Broccoli and Chicken Stir-Fry with Noodles

Broccoli and Chicken Stir-Fry with Noodles

This broccoli chicken stir-fry with noodles is better than a takeaway and gets done in as quick as 15 minutes. Made with lean chicken breast, lots of nutritious broccoli, fragrant ginger, garlic, and a few Asian sauces. This is a simple, quick and healthy meal. In addition, use frozen veggies and your prep time is down to almost nothing. Isn’t this better than a takeaway meal? 

How often do you get kids that love broccoli?   Well, my kids love broccoli. And no I don’t have to drown it in cheese to get them to eat it. So, of course, I take advantage of it and try to add it as much as I can. I also make broccoli with garlic and soy that the kids enjoy very much. They call them little trees. “Mama see I’m going to eat this giant tree!!!”

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. (yes I work from home but still work).
• 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.

What to serve with this stir-fry?

I served mine with noodles today, and yet this goes equally well with steamed rice. Noodles take 3 to 5 minutes to boil and steamed rice again takes 15 minutes. So, if you plan to serve it with rice, just make sure you place rice on the heat first. That way meal time will still be 15 minutes. (I hate having to wait for the rice to get ready).

Alternatively, you can also go for a gluten-free option and serve this with zucchini noodles as I shared with you in my Chicken and Broccoli Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry. That is often my preferred option these days because I’m trying to cut down on flour for myself.  

Let’s talk ingredients and substitute (Save/Pin) 

• Chicken – The 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 flavors boosters. 
• Herbs – I love cilantro. And yet, Chinese 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, and yet cashews are most commonly used in Asian cooking. 

Useful Tips and Tools

• A stir-fry is best made in an Asian cooking pot called a Wok. These are made with a special material that works best for high-heat cooking. 
• Always use a Spatula with a long handle to protect your self from the high heat. Also, make sure you use one that is capable of handling high heat.
• And you will also need a few Bowl to make sure you have everything ready for a quick stir-fry.
• A chopping board and kitchen knife to chop all the veggies and have them ready on hand.

The three golden rules of 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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)

Recipe –  Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry (Save/Pin)

Ingredients

For the Stir-Fry

• 450 grams chicken breast (about 2 breasts) cut into thin strips
• 2 cups broccoli flowerets – separated, and stems chopped thinly
• 1 med onion sliced and layers separated
• 1/2 inch ginger – thinly sliced
• 1 med garlic – thinly sliced
• 2 green onions/scallions (chopped) 
• 1/4 cup cilantro or Chinese parsley – roughly chopped
• 12 cashew nuts 
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt (or less if using regular soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the Marinade

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce ( I use low sodium)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil 
• 1 tsp pepper 
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper (or less) 

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce or Oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine or sherry
• 1 tbsp each – cornflour/cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water

To serve

• 6 cups – boiled noodles 
• 6 cups – cooked white rice 

Method

Marinate Chicken

• Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the chicken breasts.
• Cut chicken in thin slices.
• Add the sliced chicken pieces and give it a good mix so each piece is well coated in the marinade.
• Leave this for at least 10 minutes while you prepare everything else. You can also marinate for an hour or more in the fridge.

Cut Veggies 

• Wash and chop Broccoli. Drain any excess water. Keep any extra stems separate so you can use them.
• Cut the onion into thick slices and then separate the layers. 
• Chop the ginger and garlic into thin slices. 
• Dice the scallions/green onions – add the white and light green parts to the onions and put the green leaves to the cilantro and parsley. 
• Roughly chop the cilantro or parsley.

Prepare the Sauce

• Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl – and set aside.
• The cornflour will sink to the bottom so it needs to be mixed up just before using.

Saute 

• This is to give the cashews a toasted look and to give the chicken a crisp coating and color. 
• Add 1/2 tbsp oil in a wok – stir fry the cashew nuts until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan on a paper towel.
• To the same pan add another tbsp oil and stir-fry the chicken on high. The cornflour in the marinade will give it a crispy coating.
• Cook for about three minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm while you cook the rest.

Stir-Fry 

• Stir fry is a quick process so have all your ingredients ready to go. 
• Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil to the wok. 
• Add the ginger and garlic, followed by the onion and broccoli stems.
• Saute for about two minutes on med-high.
• Add the broccoli and 2 tbsp water (water creates steam and help cook the broccoli).
• Cook on medium-high until broccoli is tender.
• Add chicken and cashew nuts back to the pan.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the prepared sauce –  and coat everything in the sauce.
• Lastly, add in the cilantro or parsley.
• Check and adjust seasoning. (if needed – add salt – depending on the brand of soya sauce used, you may or may not need any additional salt.)

6 Tips for Perfect Stir-fry

• 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.

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Frequently asked questions?

What else can I add to this chicken 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 broccoli chicken stir-fry, you can use less ginger or omit. Add other veggies along with broccoli, try beans, carrots, etc. You can add lemongrass, Chinese parsley, or dill just as well.

Can I add vegetables to this stir-fry?

Absolutely! Try adding some carrots, green beans, or peppers as I have done in my recipes for Chicken and green bread stir-fry, ginger chicken stir-fry. I love adding colorful bell peppers when they are in season. Beef and pepper stir-fry is a classic combination but chicken and peppers work just as well.

Can I use other meat instead of chicken?

Yes, Beef is very popular in stir-fry recipes. You can even try thinly sliced pork, chopped sausages. Fish and seafood is always a great addition on its own or alongside the meat in a stir-fry. Asian cooking uses pork and seafood in stir-fry dishes very successfully.

Can I olive oil for stir-fry chicken?

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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Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry with Noodles

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Calories: 428kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 4 Servings

Description

Nothing beats a quick homemade stir-fry. This chicken and broccoli stir-fry with noodles is seriously better than take away and gets done in as quick as 15 minutes. Made with lean chicken breast, lots of nutritious broccoli, fragrant ginger, garlic, and a few Asian ready sauces. This is a simple, quick and healthy meal. Use frozen veggies and your prep time is down to almost nothing. Isn’t this better than take away? 

Ingredients

For the Stir-Fry

• 450 grams Chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
• 2 cups Broccoli flowerets – separated stems chopped thinly
• 1 med Onion sliced and layers separated
• 1/2 inch Ginger – thinly sliced
• 1 med Garlic – thinly sliced
• 2 Green onions/scallions chopped
• 1/4 cup Cilantro or Parsley
• 12 Cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp Canola oil
• 1/4 ts Salt or less if using regular soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Pepper

For the Marinade

• 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce I use low sodium
• 1/2 tsp Sesame oil
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tbsp Cornflour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper or less

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce or Oyster Sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine or sherry
• 1 tbsp Cornflour/cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Water

To serve

• 6 cups Boiled Noodles OR
• 6 cups Cooked white rice

Metric – US customary

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE – 4 Servings

Conversions – Switch between Metric & US for other measurement options

Instructions

Marinate Chicken

• Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the chicken breasts.
• Cut chicken in thin slices
• Add the sliced chicken pieces and give it a good mix so each piece is well coated in the marinade.
• Leave this for at least 10 minutes while you prepare everything else. You can marinate for an hour or more in the fridge too.

Cut Veggies

• Wash and chop Broccoli. Drain any excess water. Keep any extra stems separate you can use them
• Cut the onion into thick slices then separate the layers.
• Chop the ginger and garlic into thin slices.
• Dice the scallions/green onions – add the white and light green parts to the onions and put the green leaves to the cilantro and parsley.
• Roughly chop the cilantro or parsley

Prepare the Sauce

• Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl – set aside
• The cornflour will sink to the bottom so it needs to be mixed up just before using

Saute

• This is to give the cashews a toasted look and to give the chicken a crisp coating and color.
• Add 1/2 tbsp oil in a wok – stir fry the cashew nuts until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan on a paper towel.
• To the same pan add another tbsp oil – stir-fry the chicken on high. The corn flour in the marinade will give it a crispy coating.
• Cook for about three minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm while you cook the rest.

Stir-Fry

• Stir fry is a quick process so have all your ingredients ready to go.
• Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil to the wok.
• Add the ginger and garlic, followed by the onion and broccoli stems.
• Saute for about two minutes on med-high
• Add the broccoli and 2 tbsp water  (water creates steam and help cook the broccoli)
• Cook on medium-high until broccoli is tender
• Add chicken and cashew nuts back to the pan.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Stir in the prepared sauce –  coat everything in the sauce.
• Lastly, add in the cilantro or parsley.
• Check and adjust seasoning. (if needed – add salt – depending on the brand of soya sauce used; you may or may not; need any additional salt.

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 208g | Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.5g | Protein: 43.7g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1024mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 2.2g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

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

Keywords – Asian, broccoli, chicken, Stir-fry

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