This quick and easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry uses the minimum ingredients you can get away with but still deliver a dish that stacks up to Chinese restaurant standard! 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:
Cooked broccoli – as noted above. Steamed or boiled, whichever you prefer.
Chicken – breast or thigh. If you’re using breast, I recommend tenderising the chicken using the secret Chinese restaurant method for “velveting chicken” – just toss sliced chicken in baking soda, leave to tenderise for 20 minutes, rinse, cook like normal chicken, marvel at how tender the meat is! Directions are included in the recipe card.
Soy sauce – use either light soy sauce or all purpose soy sauce. Do not use dark, flavour will be much too intense;
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 – just replace the water which chicken stock/broth;
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;
Sesame oil (toasted) – for a lovely hint of sesame flavour;
Cornflour/cornstarch – to thicken the sauce and make it shiny and glossy; and
Garlic and onion – stir fries rarely happen without these two essential flavour bases. Tip: Chop the garlic with a knife rather than using a garlic press (crushing makes it wet so it doesn’t sauté properly).
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
Tenderised chicken (Note 1)
- 500g/1 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced (or boneless thighs, do not tenderise)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb soda (Note 1)
Sauce (Note 6 for using Charlie all-purpose stir fry):
- 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose soy (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing wine) or Mirin (Note 3)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)
- 2 tsp sesame oil , toasted (Note 5)
- Dash of white pepper (sub black)
Stir Fry:
- 2 tbsp oil , peanut, vegetable or canola
- 1/2 onion , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced with knife
- 400g/ 14 oz broccoli florets , broken/cut into small bite size pieces (2 medium heads, ~5 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups water
For serving:
Instructions
- Tenderise chicken: Consider tenderising chicken breast using this method. (Not needed for thigh)
- 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 (waterlogged florets = diluted sauce).
- Sauce: Mix cornflour and soy sauce until lump free, then mix in remaining ingredients.
- Cook aromatics: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, stir for 10 seconds until garlic starts to go golden.
- Cook chicken: Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Thicken sauce: 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 some of my favourite stir fries
Life of Dozer
Bed hair. Turns out nobody wakes up looking perfect – not even Dozer!
What a cracker of a dish!
Made it with long life noodles as we didn’t feel like rice. It’s all about that sauce – mmmmmm
What a tasty recipe! Very easy to cook and definitely worth a try!
Such a wonderful dish to make!! Super tasty and easy!! Thank you
This was delicious! Thank you!
Sorry, forgot to rate.
Nagi,
I live with an ex-chef who has a rather intense dislike for broccoli until I made this. He’ll eat this and other meals with broccoli (all your recipes) without complaint. You are a magician in the kitchen. I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful recipes and such a well designed website. You’ve turned me from an ordinary cook to one well above average. I cook at least 5-6 of your recipes a week. They’re all sensational!
OMG so delicious. Thank you! I added some ginger and honey to the sauce as well. Can’t wait to make this again.
Simply incredible, easy and quick to make! I also added snow peas and carrot- bloody amazing!
Nagi, you have come to my rescue yet again. I was looking for an easy stir fry with chicken recipe and your Chicken stir fry with Broccoli fit the bill. I used udon noodles and the extra sauce made it a delicious quick meal. Thank you yet again !
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
11th!! Still the best stir fry recipe on this planet! Thanks again – you are the best 🙂
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