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.
Servings: 4 servings
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.
Video
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
