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This easy and Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe is a one-pan meal made with fresh garlic and a sweet, sticky, savory sauce that coats the chicken, making it extra moist and tasty! Perfect weeknight dinner recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
This Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe is made with lean chicken breasts or thighs, which are cooked with soy sauce, fresh broccoli florets, honey, and chicken broth for the best flavors you could ever imagine. My kids love this, and it has been on our dinner rotations for years. It works so well for those who meal prep their meals ahead of time!
Some of my favorite broccoli and chicken recipes include my Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup, and Broccoli Chicken Fritters, just to name a few.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients & Substitutions
This chicken broccoli stir-fry requires minimal, simple ingredients that you can easily find at any store. You can find the complete list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful notes:
- Oil: Any vegetable cooking oil with a high smoke point will work. Other oils you can use are olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets are fabulous for this recipe, but frozen will work too!
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is an aromatic ingredient that gives this chicken stir-fry a super bold, fresh taste. If you do not have any fresh, use Jarred Garlic and, in a pinch, garlic powder.
- Chicken: Both boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs are great for this recipe, so whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Oyster Sauce: Rich oyster sauce adds a bold element, making the sauce extra flavorful and yummy.
- Chicken Broth: Savory chicken broth acts as an excellent base for the garlic sauce, but can easily be replaced with vegetable broth. We also love making our own broth for extra-fresh flavors.
- Honey: Sweet honey counterbalances the soy sauce notes, creating a perfect balance of sweet and savory. You may use agave, but not maple syrup.
- Sesame Oil: Fragrant sesame oil makes this stir-fry a delicious recipe with Asian-style notes.
- Soy Sauce: This ingredient is a staple in this recipe because it adds bright flavor. You will want to make sure you have this on hand!
- Cornstarch: This is used to thicken the sauce and is a great gluten-free alternative to all-purpose flour.
- Sesame Seeds: Optional but highly recommended for serving!
How to make chicken & broccoli stir-fry
- Prepare ingredients: First, chop your broccoli florets, chicken, and other ingredients. Measure out the sauces and dry ingredients.
- Cook the broccoli: Next, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Make sure the heat gets hot enough to cook the broccoli! Add the broccoli to the pan and cook until just tender, to avoid super-soft broccoli.
- Add garlic and season chicken: Add the fresh garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant but not brown. If you burn the garlic, then it will not taste its best. Season the chopped chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to enhance its flavor.
- Cook the chicken in the pan for about 4 minutes on each side, until light brown. Avoid overcooking the chicken, or it will not be tender!
- Make the sauce: Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, chicken broth, and sesame oil in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry for the sauce.
- Combine: Evenly pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and broccoli in the pan, then stir until combined. Cook the ingredients for an extra thirty seconds until fragrant and combined.
- Thicken the sauce: Finally, whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce, then simmer the stir-fry for one extra minute until thickened.
- Serve: Serve the stir-fried chicken broccoli with sesame seeds, green onions, and your choice of rice if preferred!
Common Questions
Cooking the broccoli before adding it to the stir-fry is not a must! The broccoli will soften as it cooks with the sauce and chicken. Blanching the broccoli before adding it to the stir-fry may make it too soft. But this is going to be a personal preference, if you like the broccoli soft or with a bit of crunch.
Yes. You can swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs. I would trim out some of the fat.
You can swap the broccoli with any other vegetable or a mix of veggies. Try veggies like zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, or asparagus. Adding some red peppers would also be a good idea.
How to Store and Reheat
- Storing: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freezing: If you want to make a double batch and freeze some for later use, once the stir fry has cooled, place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating in the microwave at 30-second increments until it is heated through. If it is frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave.
What to serve it with
Serve this flavorful family-friendly meal with a variety of foods such as:
- Egg or rice noodles or zoodles made of zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Stove-top rice or cauliflower rice
- Easy side dishes like crispy smashed potatoes, oven-roasted vegetables, garlic parmesan green beans, and more!
- Your favorite soups and fresh salads.
- Crispy baked sweet potato wedges or creamy mashed sweet potatoes.
More Stir Fry Recipes
- Chicken and Zucchini Stir-Fry
- Easy Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry
- Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Teriyaki Sauce
- Healthy Sweet and Sour Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry Noodles
Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs or Breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, + one teaspoon
- 2 cups small broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the 2 cups small broccoli florets and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender.
- Add the 1 teaspoon minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil.
- Season the 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs or Breasts with ssalt and pepper to taste, and add it to the pan. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.
- In a bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup oyster sauce, ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. In a small bowl, mix the 1 teaspoon cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water.
- Pour the oyster sauce mixture over the chicken and broccoli; cook for 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch and bring to a boil; cook for one more minute or until the sauce has just started to thicken.
- Top with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use different sources of protein instead of chicken, like shrimp, lean beef, fish, tofu, and more.
- For gluten-free chicken and broccoli stir-fry, use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Instead of broccoli, you can cook carrots, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- For meal prep, prepare a batch of chicken and broccoli and portion it out into individual storage containers to place in the refrigerator to last you for a few days. You can enjoy this recipe for an easy lunch or dinner, which reheats quickly in the microwave.
- Be sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really nice! I added a half a head of cabbage too. Would be good over rice.
Thank you. Glad you loved it
This recipe was easy to make, and so delicious!
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it.
How would you make this with frozen broccoli ?
Hi Jessica. Just thaw out the broccoli. Rinse and use it as you would fresh and follow the same directions.
This is a meal that my family has come to love. We make it almost weekly. Delicious!
Thanks so much, Amy. Glad your family loves it.
ANOTHER ONE KNOCKED OUT OF THE PARK!! Rena, your recipes are changing my kitchen and really aiding in my husbands and I quest to eat cleaner. This was absolutely delicious! I served it with cauliflower rice to knock the carbs down a bit–never missed real rice. My husband who’s not a fan of cauli-rice, love the flavor of the chicken/broccoli so much he even like his cauli-rice!! I made mine with breasts chunks and they were tender not tough. Also, I skipped the cornstarch step because I was out and didn’t notice anything missing. The flavor in this is off the chain–Thanks again for another keeper!
That’s amazing. Love your feedback.
Tried this recipe with canned chicken and frozen broccoli. I was hoping for the best and it came out great. Thanks!
Glad you liked it.