Serve up this tender Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe that is so easy to make! This easy one-pan meal is made with fresh garlic and a sweet, sticky savory sauce that coats the chicken to make it extra moist and tasty!
Dive into the delicious healthy flavors of this easy Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe. Lean chicken breasts or thighs are cooked with soy sauce, fresh broccoli florets, honey, and chicken broth for the best flavors you could ever imagine.
This low-sodium recipe is perfect over rice or noodles for an easy dinner at home with the family or just for one! We love this recipe because the crunchy green broccoli soaks up the sweet-savory sauce and makes this recipe extra yummy.
Recipes with broccoli and chicken are great for healthy lunches and dinners plus there are endless ways to prepare the delicious duo. Some of our favorite broccoli and chicken recipes include creamy and cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup, and Broccoli Chicken Fritters just to name a few.
WHY THIS RECIPE FOR CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI IS THE BEST
- Quick and Easy: This healthy chicken stir-fry recipe is super quick and ready in about 20 minutes! We love this recipe for an easy dinner at home whenever we need a meal prepared as soon as possible for the family.
- Healthy with Protein: Cooked chicken provides a healthy amount of protein to this recipe along with the broccoli. Gluten-free friendly, refined sugar-free, and without artificial ingredients are some of the elements to this healthy broccoli and chicken stir-fry.
- Yummy and Delicious: The combination of savory, rich soy sauce and sweet sticky honey provides exceptional flavors that make the chicken and broccoli juicy with aromatic marinated flavors.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Looking for nutritious lean options for meal prep? Easy chicken recipes are the best for meal prep because you can store it all in the refrigerator and serve with all types of sides like potatoes, rice, zoodles, pasta, and more.
INGREDIENTS FOR GARLIC CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY
- Oil: Any kind of vegetable cooking oil with a high smoke point will work such as olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florest are great for this recipe but frozen broccoli will also work!
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic in an aromatic ingredient that allows this chicken stir-fry taste super bold and fresh.
- 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: Sea salt is a great seasoning for the chicken along with the black pepper.
- Oyster Sauce: Rich oyster sauce provides a bold element to the sauce that makes it extra flavorful and yummy.
- Chicken Broth: Savory chicken broth acts as a great base for the garlic sauce but can easily be replaced with vegetable broth. We also love to make our own broth for extra fresh flavors.
- Honey: Sweet honey counteracts the notes of the soy sauce to make it the perfect combination of sweet and savoy.
- Sesame Oil: Fragrant sesame oil makes this stir-fry a delicious recipe with Asian-style notes.
- Soy Sauce: This ingredient is a staple for this recipe because it provides such bright flavors. You will want to make sure you have this on hand!
- Cold Water: Just a little bit of cold water is used to make the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- 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
- Prepare ingredients: First, chop your broccoli florets, chicken, and other ingredients. Measure out the sauces and dry ingredients.
- Cook the broccoli: Next, heat cooking in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Make sure the hot gets hot enough to cook the broccoli! Add the broccoli to the pan and cook until just tender to avoid super soft broccoi.
- 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 the best. Season the chopped chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to make sure the chicken has extra flavor.
- Cook chicken: Cook the chicken in the pan for about four minutes on both sides 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 the slurry to make the sauce thicker.
- Combine: Next, evenly pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and broccoli in the pan and 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 and simmer the stir-fry until thickened–one extra minute.
- Serve: Serve the stir-fried chicken broccoli with sesame seeds, green onions, and your choice of rice if preferred!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Cooking the broccoli before adding it to 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.
This chicken and broccoli recipe is healthier because it contains wholesome ingredients and no refined sugar! Chicken is a lean healthy protein that will keep you satisfied and full! Fresh broccoli ensures you’re getting a serving of vegetables.
Yes! Chicken and broccoli are good for you because they are loaded with vitamins, protein, and healthy fats that will keep you energized.
Some vegetables that take longer to stir-fry are potatoes, squash, carrots, and other similar veggies.
RECIPE NOTES, TIPS, AND SUSBTITUTIONS
- 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 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 that can be quickly reheated in the microwave.
- Be sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of at least 164 degrees Fahrenheit.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS EASY BROCCOLI RECIPE
Seve 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 DINNER RECIPES
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Teriyaki Sauce
Healthy Sweet and Sour Vegetable Stir-Fry
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Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs or Breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 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 oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper 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 oyster sauce, chicken broth, honey, sesame oil, and soy sauce. In a small bowl mix the 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 1 more minute or until sauce has just started to thicken.
- Top with 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 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 that can be quickly reheated in the microwave.
- Be sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of at least 164 degrees Fahrenheit.
Robyn says
Really nice! I added a half a head of cabbage too. Would be good over rice.
Rena Awada says
Thank you. Glad you loved it
Colleen says
This recipe was easy to make, and so delicious!
Rena says
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it.
Jessica says
How would you make this with frozen broccoli ?
Rena says
Hi Jessica. Just thaw out the broccoli. Rinse and use it as you would fresh and follow the same directions.
Amy says
This is a meal that my family has come to love. We make it almost weekly. Delicious!
Rena says
Thanks so much, Amy. Glad your family loves it.
Laura Simpson says
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!
Rena says
That’s amazing. Love your feedback.
David J Contreras says
Tried this recipe with canned chicken and frozen broccoli. I was hoping for the best and it came out great. Thanks!
Rena says
Glad you liked it.