Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Name: Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders; 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 1/2 cups); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/4 cup chicken stock; 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp hoisin sauce; 2 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger; 2 tbsp corn starch; 1/2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

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By: Nicole 4 Comments
Posted: 09/23/19 Updated: 09/25/19

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Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry is a healthier version of a classic, and it’s all made in the oven! Tender chicken and crisp broccoli is tossed in a sweet soy glaze and served with simple white rice. Quick, easy, and virtually mess free!

Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

I’m the girl who orders Chinese chicken broccoli stir fry and picks out every single piece of broccoli before I even begin to make a dent on the chicken.

My husband, Kevin, is the guy who orders the Chinese chicken broccoli stir fry and picks out every single piece of chicken before he even begins make a dent on the broccoli.

We’re obviously a match made in heaven.

Today’s recipe is one of those healthy chicken and broccoli recipes that even broccoli-haters will adore.

We have:

melt-in-your mouth chicken tenders.
broccoli that’s perfectly tender, with a slight bite to it.
a sweet, salty, finger-lickin’ sauce packed with soy sauce, honey, and so many other yummy Asian additions.

Ingredients in Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Chicken. Unless I’m making a dish that requires chicken breasts, such as 5-Ingredient Chicken Piccata, or Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken, then I like to use chicken tenderloins. They’re SO much more tender than the whole breast, which I love.

Broccoli. You could use virtually any vegetable out there, but I love the classic combination of chicken and broccoli. It’s one of my favorite vegetables and when I do it right, it’s also one of my kids’ favorite veggies as well.

Flavor/Seasoning. Sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, ginger, and of course garlic are what flavors this dish. It’s kind of a lot of different ingredients, but the combination of all of them, makes for a seriously delicious sauce. (See notes below for tips on how to omit some of them if you HAVE to.)

Chicken Stock: I like my Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry SAUCY. I want enough sauce to nestle on top of rice, and the addition of chicken sauce helps facilitate that. And it’s a lot more flavorful than water.

Always use a low-sodium chicken broth or stock. YOU want to be able to control the amount of salt in your dish. If you have to, use can use water instead. Just note, it could alter the flavor a little bit.

Corn Starch. This is an essential ingredient. In order for the sauce to thicken to that glaze-like consistency, you’ll need a little bit of cornstarch. During the cooking process, as it heats up, it slowly thickens the sauce.

How to make Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Marinate the chicken. The is just a super quick marinade to pack in as much flavor as possible into the chicken. Add two tablespoons soy sauce, a little bit of grated garlic, and sesame oil to a large ziplock baggie. Throw in the chicken and massage the mariande into the chicken. Let it sit while the broccoli gets started in the oven.

Partially cook the broccoli. While the chicken marinates, toss the broccoli with a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet or a 9×12 casserole dish. Pour in a little bit of water and cover with foil. Cook 10 minutes.

Make the sauce. While the broccoli cooks and the chicken marinates, make the sauce. Whisk remaining soy sauce honey, ginger, hoisin, rice vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, chicken stock, and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cook the chicken and finish cooking the broccoli. Remove the broccoli from the oven and toss the foil. Add marinated chicken and broccoli to the bowl with the sauce. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Spread on the baking sheet or casserole dish.

Return to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir the chicken and broccoli and then put the pan back in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is thick and glaze-like.

Toss one more time before serving and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

What to serve with Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

I love to serve this with plain white rice, but also often use Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice. You could also serve as-is, without any starch. You could also serve it alongside our Soy Glazed Shishito Peppers, this super healthy quinoa fried rice, or this Easy Egg Fried Rice. All some of our favorite Asian side dishes!

Can I make Chinese Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry Ahead of time?

I wouldn’t recommend making this in advance. While it’s good for leftovers the next day, the broccoli does tend to get less crisp. Plus, it’s such an easy meal for weeknights, so there’s really no need to make it ahead of time.

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

Use tamari in place of soy sauce if you’re gluten-intolerant
You can also swap out agave for honey.
Additional veggies would be lovely in this. Water chestnuts, red peppers or snow peas would be great additions.
If you don’t have hoisin on hand, add an equal amount of soy sauce and honey to make up the difference.
If you like your stir fry on the spicy side, add in srirracha or crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!