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This healthy chicken and broccoli stir fry is a lighter, gluten-free, and soy-free take on the takeout classic! With over 120 five-star reviews, it’s a reader favorite made with tender velveted chicken, crisp broccoli, and a saucy garlic sauce.
You’ll learn the Chinese velveting method for juicy, golden chicken—plus stir-fry tips for heat and timing. Try my Paleo beef and broccoli or Chinese shrimp and broccoli stir fry next!
Main Ingredient notes
- Chicken breast: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a leaner option, since thighs can be a bit greasy and release more moisture. We use a simple Chinese velveting method—just marinate the chicken with baking soda, starch, olive oil, and coconut aminos. This quick step keeps the meat tender and juicy while giving it a nice golden sear.
- Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli florets for the best texture and flavor. Frozen broccoli is pre-cooked before freezing, so it tends to turn soft and mushy after stir-frying. If you want crisp-tender broccoli, stick with fresh. For a shortcut, grab a bag of pre-cut florets to save on prep time
- The “holy trio” of aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and scallions are Asian stir-fry staples that build deep, savory flavor and aroma.
- Garlic stir-fry sauce: To keep this gluten-free, I use aged balsamic vinegar instead of Chinese black vinegar—just a splash adds sweet-tangy depth and helps thicken the sauce. I like this super dense aged balsamic. Coconut aminos to replace soy sauce for a gluten-free, soy-free umami base. Tapioca starch thickens the sauce.
How to make chicken and broccoli stir fry
This healthy chicken and broccoli recipe gives you a restaurant-quality stir-fry in just 30 minutes! Be sure to use my quick chicken stir fry marinade for that signature velvety texture in Chinese stir-fries, and do a quick blanch to keep your broccoli crisp and colorful.
- Velvet the Chicken: Marinating is key to a truly tender chicken breast stir-fry! The baking soda tenderizes the chicken, while the starch and oil create a light coating that locks in moisture and helps it brown.
- Tip: A quick 15-minute marinade is all you need for juicy, velveted chicken. For even better results, marinate for 30 minutes—or prep ahead and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- For perfectly cooked, crisp broccoli: To keep your broccoli tender-crisp and vibrant, par-cook it first—either blanch in hot water or microwave with a splash of water. Then drain well—excess water in the pan will steam the vegetables instead of sautéing them.
- Stir-fry chicken until golden and juicy: Preheat a large skillet until it’s too hot to hold your hand over—heat is key for browning. Adding the chicken in a single layer prevents steaming for a golden, seared crust. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes before flipping to build color and flavor. Once both sides are golden and the pieces are cooked through, remove them from the pan so they don’t overcook—no rubbery chicken here!
- Quickly sauté broccoli and aromatics: In the same pan, add oil and toss in your garlic, ginger, and white scallion parts. Stir for just 8–10 seconds—they should smell fragrant but not brown. Then add your broccoli to warm it up and let it soak up the flavor of the aromatics.
- Toss in the sauce and cook until it thickens: Give the sauce one last stir before pouring it in, so the starch doesn’t settle at the bottom and the sauce thickens properly. Stir constantly once it hits the pan to coat everything evenly. The sauce thickens fast, so don’t walk away!
- Garnish and serve with rice: Turn off the heat and sprinkle over the green parts of the scallions for color and a fresh, crunchy finish. Serve right away with rice, perfect for soaking up any extra sauce.
What to serve with broccoli chicken
Serve this easy chicken stir fry with broccoli alongside rice, your favorite appetizers, and Asian-style condiments for a high-protein takeout-style meal the whole family will enjoy.
- Rice: Keep things simple with some rice cooker white rice—perfect rice every time! Or try my quick and easy air fryer fried rice for a real takeout experience.
- Appetizers: These gluten-free rice paper egg rolls or Keto scallion pancakes are always a hit! My Paleo hot and sour soup or gluten-free wonton soup are great options, too.
- Condiments: Pickled garlic, pickled daikon, or Asian pickled cucumbers are quick, easy, and add an instant flavor boost to any meal.
Try these Chinese chicken stir fry recipes next!
Recipe Card
Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Healthy chicken and broccoli is gluten-free & low carb. Tender velveted chicken breasts tossed in a light yet flavorful garlic sauce. This is one of my most popular recipes on the blog.
Video
Ingredients
Chicken stir fry marinade:
- 1 lb. chicken breasts thin sliced
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tsp tapioca starch or potato starch, or cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ⅛ tsp white pepper or black pepper
Broccoli and Aromatics:
- 4 large garlic cloves thin sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
- 4 bulb scallions chopped and separate white and green parts
- 10 oz. broccoli florets blanched
- 2 tbsp avocado oil divided
Chicken broccoli sauce:
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp aged balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp coarse salt
- 2 tbsp chicken stock
- 1.5 tsp tapioca starch or arrowroot, or potato starch
Instructions
- Slice the chicken: Hold your knife at a 45-degree angle to make the slice wider and flatter. Slice the chicken against the grain into thin pieces (about ⅛”).
- Marinate (velvet) the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with ingredients from coconut aminos to pepper. Mix well and set it aside in the fridge to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Chop the aromatics: Prepare garlic, ginger, and scallions.
- Broccoli florets: For larger florets, halve or quarter them to keep them in similar sizes so they cook evenly. You can either hot water blanch them for 1 minute, then rinse with cold water and drain well, or microwave with 1 tbsp water in a covered microwave-safe container for 2 minutes total on high, flipping halfway through. Set aside to cool and be sure to drain thoroughly.
- Sauce: In a small bowl, stir well with ingredients from coconut aminos to starch.
- To stir fry the chicken: Preheat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat until it’s too hot to place your palm near the surface, about 2 to 3 inches away.
- Add 1 tbsp oil and swirl it around the skillet. Add the chicken, turn heat up to medium-high, and quickly spread out the chicken into a single layer. Pan fry them without disturbing them until they are golden brown, about 2-3 mins.
- Then use a spatula with a firm tip to flip and sear the flip side, about 1-2 mins. The chicken should be cooked through and golden brown on the outside. Transfer out and set aside.
- To sauté the vegetables: Use the same pan and add 1 tbsp cooking fat. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and white scallion parts over medium heat until fragrant, about 8 to 10 seconds.
- Add sauce and combine: Drain the broccoli florets again if any moisture remains, then add them to the pan. Turn heat up to medium-high. Toss quickly to coat in the aromatics, then return the chicken to the pan. Stir the sauce again and pour it in. Continue tossing and stirring until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and broccoli, about 8 to 10 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Serve: Transfer the chicken broccoli to a large serving plate. Garnish with green scallion parts. Serve warm with rice.
Notes
- Make-ahead and storage: You can slice and marinate the chicken ahead of time. For a quick marinade, they’re ready to use in about 20 to 30 minutes. Or, refrigerate and use within 1 to 2 days.
- To freeze: Store the marinated chicken in a freezer-safe bag, lay it flat, and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before stir-frying.
- Coconut aminos to regular light soy sauce conversion: 1 tbsp coconut aminos is approximately equal to ½ tbsp light soy sauce + ½ tbsp chicken stock + ¼ tsp coconut brown sugar.
- Why I use aged balsamic vinegar: Aged balsamic—especially the super thick kind—has a naturally sweet and tangy flavor and is gluten-free. Its consistency is thicker than regular balsamic, which makes it a great substitute for Chinese black vinegar (which usually contains gluten). When used in small amounts and paired with the right ingredients, aged balsamic gives the sauce a nice depth and balance. I personally like the dense, long-aged versions—Whole Foods has a great one!
- Soy sauce alternatives: These days, there are plenty of gluten-free and soy-free options to fit your needs. Coconut aminos is both gluten-free and soy-free, but you can also find gluten-free soy sauce (tamari or GF-labeled light soy sauce) and even soy-free soy sauce made from peas. The soy-free versions taste nearly identical to regular soy sauce in terms of saltiness, color, and texture—so you can pick what works best for your diet without sacrificing flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 788mg, Potassium: 673mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 486IU, Vitamin C: 66mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve been making this recipe for at least ten years! I no longer eat strict Paleo, but I still prefer this sauce to a heavy soy/oyster sauce version. Delicious and super healthy. Five stars.
Thank you so much!
This is almost my weekly meal dish. simple ingredients but flavourful with the delicious seasoning combined together.
One of my favorites to meal prep. Tastes so much better than takeout!
Really simple recipe.flavor was spot on. Great tips and notes!
THank you!
I have made this a dozen times and my family just loves it.
easy and delicious. I wanted to prep dinner in the morning for a quick meal when I got home late so I mixed the chicken w/ everything but the baking soda, minced aromatics and parboiled the broccoli ahead of time. Added the baking soda to the chicken when I got home and quickly had dinner on the table. The batch sear is such a time saver! Thanks Chihyu!
Thanks for sharing!
Just made this for my 68 birthday celebration with my group “Golden girls” and everyone asked for recipe…yummy
Wow! Happy Birthday, Debora! You go, girl!
I have made this oh …. 6 times already and it’s always such a hit. SO flavorful! the velveting of the chicken is such a great hack. LOVE great thing about chicken and veggies is I can load my kid up with good stuff and a ton of carbs and I can enjoy my food, too 🙂