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This chicken broccoli stir fry is a healthy chicken dinner you can make on busy nights when you want something fast, flavorful, and packed with nutrients. It comes together with crisp-tender broccoli, juicy chicken, a glossy sauce, and simple pantry ingredients for a quick Asian-inspired meal.
Quick Look: Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 12 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 22 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: ~449 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: One pan, stove top
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Asian inspired, savory flavor, fresh vegetables, and a balanced gluten-free sauce made with coconut aminos instead of soy.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for weeknight dinners.
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Why You'll Love This Stir Fry Recipe
This one-pan dinner is ideal for busy weeknights, delivering savory flavor, fresh vegetables, and a balanced gluten-free sauce made with coconut aminos instead of soy. It reheats well for meal prep, keeping its texture and flavor, and comes together quickly while still feeling nourishing. Coconut aminos add natural sweetness and umami, giving the dish that takeout-style richness (like this chicken and shrimp fried rice).
The simple stovetop method keeps the broccoli bright and crisp instead of mushy, and the chicken stays juicy with a quick sauté over medium-high heat. It comes together in one pan, making it an easy option for weeknights when you want big flavor without a lot of steps.
For more Asian inspired recipes, try my steak fried rice, beef and broccoli ramen stir fry, or this gluten-free dumpling bake.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's a quick look at the ingredients that make this chicken and broccoli skillet dinner come together so easily:
- Chicken breasts: Lean, high-protein, and perfect for sautéed chicken breast that cooks quickly in bite-sized pieces.
- Broccoli florets: They steam and sauté in the same pan to become tender-crisp. Broccoli is one of the fastest stir fry vegetables to cook, which helps keep this dish quick and fresh.
- Olive oil: Helps brown the chicken evenly.
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder: Simple seasoning to build layers of flavor.
- Cashews (optional): Add crunch and richness.
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Coconut aminos: For savory depth without soy and to keep the recipe gluten-free. I would not recommend using gluten free soy sauce or tamari for this recipe – it’s too salty.
- Sesame oil: Adds a classic stir-fry flavor. If needed you can substitute avocado oil with a splash of tahini.
- Rice vinegar: Adds brightness to balance the sauce.
- Honey: Adds natural sweetness. You can substitute maple syrup or omit for Whole30 – coconut aminos will still bring natural sweetness.
- Arrowroot powder: Thickens the sauce quickly and gives it a smooth finish.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, crushed red pepper: Easy pantry spices that mimic garlic ginger sauce.
Need another delicious gluten-free Asian sauce option? This salmon stir fry with gluten-free teriyaki sauce is absolutely delicious!
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Step 1: Whisk together all stir-fry sauce ingredients and set aside.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread the pieces out so they form an even layer. Let them brown for 2-3 minutes without stirring, then flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Step 3: Add broccoli florets and a splash of water to the same pan. Cover and let the broccoli steam for 3-4 minutes until crisp and fork-tender. (There's no need to blanch the broccoli first. The quick steam softens the stems while keeping the tops firm, giving you a crisp texture without extra steps.)
Step 4: Return the chicken and cashews (if using) to the pan. Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli, stirring over medium heat as it bubbles and thickens for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5: Serve with white rice or cauliflower rice and top with green onions and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
- Keep the broccoli crisp. Steam the florets briefly, then finish them uncovered. This prevents mushiness and gives you vibrant, tender-crisp broccoli.
- Avoid crowding the pan. Spread the chicken out so it browns instead of steaming. This helps the meat stay juicy and develop a rich, savory flavor.
- Let the sauce thicken fully. Arrowroot activates quickly. Stir over medium heat until the sauce coats everything in a glossy finish.
- Watch for excess liquid. If the sauce looks thin, continue stirring for another minute to help the arrowroot tighten and cling to the chicken and broccoli.
- Boost the Stir Fry Flavor. Coconut aminos build flavor, and the combination of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil delivers that classic takeout style finish without complicated steps.
For more Asian dinner inspiration, try my Pad Pak (Vegetable Stir Fry)!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but thaw it first and pat it dry. This helps prevent excess water and keeps the texture firm.
Yes! Thighs stay very tender and work great in a stir-fry like this. You can also switch up the meat with one of these from my beef and broccoli stir fry, or this easy salmon stir fry
Add a little bit more arrowroot to the sauce mixture before pouring it into the pan.
This chicken broccoli stir fry delivers a satisfying weeknight stir fry that's fast, nourishing, and easy to customize. It's one of those meals I reach for when everything feels busy, and I want something simple that still tastes special!
More Easy Weeknight Recipes
Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry (Gluten Free)
Healthy Keto Egg Roll In A Bowl | with Spicy Mayo Recipe!
The Best Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites
Gluten-Free Hot Honey Shrimp and Sausage Stir Fry Recipe
Easy Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup cashews, optional
Stir-Fry Sauce
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Mix all stir-fry sauce ingredients together using a whisk and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken breast pieces and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread them out so they are in an even layer in the pan and do not touch – let them cook for 2-3 minutes until browned on the bottom. Flip and stir then continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove using a slotted spoon.
- To the same pan, add the broccoli florets and water. Set heat to medium high and cover. Let the broccoli steam for 3-4 minutes or until crisp fork-tender.
- Add the chicken & cashew pieces back to the pan with the broccoli and turn the heat to medium. Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli and stir over medium heat as it bubbles and thickens for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with white rice and top with green onions and enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the broccoli crisp. Steam the florets briefly, then finish them uncovered. This prevents mushiness and gives you vibrant, tender-crisp broccoli.
- Avoid crowding the pan. Spread the chicken out so it browns instead of steaming. This helps the meat stay juicy and develop a rich, savory flavor.
- Let the sauce thicken fully. Arrowroot activates quickly. Stir over medium heat until the sauce coats everything in a glossy finish.
- Watch for excess liquid. If the sauce looks thin, continue stirring for another minute to help the arrowroot tighten and cling to the chicken and broccoli.
- Boost the Stir Fry Flavor. Coconut aminos build flavor and the combination of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil delivers that classic takeout style finish without complicated steps!
- I don't recommend freezing because broccoli becomes soft once thawed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
- The flavors meld together as it sits, making it a great fit for meal prep.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
This was so easy and delicious!!! It felt like eating a healthy version of takeout – I loved it!
Delicious and perfect amount of sauce!
This was delicious! Very simple with great flavors. Absolutely love a stir-fry with cashews in it and this did not disappoint. Mary always knocks it out of the park with her Asian inspired dishes. This is better than Chinese takeout and I love that it’s made with better-for-you ingredients.