This easy stir-fry recipe for Chinese Chicken and Broccoli in a brown sauce is quick, easy, and on the table in just 30 minutes – what more could you ask for?
Serve with a starter of Chinese Noodle Soup and Homemade Fried Rice for an authentic Chinese meal right in your own home!
This healthy version of a takeout favorite combines chicken, super healthy broccoli, garlic, and ginger for a delicious, weeknight dinner.
And it’s just 408 calories – it doesn’t get much better!
Why This Recipe Works
- The use of fresh aromatics like ginger, garlic, and green onions adds big bold flavors that make a stir-fry special.
- Using chicken thighs instead of breasts means more flavorful meat.
- Steaming the broccoli before adding it to the stir-fry allows for perfectly cooked broccoli every time.
- Cooking down the sauce to thicken it creates a sauce with deep, rich flavors.
A Quick and Easy Weeknight Meal
This Chinese Chicken and Broccoli is perfect for busy mid-week meals because it’s so fast and simple to make. Plus, you can toss in any meat or vegetables you have.
This truly is dinner on the table in just 30 minutes that’s homemade. Making Chinese food from scratch isn’t at all complicated.
Choosing the Best Broccoli
- Choose bright green broccoli with firm, strong stalks.
- Woody stems should be avoided. They will turn out hard and chewy when cooked.
- Avoid broccoli with yellowing florets. It’s a sign that it has gone past the stage of desirable texture.
- Select broccoli with compact florets. The more open the florets, the less fresh it is.
Restaurant Quality at Home
The recipe tastes like what you get from Chinese restaurants even though this is made using store-bought ingredients.
Whether you’re new to cooking or a seasoned cook, this Chinese chicken and broccoli recipe can be made in your kitchen to serve up a simple dinner the whole family can enjoy.
How to Make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli:
Start with steaming the broccoli until it’s just undercooked (you’ll be adding it at the end to finish it off).
headerNext, heat the wok or pan and brown the chicken on all sides.
I use chicken thighs because it’s juicier and full of flavor. Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the wok and set aside.
Add some oil to the wok or pan and stir-fry the garlic, green onions, and ginger (being careful not to let it get too dark).
Put the chicken back in the pan and add the soy sauce.
Add the hoisin sauce.
Next, add the hot water.
Drizzle with the honey.
Simmer, turning & drizzling with honey now and again for 7-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduced.
Add the broccoli to the pan.
Toss with the sauce until fully cooked.
It’s that simple. Serve and enjoy!
Impress your guests by serving this dish with my best ever fried rice for a real authentic tasting meal that’s completely homemade!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
Erren’s Top Tips
- Prepare all the ingredients before heating the pan or wok. When making a stir-fry, things move quickly. Have everything cut and measured before you start,
- Set the heat high. Heat your pan or wok before adding the oil. This step will help prevent sticking to the pan.
- Once the oil is added, spread it around the pan to coat it well. Choose an oil with a high smoke point. Like Vegetable or Peanut.
- If you like a thicker sauce, mix some cornstarch with a little cold water until smooth and mix it in at the end until thickened. See the recipe notes for more information.
- For an added crunch and texture, add some unsalted cashews or water chestnuts.
- Add mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas to create a whole new dish that’s just as easy.
- Serve with brown rice for an extra healthy meal.
- Replace the Hoisin sauce with Teriyaki sauce or Oyster Sauce for a simple variation.
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 large head of Broccoli cut into florets
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 3 green/spring onions trimmed and sliced
- 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce or oyster sauce for less sweetness
- 3 Tablespoons light soy sauce (extra to taste)
- 6 Tablespoons honey approximately
- 6 Tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Steam or sauté the broccoli to the softness just a bit firmer than you prefer & set aside.
- Heat a wok over a high heat and add a bit of oil. Add the chicken and brown on all sides to seal the meat. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Fry the garlic, spring onion and ginger for 30 seconds in the hot wok, adding a little more oil if necessary, tossing now and then.
- Put the chicken back in the wok. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and the hot water and bring to a boil. Drizzle with some of the honey, cover, and simmer, turning & drizzling with honey now and again for 7-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduced.
- Add the broccoli and toss with the sauce until cooked through
Tips + Notes
- Prepare all the ingredients before heating the wok. When making a stir-fry, things move quickly. Have everything cut and measured before you start,
- Set the heat high. Heat your pan or wok before adding the oil. This step will help prevent sticking to the pan.
- Once the oil is added, spread it around the pan to coat it well. Choose an oil with a high smoke point. Like Vegetable or Peanut.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir until smooth paste forms. Stir into the simmering sauce bring to a boil and simmer just until any starchy taste has been cooked away.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014, but was updated in August of 2018 with slight changes to the recipe as well as including step by step photos, nutritional information, tips, and a video.
Tam says
My husband and son love this recipe!!!!!!!!!!
Erren's Kitchen says
That’s awesome!! So glad it is a hit!! Thank you for taking the time to share! 🥰
Sofa king hungry says
Horrible, I followed the recipe to the t and this was disgustingly unflavourful. Please remove this trash ass recipe
Erren's Kitchen says
I am sorry it did not suit your preferences. Thank you for the feedback and I hope you have a beautiful holiday.
Tam Tran says
My husband and son love this recipe!!!!!!
Erren's Kitchen says
So happy to hear that!! Thank you for trying it out!!
Gregory Bowman says
Turned out really well, modification needed here and there; however, I would still say that this is a winner!
Erren's Kitchen says
That is great!! Thank you, Gregory! So glad you like the recipe and were able to make modifications to your preference!
erin ryan says
Yay .. what else to do with chicken thighs & broccoli
I made my own hoisin sauce, using tamari, honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil.
Ditto for the soy sauce vis-a-vis tamari, and replaced the green onions with more garlic, added a jalapeno, and the Sriracha was the Huy Fong garlic chili..
Hey.. I had to stay home during the snow storm
Thank you
Erren's Kitchen says
That sounds delicious, Erin!!
Donna Myers says
Very dry
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate your comment. If you found the dish a bit dry, you might want to try adjusting the sauce consistency to your liking. You can thicken it by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water, stirring until a smooth paste forms. Stir this into the simmering sauce, bring it to a boil, and simmer until any starchy taste has cooked away. This should give you a thicker and more flavorful sauce. I hope this helps!
Marilyn says
Can you sub frozen broccoli for fresh?
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Marilyn. Yes, you can substitute frozen broccoli for fresh. If the frozen broccoli is not already thawed, you’ll want to thaw it according to the package instructions. Typically, you can do this by microwaving it or letting it sit in a bowl at room temperature until it’s no longer frozen. Since frozen broccoli is already partially cooked during the blanching process before freezing, it may not take as long to cook as fresh broccoli. Adjust the cooking time accordingly. You might not need to steam or sauté it for as long. Keep an eye on it and cook it until it’s the desired tenderness.
Thank you for your interest in this recipe. Please let us know how it works out for you. 😊
Kelsey m says
This was so delicious!! That first bite made me so freaking happy lol.. I didn’t use honey but turned out fantastic!! Could the same recipe be used for beef and broccoli?
Erren Hart says
Sure, you can use beef! I’m delighted to hear that the recipe turned out well for you. Your positive feedback means a lot.