This chicken broccoli stir-fry with noodles is better than a takeaway and gets done in as quick as 15 minutes. Made with chicken breast, broccoli, ginger, garlic, and a few other pantry staples.
Table of Content
How often do you get kids that love broccoli? Well, my kids love broccoli. Lucky, right? This one is a family favorite along with our chicken and beans stir fry and beef stir fry.
There are so many reasons to love stir fry dishes.
- The absolute best thing for working mom like me that have no time to cook.
- Also, you can use frozen veggies so your prep time is almost zero.
- And, veggies stay crisp and retain all their nutrition.
- In addition, noodles take only 4 minutes to cook.
- Chicken is a much healthy meat option and cooks faster.
- Stir-fry is high-heat cooking and cooks so fast meaning dinner in less than 15 minutes is a possibility.
- And, Asian cooking is usually dependent on prepared store brought sauces, which have a long (really long) shelf life. Therefore, you can use them for a long time for such easy quick dishes.
About this stir fry
A stir-fry if done correctly is an absolute treat. The meat has to be well cooked, yet smoky not steam. The veggies have to be cooked al-Dante meaning cooked but with a bite not soft and not mushy. Getting it right means following these three golden rules.
- The right pan for a stir-fry is a wok. If you don't have a wok use, a light sauté pan that you can heat on medium to high. Never use non-stick pots or heavy bottom pans. Non-stick will get ruined, and the heavy bottom pan will create steam.
- 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 (yup, don't answer that phone)
Ingredients and substitute
- Chicken - Breast meat works best for stir fry because it cooks quickly and absorbs the sauce well.
- 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 - Ain't no stir-fry without these two flavor boosters and they are best used fresh.
- 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.
Step by step instructions
- Prep the chicken - Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken. Cut into bite-size cubes.
Tip - since I am using broccoli today I cut the chicken into one-inch cubes. But, you can also cut them into strips - Marinade - In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
Tip - It is best to use low sodium soy sauce which is less salty. But, if you use regular make sure to add less salt in the recipe. - Marinate the chicken - Add the marinade to the chicken. Stir well and set aside.
Tip - you can leave the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. - Broccoli - Wash and separate broccoli into florets. Slice the stems into small pieces and keep them aside.
Tip - broccoli stems are tougher and take longer to cook so keep them on the side. We will add them to the pan earlier. - Veggies - Slice the onions and separate the slices. Thinly slice the garlic and ginger. Roughly chop the parsley and scallions - set aside
- Sauce - Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Tip - cornstarch will settle to the bottom so make sure to stir it again before adding it to the pan - Boil noodles as per package directions and set aside.
Stir-fry
- Cashew nuts - add ½ tbsp oil in a wok or saute pan. Stir fry the cashew nuts until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan on a paper towel.
- Chicken - To the same wok or wide saute pan add another tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for a minute then flip to the other side and cook another minute. Toss with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from the pan and keep warm
Tip - avoid tossing for the first two minutes this will give the chicken some color from the initial cooking. - To the same wok or saute pan, add the remaining oil. Stir fry the onion, broccoli stems, and slices of ginger and garlic on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the broccoli and 2 tbsp water. Cook on medium-high until broccoli is tender
Tip - water creates steam and helps cook the broccoli quickly. - Once the broccoli is almost tender return the chicken and cashews back to the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper. Then add the sauce and combine well.
Tip - by this time both the chicken and broccoli should be cooked. The sauce will coat everything well and any juices in the pan will get thicken with the cornstarch. If necessary you can add a few tablespoons of water to help bring everything together. - Taste and adjust for seasoning. Finally, add the parsley and scallions
- Serve hot over boiled noodles.
Frequently asked questions
What else can I add to this stir-fry?
The best thing about stir-fry dishes is that they are so versatile and leave you so much freedom to add or subtract. In this chicken stir-fry, try using other veggies like carrots, beans, or peppers. You can also add lemongrass, Chinese parsley, or dill
Can I use other meats instead of chicken?
Yes, beef is very popular in stir-fry recipes. Thin strips of flank steak or skirt steak work best for quick cooking stir fry.
You can even use thinly sliced pork.
Can I use olive oil for stir-fry?
It is recommended to use soybean oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil. All of these have a high smoking point. Any oil that works well for deep frying is preferable for stir-fry because a stir-fry is cooked on high heat. Olive oil, in contrast, is best used raw on salad and when cooking with a light saute method.
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Printable Recipe
Chicken Stir-Fry
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 428kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 4 Servings
Description
This chicken broccoli stir-fry with noodles is better than a takeaway and gets done in as quick as 15 minutes. Made with chicken breast, broccoli, ginger, garlic, and a few other pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
- 1 lb (450 g) Broccoli
- 1 med Onion sliced and layers separated
- ½ inch Ginger thinly sliced
- 1 med Garlic thinly sliced
- 2 Scallions Green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup Parsley (or cilantro)
- 12 Cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp Canola oil
- ¼ tsp Salt or less if using regular soy sauce
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Marinade
- 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce I use low sodium
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Sesame oil
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Cornflour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper or less
Sauce
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce or Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Rice wine or sherry
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- ¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Water
Serve
- 1 lb (450 g) Boiled Noodles OR
- 2 cups (370 g) Rice
Instructions
- Prep the chicken - Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken. Cut into bite-size cubes.Tip - since I am using broccoli today I cut the chicken into one-inch cubes. But, you can also cut them into strips
- Marinade - In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Tip - It is best to use low sodium soy sauce which is less salty. But, if you use regular make sure to add less salt in the recipe.
- Marinate the chicken - Add the marinade to the chicken. Stir well and set aside. Tip - you can leave the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- Broccoli - Wash and separate broccoli into florets. Slice the stems into small pieces and keep them aside. Tip - broccoli stems are tougher and take longer to cook so keep them on the side. We will add them to the pan earlier.
- Veggies - Slice the onions and separate the slices. Thinly slice the garlic and ginger. Roughly chop the parsley and scallions - set aside
- Sauce - Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Tip - cornstarch will settle to the bottom so make sure to stir it again before adding it to the pan
- Boil noodles as per package directions and set aside.
Stir-fry
- Cashew nuts - add ½ tbsp oil in a wok or saute pan. Stir fry the cashew nuts until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan on a paper towel.
- Chicken - To the same wok or wide saute pan add another tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for a minute then flip to the other side and cook another minute. Toss with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from the pan and keep warmTip - avoid tossing for the first two minutes this will give the chicken some color from the initial cooking.
- To the same wok or saute pan, add the remaining oil. Stir fry the onion, broccoli stems, and slices of ginger and garlic on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the broccoli and 2 tbsp water. Cook on medium-high until broccoli is tenderTip - water creates steam and helps cook the broccoli quickly.
- Once the broccoli is almost tender return the chicken and cashews back to the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper. Then add the sauce and combine well. Tip - by this time both the chicken and broccoli should be cooked. The sauce will coat everything well and any juices in the pan will get thicken with the cornstarch. If necessary you can add a few tablespoons of water to help bring everything together.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning. Finally, add the parsley and scallions
- Serve hot over boiled noodles.
Recipe Notes
- Stir-fry is quick cooking so always have all your ingredients ready before you start.
- High heat is always recommended for stir-fry. And yet, some veggies like broccoli, carrots, and beans benefit better from medium-high with a slash of water. While mushrooms and leaves benefit from high heat to quickly evaporate the released moisture.
- Also, when adding any liquid turn the heat up and stir at the same time so everything is coated in the starch before the water evaporates.
- Take the pan off the heat when done to prevent overcooking.
- Sometimes it’s best to transfer the stir-fry to a serving platter to prevent veggies going mushy.
- Lastly, use salt sparingly because – sauces used in stir-frys have salt added to them as a preservative
Nutrition Information
Serving: 208- gCalories: 428- kcalCarbohydrates: 11.5- gProtein: 43.7- gFat: 22.7- gSaturated Fat: 3.4- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19.3- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0- gCholesterol: 122- mgSodium: 1024- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 1.7- gSugar: 2.2- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Mark Baranowski
Tried this recipe yesterday. LOVED it Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Mark. SO happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Lisa Bradfute
I love broccoli and chicken and this looks super easy to make in such a short time. Love simple one pot meals like this. Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Lisa. Super simple easy and quick
Molly Kumar
That sounds so delicious and we absolutely love stir fry's! The sauce looks so nice and chicken+broccoli makes such an amazing combination. I would totally eat that entire plate 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Molly. I'm a big fan of stir frys too!
Donna
My kids love broccoli as well, and also call them little trees 🙂 This stir fry sounds just lovely! Love how quick and easy it is for a weeknight meal
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Donna.. Yeah works great for my busy days