Description
This Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is a quick and healthy weeknight meal featuring tender chicken breast, crisp broccoli, mushrooms, and onions tossed in a savory, slightly sweet sauce. Cooked rapidly in a hot skillet, it delivers a flavorful and satisfying dish that pairs perfectly with rice for a complete dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4″ pieces
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to season chicken
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil (extra light olive oil), divided
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil (extra light olive oil), divided
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Vegetables
- 1 lb broccoli, cut into florets (about 5 cups)
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced into strips
- 1/2 lb white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
Sauce
- 2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar (packed) or honey to taste
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated (lightly packed)
- 1 tsp garlic (2 small cloves), grated
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, light brown sugar, corn starch, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Whisk well to dissolve the sugar and corn starch completely. Using warm broth helps dissolve the sugar faster. Set this sauce mixture aside.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, no more than 3/4 inch thick. Lightly season with black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute. Then stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a bowl and loosely cover to keep warm.
- Stir Fry Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add broccoli florets, sliced onions, and mushrooms. Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until the mushrooms soften and broccoli is crisp-tender. Then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add Sauce: Stir the prepared sauce briefly to ensure the corn starch hasn’t settled and pour it over the vegetables in the skillet. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and for the garlic and ginger flavors to mellow. If the sauce is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time to thin as desired.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir for another 30 seconds until heated through and coated in sauce. Taste and adjust soy sauce seasoning if necessary. Serve the stir fry hot over steamed rice.
Notes
- For gluten free option, substitute soy sauce with Tamari.
- You can use honey instead of light brown sugar for a different sweetener profile.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking chicken to ensure proper searing.
- If sauce thickens too much, add water gradually to reach desired consistency.
- This dish pairs well with steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
