In the hustle and bustle of back to school season, finding the perfect balance between convenience and nutrition can often feel like an uphill battle, especially when it comes to satisfying the discerning palates of our kids. We’ve all been there – weighing the tempting allure of takeout menus against the desire to serve up something wholesome that our kids will actually enjoy.
Well, this Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is a kid-friendly, quick recipe, offering an easy dinner alternative to Chinese takeout. With tender, lean chicken breasts to crisp, vibrant florets of broccoli, this stir fry is the ultimate duo of protein and veggies all tossed in a sweet and savory sauce.
And the best part? You control the ingredients…right down to swaps to satisfy all the picky eaters. Read on for everything you need to enjoy a healthy dinner on any busy weeknight.
Ingredients for Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Marinade & Stir Fry Sauce — coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce), brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, corn starch.
- Protein & Veggies — avocado oil (or vegetable oil), chicken breast, fresh broccoli florets, yellow onion.
- Accompaniments & Garnishes — steamed white rice (or brown rice), green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sriracha (optional)
Prep Notes
- Chicken — cut boneless skinless chicken breast into bite-sized pieces or thin strips for quick, even cooking. With large breasts, I like to slice them in half horizontally to create two (or even three) thinner filets before slicing across the grain to create strips.
- Broccoli — cut larger florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces. When working with a full head, dice the broccoli stems if you’d like to use them as well.
- Onion — for easy julienned strips, cut the onion in half then follow the ribs to cut into small wedges.
- Garlic & ginger — you can grate both of these on a microplane if you prefer.
Steps to Make Homemade Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Step 1. Whisk together the stir-fry sauce ingredients with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with 1/4 cup of the sauce and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Step 2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir occasionally until cooked through; transfer to a dish.
Step 3. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and stir fry the broccoli and onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Look for slight charring along the edges of the onion. Add 1/2 cup water and steam the vegetables, uncovered, for another 2 to 4 minutes until the broccoli is crisp-tender.
Step 4. Return the meat to the skillet along with the remaining sauce. Toss everything together and allow it to simmer to slightly thicken the sauce.
Step 5. Serve the stir fry over steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds. For more adventurous palates, add some crushed red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha!
Substitutions for Variety (& Broccoli Bans)
It’s easy to swap out the proteins and veggies in this recipe to please little taste buds and add variety to your meal plan.
Proteins — Think chicken thighs, lean beef, pork tenderloin, and shrimp. For a vegetarian meal, use extra-firm tofu or a plant-based meat.
Veggies — You can substitute with sliced carrots, green beans, sugar snap peas, or bell pepper strips. Try adding mushrooms, bok choy, bamboo shoots, or water chestnuts.
Flavorings — Consider using a low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth instead of water to steam the vegetables. Add some minced lemongrass to the stir-fry sauce. Toss in some peanuts or cashews. Garnish with Chinese basil or cilantro. Drizzle on a little toasted sesame oil at the very end.
Sauce — Use honey in place of brown sugar. For added convenience, you could use store-bought, organic hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, or stir-fry sauce instead of making it from scratch.
Serving Ideas — Instead of rice, try serving your stir fry over other grains like quinoa or barley. Go with noodles instead, like rice noodles, egg noodles, or even spaghetti. Amp up the vegetable quotient with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
With all those swaps, you could have a completely different meal for days on end! Quick, delicious, nutritious, and kid-friendly meals are well within reach – right in the heart of your own kitchen.
Linda Feller has been a Plan to Eat superfan since 2013 and will whip out the app to share with anyone who expresses the least bit of interest. She is a recipe developer, food photographer and the gal behind Sip + Sanity, recipes for entertaining and celebrating.
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Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry
Source: Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller for Plan to Eat
Course: Main Course
Prep Time: 13 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 28 min
Serves:
Ingredients
- For the sauce/marinade:
- 1⁄4 cup water
- 1⁄3 cup coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1-1⁄2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- For the stir fry:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil divided, or vegetable oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite size pieces
- 12 oz fresh broccoli cut into bite size florets
- 1 yellow onion cut into wedges + separated
- 1⁄2 cup water
- For serving:
- 2 cups steamed rice
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- toasted sesame seeds
- sriracha or red pepper flakes optional
Directions
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Place sliced chicken in a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the sauce. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes (or longer if you prep ahead).
- Add one tbsp of oil to a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned & cooked through, stirring every so often. Remove it to a dish.
- Add the remaining one tbsp of oil to the pan, then stir fry the broccoli and onion for 2 to 3 minutes until some charring starts to appear on the onions. Add 1/2 cup water and steam for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp-tender. Return the meat to the skillet along with the remaining sauce. Toss everything together as it heats through and the sauce thickens.
- Serve over steamed rice; garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds (and a little sriracha or red pepper flakes if you like some spice).
Amount Per Serving (4)
- Calories: 456
- Protein: 36 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Carbohydrate: 48 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 98 mg
- Sodium: 1120 mg
- Fiber: 4 g
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