This Chicken and Broccoli recipe is made with a simple, yet incredible peanut sauce and it’s ready in about 30 minutes! Your dinner is waiting!
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Peanut sauce might as well be magic when it comes to dinner time. It dresses up whatever basic ingredients you are using and makes them taste amazing. Yes, I said amazing. And I stand by my overused word choice, which in its informal use means, “startlingly impressive.”
Indeed.
What is startlingly impressive is that you can take the humble vegetable broccoli and a plain jane chicken breast and add a simple sauce to create a healthy, 30 minute meal. Amazing, friends. Amazing.
I really should call this Broccoli and Chicken instead of Chicken and Broccoli. Yes, the ratio is a little more broccoli than chicken. That’s how I roll and how I think our dinner plates should be. Plant forward. More plants than meat. Chicken (preferably organic) isn’t nutritionally void, and gives us that needed lean protein, but broccoli has the super-health-promoting phytonutrients that you only find in plants. So don’t be afraid to have Broccoli & Chicken instead of Chicken & Broccoli.
Delight your taste buds with our easy and healthy chicken and broccoli recipe. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Weeknights should only be fun – not spent in the kitchen chatting with pots. And so, I keep all my favorite easy dinner recipes saved for weekend dinners. One recipe that my whole family wants more and more of is this delicious chicken and broccoli recipe. It’s on the table in less than an hour, and the flavor profile is unbeatable.
The dish is popular on a Chinese restaurant menu. Where I live, it’s also the best Chinese takeout dish. But for me, preparing at home always wins. It only asks for a few simple ingredients. So, the home version is cheaper and healthier. No compromises on taste; I assure you!
I’m a fan of this recipe’s stir-fry sauce. It’s saucy to the point where you may want to eat it with a spoon. So, serve a bowl of steaming white rice with it and win hearts. For a low-carb option, brown rice is a winner. (If you prefer a sauce without peanut butter, check out my healthy stir fry sauce instead.
My family also enjoys it with egg fried rice, shrimp lo mein, and egg rolls.
Ideally, the recipe is a juicy Chinese chicken stir fry. But if beef is more your thing, swap your chicken for flank steak or sirloin strips. You’ll love it. Also, feel free to drizzle some Hoisin sauce, green onions, and red pepper flakes to add even more flavor.
Recipe Ingredients for the Easy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Some of us think that how flavorful a dish turns out to be has something to do with how fancy the ingredients are. Not true. This stir fry requires only a few pantry staples, and it’s so delicious.
Here’s what I use in my easy chicken and broccoli stir fry recipe:
For the Sauce
Natural Peanut Butter
If you ask me to name the star of this flavorful sauce, I’ll say it’s peanut butter. It has a nice nuttiness and gives the sauce a unique flavor. But there’s more to this ingredient than just its taste. On a scale of healthiness, natural peanut butter stands as a superfood. It’s full of protein, vitamins, and minerals that promote good health.
Lime Juice
Stir fries are supposed to be refreshing and light. And lime juice does just that. It adds a bright and tangy flavor to the sauce, making it irresistible. I also use lime juice for its nutritional benefits. It’s full of vitamin C and antioxidants that fight free radicals in our bodies. And with kids who catch colds like they catch candy, I make sure I add an immune booster to every recipe.
Soy Sauce
This one’s a must in my kitchen pantry. Whether you use regular soya sauce or dark soy sauce is up to your taste. I use low-sodium soy sauce because of its health benefits. But when I’m out of it, coconut aminos or low-sodium tamari are my best picks. Both make great substitutes.
Whatever you use, always do so to taste. Every brand has a different salt content.
Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV’s acidity helps balance the flavors in this sauce. The tanginess enhances the flavor of ginger and garlic. Plus, it’s a potent antioxidant with lots of healthy benefits, including weight loss and improved digestion. No way I’m saying no to it.
Honey
Of course, the sauce calls for a sweetener. So, pick your favorite honey. It’ll balance all the other flavors. For a vegan dish, try agave or maple syrup. (And swap out the chicken for your favorite vegan protein)
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil has a nice nutty flavor. And it effortlessly adds it to the sauce. It also has healthy fats that help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. A big bonus!
Although sesame oil gives the dish an authentic stir-fry taste, there’s no hard and fast rule as to which oil you should use. Peanut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil will work just fine.
Ginger and Garlic
Fresh ginger and garlic are best for stir fry.
In a pinch, you can switch one teaspoon of fresh garlic for half a teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 tsp fresh ginger with between an eighth to fourth of a teaspoon of ground ginger.
For the Stir Fry
Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts
Make sure you cut your chicken pieces into small chunks. It will help them cook faster and more evenly in the pan. If you don’t want to use boneless chicken breasts, you can also use chicken thighs for an even more succulent and flavorful dish.
Broccoli Florets
I’m all for eating fresh vegetables whenever possible. Frozen broccoli florets will also work just fine if fresh is not available or you just happen to have a bag of frozen broccoli in your freezer that you want to use. If you’re not a fan, snap peas, green beans, cauliflower, or bell peppers make a great substitute.
How to Make the Tender Chicken and Broccoli Recipe
Don’t feel overwhelmed by that long ingredient list. The meal prep and the actual cooking part are super easy. With a few minutes of prep work, you’ll have dinner ready in no time.
Just follow these steps.
- Blend peanut butter, soy sauce, ACV, lime juice, sesame seed oil, honey, ginger, and garlic in a blender to make your stir-fry sauce. For a thicker sauce, add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter and blend it again.
- Fry your chicken cubes in avocado oil until golden brown.
- Remove and cover when done.
- In the same large skillet, cook your broccoli for about five minutes in hot oil. Sprinkle some salt to make it crispy.
- Pour the delicious peanut sauce into the pan and mix until it coats all of the chicken and broccoli.
- Relish!
Recipe Tips for Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Stir fries are quick recipes. You’re working on a hot pan, and the ingredients are moving fast. So, keep everything chopped and prepped.
- If you plan to serve white rice, have the rice cooking before you start the chicken and broccoli recipe.
- This recipe would go very well with this Ginger Jasmine Rice recipe as well as this Coconut Rice Recipe.
- You can keep your leftovers for later in the fridge for three to four days. Use an airtight container. When you want to reheat, do it in a pan on medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. You can also microwave it if you want. Enjoy!
I hope you love this Chicken and Broccoli recipe as much my family. If you try it, please let me know! Leave a comment and star rating below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag me so I see it and I’ll feature you!
Keep scrolling past the recipe card if you’d like more easy 30 minute dinner ideas!
Chicken and Broccoli
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Broccoli and Chicken with Peanut Sauce tastes incredible served over quinoa, brown rice, or jasmine rice.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos, low-sodium tamari, or reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or fat of choice), divided
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 3 bunches of broccoli, cut into small florets (about 6 cups florets)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- To make your peanut sauce, blend the first 8 ingredients until smooth. (If you don’t have a blender, mince the ginger and garlic and then whisk all of the ingredients together very well.) Set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes and sprinkle with a small amount of salt and pepper. Cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center, about 5-10 minutes*.
- Removed the cooked chicken from the pan and cover it to keep it warm. Turn the heat up just a bit and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan.
- Add the broccoli and sprinkle it with a little bit of salt and pepper. Toss the broccoli to coat it in the coconut oil and then add a few tablespoons of water.
- Cook until the broccoli is bright green and crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan. Add the peanut sauce to the pan and stir until the chicken and broccoli are well coated. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Time depends on how small you cubed your chicken. If you need them to cook faster, make them smaller. Mine are typically ready in 8 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dinner recipe
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 12.3g
- Sodium: 201mg
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Protein: 21.3g
More 30 (ish) Minute Dinner Ideas
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts
This is such an easy and flavorful recipe. For anyone that likes a satay style dish, this one is a bit more tangy due to the lime but that’s what really makes it so good. That and the broccoli that soaks up all the sauce! yum!
Chicken and Broccoli is a Healthy Recipe that is good for the people looking for the best fitness. I like to try this healthy recipe and see its taste as well as it have a lot of nutrition benefits in it.
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I like it! My children avoid foods with black pepper because they perceive it to be too hot. Even so, I agree with you.
The food looks great. I made them and they are really delicious!
Help, you didn’t finish the recipe left off with cooking the broccoli then what?
That is so strange! It seems it disappeared somehow. After you cook the broccoli, you simply need to add the chicken back to the pan, add the peanut sauce, and stir until everything is hot. Serve! 🙂
I’ve made a lot of peanut sauces and none come close to this. While it makes me crazy to see people review recipes with major alterations, I have to admit I made this vegetarian friendly by adding shredded carrots and roasted peanuts, and serving it over quinoa. Triple yum!
Have you ever made this with PB2?
No, I haven’t. Sorry!
Gay
I made this for dinner tonight. So, so good and the recipe was easy to follow. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for letting me know, Kellie!
Made tonight and both kids and husband enjoyed. Might increase broccoli cooking time as we like it a little less crispy around here.
Absolutely loved this for dinner tonight! I took a chance and used almond butter because that’s what we prefer in our house, and it turned out great. Big hit with my husband and 2 1/2 year old as well. Thank you!
So glad to hear that, Courtney!
Made this tonight and it was great! New favorite and will be making over and over again. Thank you for a great recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
This was so good! New family fav. I added a bit of siracha sauce for some kick!
Good idea! My kids think black pepper is spicy, so we have to add ours separately if we want that kick. I’m with you though!
Yum, that sauce sounds great. I don’t eat meat but I could dress up plain seared tofu really easily with this sauce, no marinating required!
Tofu or even chickpeas thrown in the mix would be great!
Ahhhhh the peanut sauce! I couldn’t agree with you more – it really does take a meal to the next level. I love the chicken and broccoli combo and now I’m craving this for dinner tonight!
I love that you can put it on just about anything and it tastes good!