Chicken and Broccoli (Healthy Recipe!) (2024)

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!

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 sauceinstead.

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.

1. 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.
2. Fry your chicken cubes in avocado oil until golden brown.
3. Remove and cover when done.
4. In the same large skillet, cook your broccoli for about five minutes in hot oil. Sprinkle some salt to make it crispy.
5. Pour the delicious peanut sauce into the pan and mix until it coats all of the chicken and broccoli.
6. Relish!

Recipe Tips for Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

1. Stir fries are quick recipes. You’re working on a hot pan, and the ingredients are moving fast. So, keep everything chopped and prepped.
2. If you plan to serve white rice, have the rice cooking before you start the chicken and broccoli recipe.
3. This recipe would go very well with this Ginger Jasmine Rice recipeas well as this Coconut Rice Recipe.
4. 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!

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More 30 (ish) Minute Dinner Ideas

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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts