Quick & Easy Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

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Succulent chicken stir fried with broccoli in a savory sauce. This quick and easy chicken and broccoli beats Chinese takeout and made with simple ingredients saving you money! Perfect as a main with rice on a busy weeknight!

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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Chicken and Broccoli is a popular Chinese stir-fry dish featuring tender chicken tossed with crisp broccoli in a savory sauce with garlic and ginger.

You can find this dish served at many Chinese restaurants or for takeout and it's a favorite among many Asian households.

The chicken is velveted in a simple marinade and the stir-fry sauce is packed with umami! I share secret tips on how to get the chicken so tender with a couple key ingredients.

My mother would this Chinese dish often for us hungry kids! Sometimes, she would swap the protein for beef or shrimp (check out my Beef and Broccoli or Shrimp and Broccoli recipe) to keep things interesting!

Why you'll love this recipe:

ready in 30-minutes in one-pan!
cooked with simple ingredients.
healthy and nutritious as it's packed with fiber and lean protein.
great for the whole family including kids.
fantastic for meal preparation.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Chicken Breast: or substitute with skinless boneless chicken thighs. Not a fan of chicken? Substitute with flank steak, pork shoulder or jumbo shrimp.
Broccoli Crown: or substitute with frozen broccoli florets or snap peas, snow peas, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cauliflower, button mushrooms, or green cabbage.
Garlic: or substitute with ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
Ginger: or substitute with ¼ teaspoon of ginger powder.
Neutral Cooking Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or coconut oil.
Cold Water: to cook the broccoli faster.

Chicken Marinade

Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
Cornstarch: or substitute with tapioca starch or potato starch.
Baking Soda: do not skip this ingredient as it's the key to tenderizing the meat.
Black Pepper: or substitute with white pepper.
Neutral Cooking Oil
Sesame Oil

Stir Fry Sauce

Oyster Sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar or light brown sugar.
Shaoxing Wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine available at Asian grocers. Or substitute with dry sherry wine, dry white wine or chicken broth.
Cornstarch: or substitute with tapioca starch or potato starch.
Chicken Stock: low-sodium kind or substitute with cold water.

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Expert Tips

Source fresh crisp broccoli with a vibrant dark green color for best taste.
To thinly slice the chicken easily freeze thawed chicken for 45-60 minutes exposed to the freezer air and use a sharp knife. This hardens the exterior making it easier to cut thinly.
Slice the chicken against the grain on a bias into ¼-inch-thick pieces for ultra-tender chicken.
Marinate the chicken for at least 15-20 minutes, but don't over marinate or it can make your chicken taste mushy.
Don't skip the baking soda or cornstarch as these are key ingredients to creating extra tender chicken.
Use water to cook the broccoli faster.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make chicken and broccoli:

In a large bowl, marinate the thinly sliced chicken with marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-20 minutes. Avoid marinating past this time frame.

In a large bowl, marinate thinly sliced chicken with marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-20 minutes. Avoid marinating past this time frame.

In a small bowl, mix stir-fry sauce ingredients as listed above until combined and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix stir-fry sauce ingredients as listed above until combined and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry chicken until cooked and golden. Remove chicken from pan.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry chicken until cooked and golden. Remove chicken from pan.

Into the pan, add ginger, garlic, and broccoli with ¼ cup or 60 ml of water. Cook until broccoli becomes vibrant green.

Into the pan, add ginger, garlic, and broccoli with ¼ cup or 60 ml of water. Cook until broccoli becomes vibrant green.

Push the broccoli to the side of the pan. Pour in stir fry sauce and simmer to thicken. Then mix with the broccoli.

Push the broccoli to the side of the pan. Pour in stir fry sauce and simmer to thicken. Then mix with the broccoli.

Add in cooked chicken and toss everything together. Remove off heat. Serve and enjoy!

Add in cooked chicken and toss everything together. Remove off heat. Serve and enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, you can cook it on the stovetop in a non-stick pan or microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Freezer friendly? Chicken and broccoli can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.

Pairing Suggestions

Chicken and broccoli stir fry serves well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice
chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
protein dishes like Beef Mushroom Stir Fry, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Shrimp Omelet, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Chicken and broccoli can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat until hot.

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