This is a quick and easy recipe for a Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry that has just about the least number of ingredients you can get away with but still deliver a dish that stacks up to the best Chinese takeout! Plenty of savoury homemade stir fry sauce – because broccoli florets are a sponge for sauce plus I need extra for rice soaking. It’s essential!
Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
If you descended upon your local Asian Market armed with my Asian Market Shopping List and stocked up on the Level 1 essential sauces, you have the 3 sauces you need to make this.
How good is that!!?
And if your weekly grocery shopping is as predictable as mine, then chicken and broccoli made it into your trolley on the weekend.
Which means you’re armed and dangerous, ready to cook up this big batch Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry. Complete with extra sauce!
Big batch??
I call this a “big batch” Chicken Broccoli stir fry because most of my stir fry recipes tend to be made on a smaller scale serving 2 to 4 people max, being that crowding the pan = stewed veggies which is one of the greatest sins of stir frying.
We don’t have that problem with this one because we steam the broccoli first before making the stir fry as it won’t cook in the short time it’s on the stove. So we can crowd the pan and make a big batch that easily serves 5, possibly even 6!
Also, broccoli holds up better than most vegetables with leftovers, so this is a terrific meal prep option (which I normally don’t recommend for stir fries) which is why I don’t mind having leftovers.
What you need for Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Here’s what you need for this minimalist stir fry!
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Cooked broccoli – as noted above. Steamed or boiled, whichever you prefer.
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Chicken – breast or thigh. If you’re using breast and want to add a wow factor, tenderise the chicken using this secret Chinese restaurant method for “velveting chicken”;
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Soy sauce – use either light soy sauce or all purpose soy sauce. Do not use dark, flavour will be much too intense;
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Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin – used by the gallon in Chinese restaurants, it’s the secret ingredient that makes stir fry sauces so good. Mirin or dry sherry are perfect substitutes, see recipe notes for non alcoholic option;
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Oyster sauce – adds a stack of flavour and a touch of sweet. Vegetarian option: Use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce, it’s pretty good! Ayam is a good brand, sold at large everyday grocery stores. Also, here’s a homemade Vegetarian Oyster Sauce recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook, a Chinese recipe website. I was extremely impressed with it;
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Sesame oil (toasted) – for a lovely hint of sesame flavour;
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Cornflour/cornstarch – to thicken the sauce and make it shiny and glossy; and
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Garlic and onion – stir fries rarely happen without these two essential flavour bases.
How to make Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
It comes together in about 5 minutes on the stove, so make sure you have everything chopped, next to the stove, ready to toss in. This can be made in a (large!) wok though I find it easier just to use a skillet for this particular stir fry because it makes a big batch.
This recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of water which sounds like a LOT! But extra sauce is essential here because the broccoli florets are a sponge for sauce.
Serve it over rice though if you’re pushing through a low carb phase, then try cauliflower rice instead. It really is not as bad as you think, it’s got a very neutral flavour and the tasty stir fry sauce does wonders to disguise any remnant of cauliflower flavour.
Also another good low carb option is Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette) which you could make then smother with this Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry instead of making the Egg Foo Young brown sauce.
And for fellow chicken and broccoli tragics, see below the recipe card for a somewhat lengthy list of various other chicken and broccoli this-and-that recipes I’ve shared. – Nagi x
PS I say “tragics”, but being that broccoli is a powerhouse veggie, we should give ourselves a pat on the back for packing so much broccoli into our diets! 💪🏼
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry (extra sauce!)
Ingredients
Sauce (Note 5 for Charlie):
- 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 3 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or Mirin (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 3)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Dash of white pepper (sub black)
Stir Fry:
- 2 tbsp oil , peanut, vegetable or canola
- 1/2 onion , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 500g/1 lb chicken thighs or breast, thinly sliced (optional tenderise, Note 4)
- 400g/ 14 oz broccoli florets , broken/cut into small bite size pieces (2 medium heads, ~5 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups water
Instructions
- Broccoli: steam or boil using preferred method until cooked to your taste (it won't cook any further in the stir fry). I usually microwave steam 3 minutes on high. Drain well.
- Sauce: Mix cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
- Tenderising option: Consider tenderising chicken breast using this method. (Not needed for thigh)
- Cook: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, stir for 10 seconds until garlic starts to go golden.
- Then add chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Add broccoli, Sauce and water. Stir well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the Sauce thickens and becomes glossy, and coats the ingredients.
- Serve over rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More Chicken and Broccoli recipes
For fellow chicken and broccoli tragics
And my favourite stir fries
Life of Dozer
Bed hair. Nobody wakes up looking perfect – not even Dozer!
First time I tried this and it was absolutely delicious and my partner loved it too! I had no corn flour so I used plain flour (same measurement) and I didn’t precook my broccoli and I added some mushrooms since I needed to use them up. Blown away by the sauce. I will definitely be making this again and again.
That’s great Hurrem!! I am glad that you enjoyed it! N x
This is probably the 10th time I’ve made this & I never get sick of it – it’s BEE-U-TI-FUL!! Thanks Nagi, for giving this house so many smiles & yummy-in-my-tummies! I have never tried a recipe of yours that I didn’t like 🙂
Thanks Cheryl!! I’m glad you enjoy my recipes! N x
This is my all time weekly favourite stir fry. Tastes delicious, and I make sure there is always a little left over for lunch the next day. Thankyou so much for this amazing recipe, love the sauce.
Yippee!! I’m happy you liked it Anne – and it’s great getting a bit ahead on the cooking! N x
Easy and delicious! I had a mix of cauliflower and broccoli so that’s what I used, came out so well! Ate it with your Nasi Goreng (minus the chicken). Super delicious dinner. Thank you
Yum, yum, yum!!! Wow is all I can say. This is now my go to for chicken stir-fry! I added some zucchini and mushrooms that I had to use up. Love your recipes.
Biggest fan here!! If I wanted to add cashews at what point could I? Right after the chicken is cooked?
I just added them right at the end
Could the recipe be done without chicken? Vegetarian style?
Five stars for ease, taste and clear instructions. Even my five year old fussy eater is devouring this absolutely delicious dish.
quick easy recipe! Husband and kids loved the extra sauce! Will make again to try other veggies as well 🙂
I’m making this right now. It’s just one I’ve made a few times amongst the many other Nagi recipes. Tomorrow night ziti pasta bake….sooooo good.
My question is Nagi, do you think you’ll do a book signing?id love this for Xmas signed or unsigned and I can’t wait!
We haven’t gotten that far yet with the schedule…I just want to get it written first!! N x
I made this for Sunday dinner &it came so so tender just like you get from the Chinese restaurants. Now I want to velvet my chicken all the time !
Of course I had to taste test it before we left to go apple picking. (It got two thumbs up from myself and my best friend.)
We can’t wait to get home later &eat dinner , thanks for the great recipe &tip to “velvet” the chicken . I’ll definitely be making this again !
I am so glad you enjoyed it Jennifer! N x
I just made this and I loved it and so did my hubbie and teenage boys. Also just discovered how to make fluffy basmati rice. Made more so I can try the chicken fried rice in a couple of days. BTW – cooked rice in the fridge for 2 days is still OK, right?
Hi Lena…cooked rice should be ok for two days in the fridge as longs as it was refrigerated within an hour of cooking it, but it is one of the foods that is quickest to spoil so always check the smell and if in doubt, throw it out. Another tip is to store on the lowest and coldest shelf in your fridge. Thanks! N x
Thanks for the advice 🙂 I made the chicken fried rice and it was a hit !
I am so glad you enjoyed it Lena! N x