli.
Cut up the chicken into slices, simply slice up the broccoli into small broccoli florets, and finely mince ginger and garlic.
For the sauce, combine sauce ingredients: soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, granulated sugar, rice wine, corn starch, and water into a small mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli
Once you’ve prepped your ingredients, heat wok or large skillet. You can heat the wok/skillet on medium high or high heat until completely heated. Once you place your palm 2-3 inches above the wok/skillet, you should be able to feel the heat radiating from it.
Add cooking oil to the wok/skillet, let the oil heat up for a few seconds, then add broccoli florets. Cook for a couple of minutes or until broccoli florets are slightly tender but is still slightly crunchy. We want to keep the texture to it and avoid making broccoli soggy.
Remove broccoli from wok/skillet and set aside. We will be adding the broccoli back to the wok/skillet later to finish cooking.
Add more cooking oil to the wok/skillet if needed, then add garlic and ginger, then the chicken.
Cook until chicken is no longer pink (but not completely cooked – we want to avoid overcooking the chicken).
Once done, add the broccoli back, then add the sauce, stir, then bring to a boil.
By bringing it to a boil, cornstarch will be activate, which will thicken the sauce nicely, turning it into a sticky, glossy sauce for our chicken and broccoli stir fry.
Step 3: Serve!
Fill plate with fluffy white or brown rice, then top it off with this delicious chicken and broccoli stir fry!
If you want to dress the dish up a bit, spread a pinch of sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions over the dish to get it that air of elegance before serving.
However, if you are like me and usually just want to get food on the table ASAP, there’s really no need to get fancy!
This easy Chinese chicken broccoli sauce is savory and slightly sweet with nice umami flavors. The sauce clings onto the chicken and broccoli, giving it so much richness of flavor and dimension.
The broccoli maintains a slight crunch because it was cooked quickly and under such a high heat, while chicken is flavorful and tender.
Chicken and broccoli stir fry is easy, quick, healthy and so very tasty!
This is truly a win all-around, and no wonder it is so popular at Chinese takeout restaurants!
Tips and Tricks
Short and sweet tips and tricks for making the best Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry!
- Make sure ingredients are dry: pat dry chicken especially if it was frozen prior and also make sure broccoli is dry to get a good sear.
- Line up ingredients: the stir fry process goes fast, so be sure to chop up all the ingredients and have them at arms reach before you begin stir frying.
- Thin sliced chicken: slice chicken into small strips no more than 1/4 inch thickness. This will ensure that chicken will cook quickly and is tender.
- High heat: always preheat wok/skillet. Make sure wok/skillet is heated on medium high heat or high heat (electric stove that ranges 1-10, I cook on a 8 or 9) before stirring frying ingredients.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook in batches if needed so ingredients brown properly. If your skillet is small, cook in two batches.
- Keep ingredients moving: Toss or stir frequently to prevent burning while still allowing slight caramelization.
- Cook broccoli and chicken separately: adding ingredients at different time intervals and removing ingredients and adding them back in is necessary to avoid overcooking them. Dry, overcooked chicken and soggy broccoli are not tasty!
Storage/Make Ahead
To store leftovers, simply refrigerate chicken and broccoli in an air tight container for up to 5 days. To heat, microwave until it is warm.
This dish reheats pretty well and can be made ahead and enjoy days later. Perfect for meal prep!
I would avoid freezing this dish as it will change the texture of the broccoli.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using other vegetables instead of broccoli, or in addition to broccoli, is a great way to recreate your chicken stir fry recipe every week! I have used bell peppers, onions, carrots, celery, long beans, green beans, snow peas, snap peas…okay, I will stop, but really you can use ANY veggies. 🙂 Just cut them in similar sizes so they cook evenly.
I highly recommend using fresh broccoli because frozen broccoli will be less crunchy and more soggy due to the moisture.
Dry sherry can be used, also Shaoxing wine if you can find it to make stir fry as authentic as possible.
Absolutely. Chicken thighs are flavorful and stay extra tender in stir fry recipes. They’re a great substitute for chicken breasts.
There is really no need to add this additional step because broccoli cooked on high heat should fully cook it really well. In fact, searing will give you a crunchy texture than blanching, which is ideal for this dish.
Here are a few tricks to make sure chicken stays juicy: 1) cook it on high heat and only add chicken to the skillet when it is hot, 2) Toss chicken in cornstarch before adding to the skillet to help tenderize it further, 3) make sure to remove chicken promptly once it is cooked (when internal temperature reaches 165ºF) to avoid overcooking.
Use high heat, avoid overcrowding the pan, and pat ingredients dry before cooking. Cooking in batches also helps vegetables and chicken sear properly instead of steaming.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Stir Fry Recipes
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Kung Pao Shrimp
- Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Green Bean and Pork Stir Fry
- Beef Chow Mein
- Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
- Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce optional
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 lb chicken breast thinly sliced
- 4-5 cups broccoli florets
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp ginger minced
- cooking oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients: soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, granulated sugar, rice wine, corn starch, and water. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high/ high heat. Allow the wok or skillet to reach high heat.
- While the wok or skillet is heating up, line up all of your ingredients.
- Once wok or skillet is very hot, drizzle with oil and add broccoli. Cook until it is slightly crunchy. Remove from wok; set aside.
- Add garlic and ginger to the wok. Then add the chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink-ish and almost fully cooked.
- Return the broccoli to the wok. Pour sauce into wok. Stir to coat everything. Let cook about a minute so the sauce will thicken.
- Serve and enjoy!
Excellent. Spent a few years in the far east (Hong Kong) my favorite and this rates so close to how it tastes brings back lot of memories
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that!