This delicious chicken and broccoli stir fry hits the table in 30 minutes flat. It features tender pieces of chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, and a savory garlic-ginger sauce that coats everything in glossy, sticky goodness. It’s the kind of weeknight meal that tastes like you ordered takeout but costs a fraction of the price and skips the mystery ingredients.
I started making this on those nights when the fridge looked bare, but I still needed to pull off something that felt like a real dinner. Turns out, chicken breast and a bag of broccoli can do a lot of heavy lifting when you’ve got the right sauce in your corner.
Now, stir-fry has a reputation for being fussy. Hot wok, precise timing, ingredients prepped and lined up like little soldiers. But this version is easy. You don’t need special skills. A regular skillet and about 10 minutes of active cooking time get you there.
This is also one of those meals that quietly checks a lot of boxes. Protein, vegetables, flavor, enough to feed the family without dirtying every pan you own, and ready in 30 minutes. Serve it over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles. It holds up to all of them.
Below, I’ll walk you through exactly how to make it, plus tips on getting that restaurant-style sear on your chicken and keeping your broccoli from turning to mush. Whether you’re feeding picky eaters or need a healthy weeknight dinner that doesn’t taste like diet food, this recipe delivers.
Looking for more easy 30-minute meals? Try my recipes for air fryer salmon skewers, Cajun sheet pan sausage, or Doritos chicken tenders.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken breast: Cut it into roughly 1-inch cubes so they cook evenly and get that nice golden crust on all sides.
- Broccoli florets: Fresh is best here, and try to keep them roughly the same size so they char evenly.
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Salt
- Black pepper
How to Make Chicken and Broccoli
- Heat your skillet or wok over medium-high heat without any oil. Toss in the broccoli florets and let them cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Add the olive oil to the same pan and let it get hot. Add your cubed chicken, then season with the salt and pepper. Let the chicken cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally so all sides get golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pour the sesame oil into your pan. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, and minced garlic. Stir and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
- Return both the broccoli and the chicken to the pan, then stir everything together.
- Keep everything moving in the pan for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serving Ideas
The best part of making a simple stir-fry is how flexible it becomes once it hits your table. I usually serve this over rice to soak up that savory sauce. Brown rice or cauliflower rice works too if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
A sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a subtle nuttiness. Chili flakes bring heat if your family likes things spicy. I keep both on the table so everyone can customize their own bowl.
How to Store
Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, which is totally normal. When you reheat it, add a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen things up again. You can reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started stir-frying only to realize I forgot to measure out the soy sauce or mince the garlic. Learn from my mistakes: have everything prepped and ready to go before you turn on the heat. Once you start cooking, things move fast, and you won’t have time to scramble around your kitchen looking for the oyster sauce.
- That first step, where you cook the broccoli without any oil, might seem weird, but trust me on this one. The dry heat creates beautiful charred spots on the broccoli, adding a slightly smoky flavor you can’t get any other way. Plus, it helps remove excess moisture so your final dish won’t be watery.
- Your skillet or wok needs to be properly heated before you add ingredients.
- If you’re doubling this recipe, cook the chicken in batches. Cramming too much into the pan at once drops the temperature and creates steam, which means soggy chicken instead of crispy, golden pieces.
- Sometimes the sauce can get a bit thick or start to stick. I always keep a small bowl of water or extra soy sauce nearby to add if needed. Just a tablespoon or two will loosen things up without diluting the flavor too much.
- Like most stir-frys, this is best made fresh. You can cut the chicken and broccoli up to a day ahead and store them in separate containers in the fridge. I’ve even mixed the sauce ingredients in a small jar so everything’s ready to go when I need to get dinner on the table fast.
Reader Questions
You can, but I recommend thawing it completely and patting it dry with paper towels first. Frozen broccoli holds a lot of moisture, and if you add it to the pan wet, you’ll end up steaming everything instead of getting those nice charred bits. Fresh broccoli really works best for this recipe.
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work great in this recipe, and they’re actually a bit more forgiving since they don’t dry out as easily as breast meat.
Sure. Bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, or mushrooms would all work well. Just keep in mind that different vegetables have different cooking times. I’d add quicker-cooking veggies like snap peas toward the end, and heartier ones like carrots at the beginning with the broccoli.
If you don’t have oyster sauce or need a vegetarian option, you can use hoisin sauce instead. The flavor will be a bit sweeter and less briny, but it still works. You could also use an extra tablespoon of soy sauce.
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Chicken and Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a dry skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook without oil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly charred and slightly tender. Remove the broccoli from the pan and set it aside.2 cups broccoli florets
- Add the olive oil to the same skillet. Once hot, add the cubed chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.1 pound chicken breast, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- In the same pan, pour in the sesame oil. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger purée, and minced garlic. Stir well and cook the sauce mixture for about 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.1 tablespoon ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic
- Return the cooked broccoli and chicken to the pan. Stir everything together thoroughly so the sauce evenly coats the ingredients.
- Continue to cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently. If the sauce starts to stick or burn slightly, add a tablespoon of soy sauce or a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen it.
- Serve hot with rice, topped with sesame seeds and chili flakes if desired.
Notes
- That first step, where you cook the broccoli without any oil, might seem strange, but the dry heat creates beautiful charred spots on the broccoli, adding a slightly smoky flavor you can’t get any other way.
- Your skillet or wok needs to be properly heated before you add ingredients.
- If the sauce is too thick, add water or extra soy sauce.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work great in this recipe.
- Other vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, or mushrooms would all work well.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
