Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
This Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry comes together in under 30 minutes with a savory, glossy sauce that rivals your favorite takeout. A wholesome, easy dinner the whole family will request on repeat.
Better Than Takeout Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Some nights you want the comforting, savory flavors of your favorite Chinese restaurant without the wait, the cost, or the mystery ingredients. This Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is the answer. Tender chicken, vibrant crisp-tender broccoli, and a deeply savory glossy sauce all come together in under 30 minutes using one pan. It is one of those easy dinner recipes that feels special enough for the weekend but is simple enough for a Tuesday night.
Once you make this at home, ordering out will feel unnecessary. The sauce alone is worth the recipe.
What Makes This Stir Fry So Good
The secret to great Chinese chicken and broccoli is not complicated. It comes down to three things:
- High heat. A screaming hot wok or skillet creates that coveted slightly smoky, caramelized edge on the chicken.
- The marinade. Even just 10 minutes of marinating the chicken in soy sauce and cornstarch makes it noticeably more tender and flavorful.
- A balanced sauce. Soy sauce brings the salt, oyster sauce brings the depth and umami, sesame oil adds that unmistakable nutty aroma, and a touch of brown sugar rounds everything out perfectly.
This is the chicken and broccoli recipe you will come back to again and again.
Using the right equipment genuinely transforms this dish. A large, heavy wok distributes heat evenly and gives you the room to toss everything at high heat without steaming your ingredients. Fresh ginger grated on a microplane makes a noticeable difference over pre-ground.
Tips for Perfect Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Before you fire up the stove, a few key techniques will make your chicken and broccoli stir fry look and taste like it came from a real Chinese kitchen.
Chef's Tip: Always slice your chicken against the grain and as thin as possible. Thinner slices cook faster and stay more tender. Pop the chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing and it firms up perfectly for easy, clean cuts.
Don't skip the cornstarch in the marinade. It creates a light coating on the chicken that helps it sear beautifully and also thickens the sauce right in the pan. This technique, called velveting, is the reason restaurant chicken always tastes so silky.
Cook the broccoli first, then remove it. This gives it a quick high-heat char without overcooking it by the time the chicken and sauce come together. Nobody wants mushy broccoli.
How to Serve Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
This dish is a complete, satisfying easy dinner with broccoli served simply over steamed white rice. But here are a few other ways to enjoy it:
- Brown rice or jasmine rice for a slightly nuttier, more aromatic base
- Noodles like lo mein or rice noodles tossed right into the wok
- Cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option that still soaks up every drop of sauce
- A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top for that finishing restaurant touch
This is also one of the best things to make with broccoli when you are trying to actually get your family excited about vegetables. The sauce does all the convincing.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
This Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry comes together in under 30 minutes with a savory, glossy sauce that rivals your favorite takeout. A wholesome, easy dinner the whole family will request on repeat.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced against the grain
- 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, toasted
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, divided
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, low-sodium
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, freshly grated
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 2 cups white rice, cooked, for serving
Instruction
Slice the chicken thinly against the grain and place in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes while you prep the remaining ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, brown sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set the sauce aside.
Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the broccoli florets and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender-crisp. Remove the broccoli to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the hot wok. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and sear without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir fry, tossing frequently, for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden.
Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Return the broccoli to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it over everything. Toss everything together and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and broccoli in a glossy, beautiful glaze.
Remove from heat immediately. Serve hot over steamed white rice.
Equipment
- Large wok or 12-inch skillet
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Microplane or fine grater (for ginger)
Notes
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers keep beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making this one of those great dinner ideas with broccoli that doubles as meal prep. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a tiny splash of chicken broth to bring the sauce back to life. It reheats in just a couple of minutes and tastes nearly as good as the day it was made.
This Chinese chicken and broccoli recipe is the kind of weeknight winner that earns a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. Quick, wholesome, and genuinely delicious, it checks every box.
