Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry
A delightful chicken stir-fry with broccoli, carrots, and sugar snap peas, tossed in homemade soy sauce with rich notes of garlic, ginger, and soy sauce.
Making Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry in just 20 minutes is not only quick, but it tastes way better than takeout. It’s packed with fresh veggies and totally customizable. Don’t like broccoli? Swap it out for bell peppers. Cutting out gluten? Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. You can also throw in other veggies like green onions, zucchini, baby corn, cabbage, bok choy, celery, or regular onions for extra flavor.
What Is Stir-Fry?
Stir-fry is a quick cooking method that involves tossing bite-sized pieces of food—usually meat, vegetables, and sometimes noodles—in a hot wok or frying pan. The high heat and constant stirring ensure everything cooks evenly. This technique comes from Chinese cuisine, but it’s popular in kitchens worldwide for how versatile and easy it is.
What Goes Into a Stir-Fry?
A classic stir-fry usually features crisp vegetables and a protein like chicken, beef, or tofu. Want to get creative? Try rice noodles for a twist! You can add veggies like green onions, zucchini, asparagus, baby corn, cabbage, bok choy, celery, or onions to mix things up.
Cooking sequence is key. Start by tossing in the onions to get that sweet, caramelized flavor. Then, move on to sturdier veggies like carrots or celery. Next, add the softer ones—think zucchini or mushrooms. Save the delicate veggies, like peas or leafy greens, for last so they stay fresh and crisp.
Unique Stir-Fry Ideas
Want to make your stir-fry stand out? Go for a peanut satay sauce by mixing peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and coconut milk. Or try a sweet and sour combo with ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. The possibilities are endless, and it’s fun to experiment with different flavors.
For a healthier spin, skip the brown sugar in the sauce and sub in coconut aminos for soy sauce. Coconut aminos have a naturally sweet flavor, so they can easily replace both the sugar and soy sauce for a lighter version.
Key Tips for Great Stir-Fry
- Cut Evenly: The key to perfect stir-fry is cutting your veggies into similar sizes so they cook evenly. You don’t want half of them mushy and half raw, right?
- Get Those Burn Marks: Stir-fry happens at high heat, so don’t be afraid of a little char on your veggies. Those burn marks add tons of flavor!
- Make Your Own Sauce: Store-bought sauces are convenient, but they’re often packed with preservatives and extra sugar. A homemade stir-fry sauce made with soy sauce (or coconut aminos), ginger, garlic, and maybe a touch of honey or sesame oil will make your dish pop.
- Cook Separately: Always cook your veggies and protein separately to avoid overcooking. Combine them at the end to ensure everything stays tender-crisp.
With these tips, you’ll be able to whip up stir-fry that’s fresh, flavorful, and totally tailored to your taste. Let me know how yours turns out!
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Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 head broccoli (chopped)
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
- 1 recipe classic stir fry sauce (see notes)
- 8 oz rice noodles (cooked according to package directions)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 head broccoli, 1 cup sugar snap peas and 2 large carrots to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are al dente. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Add 2 cups cooked chicken to the skillet and stir until heated through.
- Pour the classic stir fry sauce over the chicken and combine with the cooked vegetables.
- Toss 8 oz rice noodles with the chicken and vegetable mixture until well coated.
- Serve the stir fry hot and enjoy.