Amazing 25-Minute chicken broccoli stir-fry

If you need a dinner that tastes like you spent hours on it but actually takes less than 25 minutes, you’ve come to the right place! My go-to chicken broccoli stir-fry is the weeknight hero I rely on when life gets busy. I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes designed to make your everyday cooking easier and way more joyful.

I’ve spent years perfecting these fast meals, focusing on big tastes that come together lightning-fast. What I love most about this particular recipe is the punch of fresh ginger paired with sweet basil—it just sings! It’s proof that you don’t need complicated techniques or long marination times to get restaurant-quality results. Trust me, this one is going straight into your rotation.

Why You’ll Love This Quick chicken broccoli stir-fry

This recipe is designed for real life. You get maximum flavor with minimum fuss. I promise you’ll keep coming back to this one because:

• It’s genuinely ready in under 25 minutes total—perfect for those crazy evenings.
• The combination of fresh ginger and basil creates an incredible aroma and taste.
• It looks gorgeous on the plate, making a simple meal feel special.
• The sauce clings perfectly to every piece of chicken and broccoli.

Equipment Needed for Your chicken broccoli stir-fry

Don’t let the fancy flavor fool you; you don’t need a ton of specialized gear for this. Just grab what you already have!

• A wok or a really large, heavy skillet is essential for getting that high heat.
• A sharp knife for slicing the chicken thinly and quickly.
• Your standard set of measuring cups and spoons—accuracy matters here, especially with the cornstarch!

Gather Ingredients for the Perfect chicken broccoli stir-fry

Okay, the real secret to getting this done in 25 minutes is having everything chopped and measured before the pan even hits the heat. Seriously, prep is everything in stir-fry cooking! We are focusing on bright, fresh flavors here—that means grating your ginger fresh, not digging out the jarred stuff. That vibrant bite of fresh ginger and the sweet, late addition of basil are total game-changers.

Once you have all your components ready to go, the actual cooking part flies by so fast. You won’t believe how little time it takes to pull this beautiful, colorful meal together!

Ingredient List for chicken broccoli stir-fry

Here is exactly what you need for four satisfying servings. Make sure you have the tamari and vinegar measured out for both the marinade and the final sauce!

Component	Amount	Preparation Note
Boneless skinless chicken breast	1 pound	Thinly sliced
Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce	5 tablespoons (divided)	Use divided amounts for marinating and sauce
Rice vinegar	2 tablespoons (divided)	Use divided amounts
Cornstarch	4 teaspoons (divided)	Use divided amounts for coating and sauce
Honey	1 teaspoon	For the sauce
Avocado or canola oil	2 tablespoons (divided)	For cooking
Garlic	2 cloves	Minced
Fresh ginger	1 tablespoon	Grated
Scallions	2	Sliced
Broccoli florets	2 cups	Small florets
Water	½ cup	For steaming
Snow peas	1 cup	Trimmed
Fresh basil leaves	¼ cup	Torn

Mastering the Steps to Make chicken broccoli stir-fry

Alright, this is where the magic happens, but remember what I always say: stir-fry waits for no one! We need to move quickly once that pan gets hot. The whole process, from the time you add the oil until you’re serving it over rice, is just about 15 minutes. Get your station ready, and let’s get cooking!

Preparing the Chicken Marinade

First up, we’re treating that chicken right. Grab a shallow bowl—don’t use metal if you can help it, just a glass or ceramic one works best. This initial marinade is super important because that little bit of cornstarch is going to create a protective, velvety coating on the chicken. When you cook it fast over high heat, that coating keeps the meat tender inside and gives you those lovely golden edges without drying it out.

Mix together 2 tablespoons of your tamari, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Toss your thinly sliced chicken in there until everything is evenly coated. Just let that sit while you get your sauce ready. Seriously, give it 5 minutes of mingling time—that’s all the marinating it needs!

Assembling the Stir-fry Sauce

Next, we make the powerhouse sauce that brings all the flavor. This needs to be whisked together now so you can just pour it in later. Don’t skip the honey; it balances the saltiness of the tamari perfectly and helps the final sauce glaze nicely.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of tamari, the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar, the other 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, and that 1 teaspoon of honey. Whisk it until that cornstarch is completely dissolved—no lumps allowed! Put this bowl right next to your stove. You’ll be grabbing it in just a few minutes, I promise.

Cooking the Chicken for Your chicken broccoli stir-fry

Time to heat things up! Place your wok or large skillet over high heat—we mean high, like smoking hot. Add 1 tablespoon of your cooking oil and let it shimmer. When it’s shimmering, carefully add your marinated chicken in a single layer. This is crucial: if you dump it all in and pile it up, it will steam instead of sear. We want color!

Cook it for just 1 to 2 minutes per side until it looks golden brown. Once it’s done, pull that chicken out immediately and set it aside on a clean plate. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through yet; it’ll finish cooking in the sauce later. Taking it out prevents it from overcooking while you handle the veggies.

Building Flavor with Aromatics and Steaming

Now, drop that last tablespoon of oil into the hot pan. Toss in your minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced scallions. Stir-fry them fast—only about 30 seconds—until you can really smell that amazing fragrance. Don’t let the garlic burn, or the whole dish will taste bitter!

As soon as you smell those aromatics, throw in your 2 cups of broccoli florets and pour in the ½ cup of water. Immediately cover the pan tightly. This traps the steam, and that steam is what cooks the broccoli perfectly—tender-crisp, not mushy. Let it steam for exactly 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, take the lid off and toss in your trimmed snow peas.

Finishing the chicken broccoli stir-fry

Time to bring it all home! Return the cooked chicken and any juices that collected on the plate back into the pan with the vegetables. Give everything a quick toss.

Now, pour that prepared sauce (the one you whisked earlier) all over everything. Keep stirring frequently. You’ll see the sauce start to bubble and thicken up within 2 to 3 minutes. It should cling beautifully to the chicken and veggies. Once it’s thick, immediately pull the pan off the heat. This stops the cooking process right away.

The very last step, and don’t skip this for the world, is stirring in your torn fresh basil leaves. The residual heat will wilt them just enough to release their sweet, peppery perfume without turning them black. Serve this chicken broccoli stir-fry immediately over hot rice!

Tips for Success Making chicken broccoli stir-fry

Stir-fries can sometimes be tricky if you hesitate, so here are my top tips to make sure your chicken broccoli stir-fry turns out amazing every single time. I’ve learned these the hard way, so you don’t have to! You can find more great tips on our Pinterest page.

• Keep that Heat High: Seriously, don’t be shy with the burner. High heat is what gives you that sear and prevents the vegetables from getting soggy. If your oil isn’t shimmering before the chicken goes in, it’s not ready.
• Don’t Crowd the Pan: When you cook the chicken, if you have a smaller pan, cook it in two batches. Overcrowding drops the temperature instantly, and you’ll end up boiling the meat instead of searing it.
• Whisk Your Sauce Last Minute: Cornstarch settles at the bottom of that sauce bowl fast! Give it one final, vigorous whisk right before you pour it in during Step 7.
• Check That Temperature: Since we pull the chicken out early, it’s vital to check the internal temperature when you think it’s done before you plate it up. Make sure that chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) to be safe and delicious!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

This chicken broccoli stir-fry is fantastic as leftovers, but you have to store it correctly to keep that crisp texture. Don’t just toss the whole pan in the fridge! Once it cools down a bit, divide the leftovers into airtight containers. I find that keeping the rice separate until serving time helps a lot.

When you reheat it, avoid the microwave if you can, as it tends to steam the veggies. A quick toss in a hot skillet over medium-high heat brings back most of the original flavor and texture. Here’s a quick reference for storage:

Storage Method	Duration
Airtight Container (Refrigerated)	3 to 4 days
Freezing	Not recommended (textures suffer)

Frequently Asked Questions About chicken broccoli stir-fry

I get so many questions about this recipe because it’s such a staple! People always want to know how to customize it for their own kitchens. Here are the things I hear most often about making the best chicken broccoli stir-fry. If you are looking for other quick chicken meals, check out our red curry chicken in 30 minutes.

Q1. Can I use dried basil instead of fresh basil?
Oh, I totally get it if you can’t find fresh basil! If you must substitute, use about 1 teaspoon of dried basil for the ¼ cup fresh. But honestly, try to grab the fresh stuff if you can; the flavor difference is huge, especially since we add it right at the end.

Q2. What if I don’t have chicken? Can I use shrimp or tofu?
Absolutely! This recipe is so flexible. If you swap to shrimp, cook it for only 1 minute per side because it cooks so fast. If you use tofu, press it really well first, cube it, toss it in the cornstarch marinade, and pan-fry it until golden before setting it aside, just like the chicken.

Q3. My broccoli seems too hard after 2 minutes of steaming. What should I do?
That depends on your florets! If you have giant broccoli pieces, they need more time. Next time, cut them smaller. For this batch, just put the lid back on and steam for another minute, checking every 30 seconds. We want tender-crisp, not raw!

Q4. Is it okay to use regular soy sauce instead of tamari?
Yes, you can use regular soy sauce for this quick dinner, but be careful about the salt! Tamari is naturally gluten-free and sometimes a little milder. If you use regular soy sauce, I’d skip adding any extra salt and taste the sauce before you pour it over the chicken and veggies.

Understanding the Nutrition in This Recipe

I always love seeing how balanced this chicken broccoli stir-fry is, especially since it comes together so quickly! Remember that these numbers are just estimates based on the ingredients listed, and they can change depending on the exact cut of chicken or brand of tamari you use. But generally, this is a fantastic, high-protein meal that keeps the fat reasonable for a weeknight. For more high-protein chicken ideas, see our high protein chicken stir-fry.

It’s great that we get so much protein from the chicken, which keeps you feeling full long after dinner. Plus, with all those veggies, you’re getting good fiber and essential nutrients. It’s a winner for feeling satisfied without feeling weighed down!

Nutrient	Estimated Amount (Per Serving)
Servings	4 servings
Calories	Approx. 400
Protein	38g
Fat	20g
Carbohydrates	16g

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