Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry (extra saucy!) Recipe
This fast and simple Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry makes use of the minimal components you will get away with however nonetheless ship a dish that stacks as much as Chinese language restaurant commonplace! Loads of savoury do-it-yourself stir fry sauce – as a result of broccoli florets are a sponge for sauce plus I would like further for rice soaking. It’s important!
If you happen to descended upon your native Asian Market armed with my Asian Market Procuring Record and stocked up on the Degree 1 important sauces, you could have the three sauces that you must make this.
How good is that!!?
And in case your weekly grocery buying is as predictable as mine, then chicken and broccoli made it into your trolley on the weekend.
Which suggests you’re armed and harmful, able to prepare dinner up this large batch Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry. Full with further sauce!
I name this a “large batch” Chicken Broccoli stir fry as a result of most of my stir fry recipes are usually made on a smaller scale serving 2 to 4 folks max, being that crowding the pan = stewed veggies which is among the best sins of stir frying.
We don’t have that drawback with this one as a result of we steam the broccoli first earlier than making the stir fry because it received’t prepare dinner within the brief time it’s on the range. So we are able to crowd the pan and make an enormous batch that simply serves 5, probably even 6!
Additionally, broccoli holds up higher than most greens with leftovers, so it is a terrific meal prep choice (which I usually don’t suggest for stir fries) which is why I don’t thoughts having leftovers.
Right here’s what you want for this:
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Cooked broccoli – as famous above. Steamed or boiled, whichever you favor.
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Chicken – breast or thigh. If you happen to’re utilizing breast, I like to recommend tenderising the chicken utilizing the key Chinese language restaurant methodology for “velveting chicken” – simply toss sliced chicken in baking soda, depart to tenderise for 20 minutes, rinse, prepare dinner like regular chicken, marvel at how tender the meat is! Instructions are included within the recipe card.
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Soy sauce – use both gentle soy sauce or all objective soy sauce. Don’t use darkish, flavour will probably be a lot too intense;
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Chinese language cooking wine OR Mirin – utilized by the gallon in Chinese language eating places, it’s the key ingredient that makes stir fry sauces so good. Mirin or dry sherry are good substitutes, see recipe notes for non alcoholic choice – simply substitute the water which chicken inventory/broth;
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Oyster sauce – provides a stack of flavour and a contact of candy. Vegetarian choice: Use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce, it’s fairly good! Ayam is an efficient model, bought at massive on a regular basis grocery shops. Additionally, right here’s a do-it-yourself Vegetarian Oyster Sauce recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook, a Chinese language recipe web site. I used to be extraordinarily impressed with it;
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Sesame oil (toasted) – for a stunning trace of sesame flavour;
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Cornflour/cornstarch – to thicken the sauce and make it shiny and shiny; and
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Garlic and onion – stir fries not often occur with out these two important flavour bases. Tip: Chop the garlic with a knife fairly than utilizing a garlic press (crushing makes it moist so it doesn’t sauté correctly).
It comes collectively in about 5 minutes on the range, so ensure you have the whole lot chopped, subsequent to the range, able to toss in. This may be made in a (massive!) wok although I discover it simpler simply to make use of a skillet for this specific stir fry as a result of it makes an enormous batch.
This recipe requires 1 1/4 cups of water which feels like a LOT! However further sauce is important right here as a result of the broccoli florets are a sponge for sauce.
Serve it over rice although in case you’re pushing by way of a low carb section, then strive cauliflower rice as a substitute. It really isn’t as unhealthy as you assume, it’s received a really impartial flavour and the tasty stir fry sauce does wonders to disguise any remnant of cauliflower flavour.
Additionally one other good low carb choice is Egg Foo Younger (Chinese language Omelette) which you may make then smother with this Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry as a substitute of creating the Egg Foo Younger brown sauce.
And for fellow chicken and broccoli tragics, see beneath the recipe card for a considerably prolonged listing of assorted different chicken and broccoli this-and-that recipes I’ve shared. – Johnsat x
PS I say “tragics”, however being that broccoli is a powerhouse veggie, we should always give ourselves a pat on the again for packing a lot broccoli into our diets! 💪🏼
Ingredients
- 500g/1 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced (or boneless thighs, do not tenderise)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb soda (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose soy (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing wine) or Mirin (Note 3)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)
- 2 tsp sesame oil , toasted (Note 5)
- Dash of white pepper (sub black)
- 2 tbsp oil , peanut, vegetable or canola
- 1/2 onion , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced with knife
- 400g/ 14 oz broccoli florets , broken/cut into small bite size pieces (2 medium heads, ~5 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- White rice or other rice of choice
Instructions
- Tenderise chicken: Consider tenderising chicken breast using this method. (Not needed for thigh)
- Broccoli: steam or boil using preferred method until cooked to your taste (it won't cook any further in the stir fry). I usually microwave steam 3 minutes on high. Drain well (waterlogged florets = diluted sauce).
- Sauce: Mix cornflour and soy sauce until lump free, then mix in remaining ingredients.
- Cook aromatics: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, stir for 10 seconds until garlic starts to go golden.
- Cook chicken: Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Thicken sauce: Add broccoli, Sauce and water. Stir well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the Sauce thickens and becomes glossy, and coats the ingredients.
- Serve over rice!
Notes
1. Tenderised chicken – If using breast, option to tenderise using the Chinese method so it’s super soft, slippery and juicy like you get at Chinese restaurants using baking soda. Not essential, but definitely elevates it to “real takeout” level!
No need to do this if using chicken thigh because it’s a juicier cut. See How to tenderise chicken the Chinese way (Velveting) for more information!
2. Soy Sauce – ordinary all purpose or light soy sauce. Do not use dark soy sauce – flavour is too strong and sauce will be very dark. See here for more information about different soy sauces.
3. Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine) – Essential for a truly restaurant-tasting Chinese stir fry sauce. Sub with dry sherry (near perfect sub). If you can’t consume alcohol, use low sodium chicken broth/stock in place of the cooking wine in the Sauce AND in place of the water, AND reduce oyster sauce by 1 tablespoon.
4. Vegetarian Oyster Sauce – Nowadays you can find vegetarian oyster sauce (suitable for vegans) even at supermarket. For example, Ayam Vegetarian Oyster Sauce. It’s actually pretty good!
And here’s homemade Vegetarian Oyster Sauce recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook, a Chinese recipe blog. I was extremely impressed with it.
5. Toasted sesame oil is brown and has more flavour than untoasted (which is yellow). Default sesame oil sold in Australia is toasted, untoasted is harder to find.
6. Charlie – to make this using Charlie (the affectionate name for my All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce!), use 7 tablespoons of Charlie instead of the Sauce in this recipe. The stir fry sauce in this recipe is basically Charlie.
7. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing – sauces thickened with cornflour/cornstarch tend to become watery if frozen. But other than sauce thickness, flavour holds up just fine!
Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings, excluding rice.
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