Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry

Do you want to make a yummy chicken stir fry in less than 15 mins? Here is a simple and easy-to-follow recipe that's made in one pan and requires only a handful of ingredients. This chicken broccoli stir fry recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.

Table of Content

• Why make this stir fry
• Ingredients and substitute
• How to make Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
• The key to cooking stir fry
• More stir fry recipes
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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How often do you get kids that love broccoli? Well, in this recipe once the broccoli gets coated in that sweet chilly sauce, this broccoli is delicious. We love easy stir fry recipes in our home so they get done very often.

Why make this stir fry

• Stir fry does not get any easier than this. This one uses skinless chicken thighs with broccoli and a few pantry sauces especially a sweet chilly sauce.
• It gets done in 15 minutes and is better than any Chinese takeaway you can order. Trust me.
• Most of the ingredients are easy to find or already in your pantry. Today, I am using broccoli but you can use other veggies in stir fry too.
• This is a meal on its own, chicken for protein and of course veggies. And gluten-free too.
• But, you can serve this over a bowl of boiled noodles, white or brown rice as well as over cauliflower rice or quinoa.

Ingredients and substitute

• Chicken - Today, I am using boneless chicken thighs but boneless chicken breast works great too.  
• Broccoli - A great veggie to stir-fry because it cooks quickly and still looks bright and vibrant.  And don't throw away the stems. Rather, chop them up smaller and add them to the pan first. This will cook them and still keep them crunchy.
• Onions - Sliced thickly, these add a nice bite to the dish. And if you don't like onions, you can also slice them up thin, which adds flavor to the sauce as well. 
• Garlic and ginger - when it comes to stir fry you want to use fresh garlic and ginger. I have used 4 large cloves of garlic two for the broccoli and also for the stir fry. And, yet, it is not too much. Ginger adds a wonderful refreshing and warm flavor to the stir fry.
• Sauces - today, I am using low sodium soy sauce both light and dark but you can also use tamari. I love the flavor of rice vinegar but you also use white vinegar or dry sherry.
• Brown sugar- for sweetness but Japanese mirin works just as well.
• Corn starch - Helps thicken the sauce and give us that thick rather than watery sauce. It also helps bind everything together. I used water to make the cornstarch slurry but you can also use chicken broth or chicken stock.
• Herbs - I love cilantro. And yet, parsley is most commonly used in stir-frys. 
• Cashew nuts - These add a nice bite to the dish. While you can use any nuts you like, cashews are most commonly used in Asian cooking. 

How to make Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

• Prep the chicken - Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken. Cut into bite-size cubes or long strips.
  Pro tip - Cut the chicken into small pieces so they cook quickly and can be eaten without having to be cut.

• Vegetables - Heat the wok or large skillet on medium high heat. Add one tablespoon oil and sliced garlic followed by chopped broccoli florets. Saute for 2 minutes adding a few tablespoons of water. Cook until the broccoli is almost tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  Pro tip - adding a few tablespoons of water will help the broccoli cook evenly without getting burnt on the bottom. Broccoli florets take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook.
• Chicken - To the same wok or skillet add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions. Followed by the chicken. Stir fry the chicken until no longer pink and almost cooked.
  Pro tip - The chicken breast will take about 6 minutes while chicken thighs will take 8 minutes to cook.

• Sauces - Next, add all the sauces - light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ketchup, chilly sauce, and brown sugar, Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine the corn starch and water to make a slurry, then, add it to the stir fry.
  Pro tip - Use less salt in the beginning as some of these sauces contain salt. In the end, taste and adjust as necessary. Use a whisk to ensure the cornstarch is well combined.
• Assemble - Return the broccoli back to the pan and toss everything well to combine.
  Pro tip - By now, the chicken, as well as broccoli, should have been cooked so do not overcook, otherwise, the broccoli will lose its color and crispness.
• Taste and adjust for seasoning. Finally, add the parsley or cilantro and scallions
• Serve immediately over boiled noodles, steamed rice, or on its own.

The key to cooking stir fry

• A stir-fry if done correctly is an absolute treat. So take care of the little things.
• The meat has to be well cooked, yet smoky not steam. The best way to do that is to pat dry the meat thoroughly so it does not stew in its own juices.
• The veggies have to be cooked al-Dante meaning cooked but with a bite not soft and not mushy.
• The right pan for a stir-fry is a wok. If you don't have a wok use, a light sauté pan or cast iron large skillet that you can handle medium high heat. Never use non-stick pots or heavy bottom pans. Non-stick will get ruined, and the heavy bottom pan will create steam and stew the meat.
• Mise en plas or prepare before you stir-fry. A stir-fry is a quick dish, which means you have to get all the things ready before you turn that heat on. Cut the ingredients you need, prepare the sauce, have the garnish chopped. Keep that serving platter on hand so you can take it off the heat quickly.
• Quick-cooking - Most stir-fry dishes take not more than 7 to 10 minutes on the heat. The idea of stir-fry is to cook quickly on high heat so keep that flame on high or medium-high. Use a splash of water when necessary to bring down the temperature of the heat in the pan. Never leave the wok unattended.

More stir fry recipes

• One Pan chicken stir fry with veggies
• Healthy and Crispy General Tso's Chicken
• Quick Ginger Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
• Honey Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
• Quick Ginger Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
• Chicken and Broccoli Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry
• Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry
• See all stir fry recipes or see all chicken recipes

Frequently asked questions

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