Chicken broccoli stir fry is one of those quick and easy meals that will become a go-to recipe for busy weeknights. Quickly cooked chicken and broccoli cooked in a simple soy sauce based stir fry sauce with just a touch of heat. Easy and delicious. Serve it with some Healthy Fried Rice or Healthy Chow Mein.
If there's one thing I'd like you to take away from this blog (okay other than tasty recipes) it's that you CAN make great, healthy meals at home — even if you don't have all the exact, right ingredients.
Take, for instance, this recipe. It's a twist on a classic Asian beef-and-broccoli dish, but made with chicken breast instead.
The reason for chicken breast? Well, I wish I could say that it was purposeful, but it's the result of one of those instances when I had to improvise. I had simply forgotten to buy the beef for the dish and was too lazy to head back to the store.
Luckily, I've spent enough time in the kitchen to know I could substitute one for the other. And it didn't take years and thousands of recipes, my friends. If you're not there yet, don't get discouraged. Just know that it happens to everyone — the forgotten trip to the store, the meat that's gone bad before you've had a chance to use it, the picky eaters, etc.
Have faith in yourself that you can customize dishes in your kitchen to suit your needs as they are. And if it doesn't go exactly as planned, don't worry, you'll get there!
I'm happy to say, this experiment was good enough to share (they aren't always). In fact, chicken thighs would have worked just as well, but I happened to have chicken breasts on hand.
Recipe Ideas For Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Customizing is key! For example, if you don't like chicken (or forgot to buy it), sub back in beef or whatever you have. Other great ways to customize this dish include:
- Using thin-sliced pork or firm, pressed tofu.
- Adding in different (or more) vegetables. Good options include cauliflower, bok choy, shredded red cabbage, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, sugar snap or snow peas, and even diced sweet potato.
- Add in veggie noodles - zucchini, sweet potato, or another squash.
- Make it more spicy by using a hot chili oil, Sriracha, extra red pepper flakes, sliced jalapenos, or another spice you enjoy.
- Add in diced onions and cook those until soft before adding the chicken. Remove the onions with the chicken and add back in when you add the chicken to the broccoli mixture.
- Add a tablespoon or two of white or black sesame seeds over the top when your dish is done for a little extra crunch. Chopped peanuts or cashews would work well here too.
How can I use leftovers?
That is a great question. I like to eat it straight out of the container in which it was stored. Yep, cold chicken and broccoli and all. You could, obviously, heat it up and eat it warm. You can also eat this over leftover rice, noodles, or other grain. Or warm it up and add it to some hot chicken or vegetable broth for a warm soup with Asian flavors that's sure to satisfy.
I sometimes like to put my leftovers over the top of a baked potato. Don't knock it till you try it! Add a touch of extra soy sauce or some oyster sauce and it's pretty tasty.
One tip: When reheating this dish you might need to add a tablespoon or two of water to thin out the thickened sauce after being refrigerated.
What to serve with Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
I like to serve this over rice, noodles, or another grain, but you could get a little creative here. Have you ever tried basmati or jasmine rice? What about a wild rice mixture? These are all very aromatic and flavorful and would complement this dish quite nicely.
You can also use a thin noodle like spaghetti, angel hair, or vermicelli. Asian noodles such as udon, ramen, and rice also go great with a stir fry of any kind.
What's the best way to cut chicken for a stir fry?
No matter if you are cutting chicken thighs or breasts, one easy trick to cutting it the perfect thickness is to cut it while it's still frozen. Chicken is surprisingly easy to cut frozen.
You can let it thaw some, but you want it to be pretty cold to get those nice, easy slices. It will thaw out pretty quickly once it's been cut. Also, make sure you slice it against the grain to make the chicken tender and to help it absorb all the yummy sauce!
Can I use frozen broccoli for stir fry?
Frozen broccoli or other frozen veggies are a great option for this recipe if that's what you have on hand. Two quick tips for using frozen broccoli. First, use half the amount of chicken broth since frozen broccoli will cook more quickly and needs less moisture. Secondly, make sure not to overcook the broccoli since frozen broccoli can quickly get mushy.