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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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Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
I made this tonight for my family and it was a hit. Wonderful flavor! I did have to make substitutions for the arrowroot and sesame oil as I didn’t have either on hand. I will definitely make this again. Thank you so much for sharing.
I made this last night and it was Delicious! Due to family food sensitivities I left out the garlic and used coconut aminos. I served it over rice for my GF family and I ate it ‘neat’ for my low carb diet sprinkled with toasted sliced almonds. It was so satisfying that none of us wanted to stop eating it! I look forward to trying more of your recipes! Thank you❤
I don’t know how you do it but you are able to make restaurant tasting food at home without straying from Whole 30. This chicken and broccoli is better than any I would get out to eat and it’s gluten free and whole 30. Thank you for being my favorite resource for delicious food!
Love your recipes! My husband and I made the Chinese Chicken and Broccoli tonight. Another win for dinner!
Thanks for sharing..
Ann
That’s awesome. Thanks for coming back here and share with us, Ann!
A great solid recipe that you can change veggies or protein easily! Always a hit with the whole family!
I’ve been missing Chinese food since May. I cannot wait to try this! So glad I found your site!
Thank you! So happy to have you here. Please feel free to browse more of my free recipes!
What if you’re too lazy to go to the store for fresh broccoli but you have some frozen?
I’d defrost the frozen ones in a microwave – drain the liquid – before adding back to the pan 🙂
Loved this recipe! It was great for easy cooking and I passed it in to some of my bootcamp girls bc they are always looking for simple but tasty recipes. Hubby approved as well! 🙌🏻
Thank you! So happy to hear!
I have made this a zillion times in the last few years but last week I took it camping and it was a hit! In advance: Oven poached the chicken and cut in to cubes and put in a ziploc, very lightly cooked the broccoli, sliced up red pepper to add and put those in ziploc 2, mixed up the sauce and put in a jar, added a small container of minced garlic and ginger, and lastly added a tiny container with the arrowroot. Put everything in a large ziploc. At the campsite I added the arrowroot to the jar of sauce and shook it up and proceeded to stir fry. I also had a jar of coconut oil in my camp kitchen. Everyone was delighted!
Wow!
This is one of my favorite dishes! Simple, light and super flavorful. I love to add in extra veggies, especially carrots and mushrooms.
Thank you, Elizabeth!