Hello to healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry! We love a good stir fry for dinner – protein, veggies, a delicious sauce, and usually served with some rice. What else can you ask for?! Our go-to for years has been beef and broccoli, but I decided to change things up a bit!
I love a good spin on classic Chinese food. We grew up eating it in the colder months (my mom LOVES Chinese food) and it still brings back fond family memories. I love going back east and going to Chinatown in Philadelphia with my family.
While I love going out or getting take-out for good Chinese food, it sometimes doesn’t make me feel my best. And that is where this healthy chicken and broccoli comes in!
It’s super easy to make, packed with protein and veggies, and has an easy sweet and savory sauce with a little kick that makes the dish. You won’t miss Chinese takeout after making this!
Why you’ll love this healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry recipe
- made in one pan and full of flavor!
- packed with protein – one serving has 41 grams of protein!
- great for meal prep – the leftovers save great and it works well for meal prep.
Is chicken and broccoli healthy?
Chinese chicken and broccoli can be a healthy dish as it is loaded with protein and has veggies and fiber. Making it at home ensures you know exactly what is going into it, as getting it out at a restaurant or take-out, can be loaded with sodium and sugars.
One serving of this healthy chicken and broccoli has 447 calories, 41 grams of protein, 32 grams of carbs, 16 grams of fat, and 4 grams of fiber. It is also loaded with vitamin B3, B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, phosphorus, and potassium.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- chicken breast
- broccoli
- chicken broth
- coconut aminos
- lime juice
- toasted sesame oil
- garlic
- ginger
- red pepper flakes
- tapioca flour
- salt and pepper
How to make chicken and broccoli stir fry
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl or jar, add coconut aminos, 1/2 cup broth, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper and whisk to combine. In a separate jar, make a slurry by adding 2 tablespoons broth along with the tapioca flour and whisk to combine. Set both of them aside.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat, add oil, and let it get hot. Add sliced chicken to the pan, evenly spreading it out and without overcrowding, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30-60 seconds per side (depending on how thick you sliced it). Remove from pan and repeat with remaining chicken (I had to do this in 3 batches).
- Saute the broccoli. Leaving the chicken juices in the pan, add broccoli, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occassionally. If needed you can add a little broth to the pan to help it stem. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside (leave behind any juices).
- Thicken the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the pan cool for 30-60 seconds. Give the slurry another good whisk to ensure there are no clumps. Add the sauce and the slurry to the pan, whisking to combine. Turn the heat back to medium and cook until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon (a nappe consistency), about 3-5 minutes.
- Assemble. Add the chicken and broccoli back to the skillet, toss to combine, and heat through for about 1 minute.
- Enjoy! Top with sesame seeds and green onion and serve with your sides of choice!
What to make with chicken and broccoli
Here are a few options to serve with chicken stir fry:
- white or brown rice
- quinoa
- cauliflower rice – a low carb alternative to white rice
- ramen or udon noodles
- zucchini noodles – another great low carb alternative
Tips for the best chicken broccoli stir fry
- make sure you cut your chicken thin. I suggest popping it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes so it is easier to slice, cutting against the grain, and using a sharp knife. Check out this tutorial! I usually just do 10-15 minutes but will depend on how thick your meat is.
- cut your chicken and broccoli florets into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
- season your chicken with salt and pepper to give it some flavor.
- make sure not to overcrowd the chicken when cooking – I do mine in a few batches. It will come back in the pan at the end so keep that in mind. No one likes dry chicken.
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – allow to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- freezer – I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but it should work. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- reheating – to heat it up, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop.
Substitutions
- chicken breast – I prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. You could also use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, pork, or shrimp. To make it vegan, leave out the meat or use tofu.
- broccoli – you can adjust as you like or add more vegetables. Cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, green beans, mushrooms, or zucchini would be great to add to this.
- chicken broth – you can use either beef broth or veggie broth instead of chicken broth. Bone broth will also work and add more protein.
- coconut aminos – low sodium soy sauce or tamari will work instead, it will just change the flavor a bit. Using either one of those will lower the carbs in the recipe. If using soy sauce, the recipe will not be gluten-free. Do not use liquid aminos as they are way too salty.
- lime juice – there isn’t a sub for this.
- toasted sesame oil – if you can’t find toasted sesame oil, regular will work the same, it just won’t have as much flavor.
- garlic – you can use garlic powder instead. If using garlic powder, use 1 teaspoon.
- ginger – you can use ground ginger instead. If using ground ginger, use 1 teaspoon.
- red pepper flakes – leave off or lessen the amount if you don’t want it spicy.
- tapioca flour – arrowroot flour or cornstarch can be used instead of arrowroot.
More healthy & easy chicken dinner recipes
- curry noodles with chicken and veggies
- healthy chicken pad thai
- chicken fajita casserole
- peanut butter chicken
- buffalo chicken casserole
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Flavor-packed healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry made with chicken, broccoli, and a thick and sticky stir fry sauce to bring it all together. It's made in one pan, ready in 30 minutes, and only calls for 11 ingredients! Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30.
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equipment
ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces *
- 7 cups broccoli florets (465 grams/about 2 heads)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons chicken broth (plus more for cooking, if desired)
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: sesame seeds, green onions, cilantro…
- for serving: white rice, cauliflower rice…
instructions
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl or jar, add coconut aminos, 1/2 cup broth, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper and whisk to combine. In a separate jar, make a slurry by adding 2 tablespoons broth along with the tapioca flour and whisk to combine. Set both of them aside.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat, add oil, and let it get hot. Add sliced chicken to the pan, evenly spreading it out and without overcrowding, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30-60 seconds per side (depending on how thick you sliced it). Remove from pan and repeat with remaining chicken (I had to do this in 3 batches).
- Saute the broccoli. Leaving the chicken juices in the pan, add broccoli, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed you can add a little broth to the pan to help it stem. Remove veggies from the pan and set aside (leave behind any juices).
- Thicken the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the pan cool for 30-60 seconds. Give the slurry another good whisk to ensure there are no clumps. Add the sauce and the slurry to the pan, whisking to combine. Turn the heat back to medium and cook until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon (a nappe consistency), about 3-5 minutes.
- Assemble. Add the chicken and broccoli back to the skillet, stir to combine, and heat through for about 1 minute.
- Enjoy! Top with sesame seeds and green onion and serve with your sides of choice!
notes
*to thinly slice the chicken, I like to place it in the freezer for 10 minutes so it hardens and is easier to slice
Make sure to use coconut aminos and not liquid aminos as those will make the recipe way too salty
This recipe was slightly modified in October 2024 after receiving some feedback about the sauce not thickening. The addition of the flour should easily thicken it up.
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/3 of recipe))
Calories 446
Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2.6g16%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.8g
Cholesterol 111mg37%
Sodium 1479mg64%
Potassium 1088mg31%
Carbohydrates 32.1g11%
Fiber 4.3g18%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 40.8g82%
Vitamin A 66IU1%
Vitamin C 144mg175%
Calcium 94mg9%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Dan says
Loved it one of my favs
Kelly Nardo says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Dan!
Tdog says
The sauce cooked for almost 45 min and never reduced or thickened. I used the exact ingredients. Not sure what happened.
Kelly Nardo says
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. I know some people have had issues with this recipe even though I haven’t. I will see if I can update the recipe to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.
Bailey Hill says
I used soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos, and put in a bit less lime juice. It was a bit salty, but the family enjoyed it!! I think I’ll add less sesame oil next time, but that’s a personal preference:)
With soy sauce it didn’t thicken as expected, but I added a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons of water and it thickened great!
Kelly Nardo says
So glad to hear it worked with those adjustments. Thanks for trying it, Bailey!