Whenever I’m craving my favorite Chinese chicken and broccoli dish, I skip the takeout order and make my own recipe at home instead! This chicken broccoli stir fry is so easy to make in 30 minutes, it tastes super fresh, and I’ve managed to create the best stir fry sauce after lots of testing. Served with white rice, this stir fry is the perfect meal for lazy nights at home.
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I absolutely love homemade stir fry recipes because they’re just so simple and they always taste great! I used to order a lot of takeout before I learned how to cook, but now it feels just as easy to make my own stir fry with chicken and broccoli instead of waiting for delivery. Plus, it tastes so much better with fresh ingredients!
Ingredients for Chicken and Broccoli
- Chicken: Skinless, boneless chicken breast works best, but chicken thighs work too.
- Broccoli: Cut fresh heads of broccoli into florets, or buy pre-cut broccoli for convenience.
- Cornstarch: This helps add a crisp coating to the chicken.
- Scallions: Slice up a few scallions (aka green onions), and separate the green and white parts (we’ll be using them at different times).
- Cooking Oil: You’ll need a high-smoke point cooking oil for this stir fry. Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil are all good options.
- Chicken Broth: This creates a liquid base for the stir fry sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Low-sodium options help cut down on saltiness.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a little bit of sweetness to the sauce.
- Sesame Oil: This adds a slightly nutty flavor.
- Sherry Vinegar: This creates a deeper, richer flavor for the sauce. If you don’t have this, substitute rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Garlic: Mince a couple of cloves of garlic to add a savoriness to the sauce.
- Ginger: Minced ginger adds a slight kick.
Tips for Success
- Stir frys cooks fast, so chop up your broccoli and chicken, and get all of your ingredients measured out and ready to use before you start!
- You can use frozen broccoli, just thaw it first or else it will require extra cooking time.
- Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken works fine in this recipe. Just make sure you cook it long enough to warm it all the way through (it should be about the same amount of time).
How to Store and Reheat
Store this chicken broccoli stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat quickly in the microwave, or on the stove top over medium heat.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this broccoli and chicken stir fry on a bed of white rice–I use my Instant Pot basmati rice when I really want convenience. But it’s also delicious served with veggie fried rice, vegetable lo mein, or egg noodles. And to get a real takeout at home feel, I always make some egg rolls or crab rangoon to serve with it.
Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Stir Fry Sauce:
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- pinch red chili flakes optional
- pinch white pepper
For the Stir Fry:
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 scallions sliced, greens and whites separated
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- sesame seeds optional, for serving
- cooked jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Set aside.⅓ cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger, pinch red chili flakes, pinch white pepper
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with a pinch of salt, pepper, and the cornstarch. Toss until well coated.1 pound chicken breast, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.2 tablespoons oil
- Add in the chicken in a single layer. Cook about 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Add in the green onion whites and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.3 scallions
- Give the sauce another whisk and add it to the skillet, along with the broccoli. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and the broccoli is tender.4 cups broccoli florets
- Serve with rice and top with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds.sesame seeds, cooked jasmine rice
Becky’s Tips
- You can use black pepper in place of the white pepper in the recipe.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry Step by Step
Make the stir fry sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of minced ginger, a pinch of white pepper, and a pinch of red chili flakes if you want a bit of heat. Set aside until ready to use.
Prep the chicken: Cut 1 pound of chicken breast into 1-inch pieces, then toss them in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, until well coated.
Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat, then add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, until the chicken is golden brown.
Add green onions: Add in the green onion whites and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add broccoli and sauce: Give the sauce another whisk, then add it to the skillet. Add 4 cups of broccoli florets. Cook everything together, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and the broccoli is tender.
Serve: Serve the finished chicken broccoli stir fry with cooked rice and top with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds.
Well, my husband really liked it and I thought it was OK. There were good ingredients in the sauce, but I don’t think there was enough of it, so if I make it again, I’ll double the sauce. I cut the broccoli into the smallest florets possible, but they still didn’t all get cooked, which would be helped by more sauce.