Chinese chicken and broccoli stir-fry is a classic dish that always satisfies. With tender slices of chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, and a glossy sauce that clings to every bite, it’s the kind of dish that makes your mouth water. This recipe strikes the perfect balance of soy, garlic, and sesame flavors, deeply rooted in traditional Cantonese cooking.

It’s incredibly comforting, with the rich, savory aroma rising from a hot wok that always brings me back. This is the stir-fry I grew up with, the one I turn to whenever I’m craving a taste of home. I’m delighted to share it with you, not only because it’s delicious, but because it is the taste of comfort and real Chinese cooking.

Let me show you how to make it taste just like it came from a Cantonese kitchen.

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Main ingredients for the Chinese Broccoli and Chicken Stir-fry

• Chicken. Chicken breast is a popular choice for stir-frying, but you can also use thigh meat, which is more tender and generally preferred in many Asian kitchens.
• Broccoli. I use broccoli in this recipe, but some might prefer Gai Lan, a leafy variety of Chinese broccoli. While Gai Lan is commonly available in Asia, it may not be as easy to find elsewhere. Feel free to substitute it with other leafy greens, as the preparation method remains nearly the same.
• The stir-fry sauce. The stir-fry sauce consists of salt, sugar, oyster sauce, ground white pepper, a bit of water, and cornstarch to thicken the sauce. These are common ingredients in most Cantonese-style stir-fries. You can also add other elements to build more depth of flavor. Some popular additions include sesame oil and Shaoxing wine.
• Other ingredients include ginger and garlic, which are aromatics that add fragrance to the stir-fry. In addition, the white part of scallions is also commonly used for this purpose.

How to prepare Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry

Preparation

• Freeze the chicken meat until it is half-frozen. It is easier to cut the half-frozen state as it is firm enough to handle easily. Cut the chicken meat thinly across the grain so that it cooks quickly during stir-frying. 
• Cut the stalk of the broccoli as close to the florets as possible. Some of the florets will naturally fall off. Snap off the remaining florets by hand. If needed, cut the stalk again to release more florets or make them easier to break apart. Avoid slicing large florets in half with a knife, as it tends to ruin their appearance. Trim off the tough outer layer and cut the stalk thinly. It’s crisp, tender, and just as delicious as the florets.
• Blanching broccoli in plenty of water results in florets that are crisp, vibrant, and clean-tasting. I set my kitchen timer for two minutes for the florets, and two and a half minutes for the sliced stalks. Make sure the water is at a full boil before adding the broccoli. For best results, use at least three times the volume of water compared to the amount of vegetables.
• Prepare the seasoning by mixing light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, cornstarch, and a dash of sesame oil.

Cooking

• Brown the chicken pieces on both sides with some oil in a skillet or wok.
• Sauté the garlic and ginger in the same wok with a bit of oil. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the stir-fry sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wok spatula, until the sauce turns transparent, which indicates that the cornstarch is fully cooked.
• Return the chicken and broccoli to the wok. Turn the heat to high and stir-fry briefly, for about 20 seconds. Keep flipping and tossing the ingredients so that each piece makes quick contact with the searing hot surface of the wok. This motion creates the wok aroma
• Finally, add a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine and a splash of sesame oil. Give it a quick stir, then dish it up.

Continue to Content

Chicken & Broccoli Stir-fry

Yield: 1 people

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A simple but tasty quick dish best to be served with rice.

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Ingredients

For the marinade: (A)

• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 egg white

For the sauce: (B)

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• dash ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cornflour, as the thickener
• 3 tablespoons water

For the remaining ingredients: (C)

• 100 g chicken, breast or thigh meat, cut into slices
• 200 g broccoli, cut into florets
• 4 slices, ginger
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken meat into bite size.
2. Marinate with (A) for 15 minutes.
3. Cut the broccoli into florets.
4. Blanch the broccoli florets for two minutes and two and a half minutes for the stalks.
5. Place in ice water to cool. Drain.
6. Stir-fry the chicken with some oil. Once it turns color, let the heat of the wok to brown the chicken pieces. Set aside.
7. Add some oil in a clean wok, saute the garlic and ginger with some oil.
8. When the garlic starts to turn golden brown, pour (B) into the wok. Cook over low heat until the sauce becomes transparent.
9. Combine the broccoli with the sauce in the wok.
10. Return the chicken to the wok. Turn to high heat and stir-fry for a short while, about twenty seconds.
11. Add a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine.
12. Add the sesame oil to the wok, give it a quick stir and dish up.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 892mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 34g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 6/16/2019

Helpful Tips for a Better Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1. Cut the broccoli into larger florets as they look more presentable than smaller ones.
2. Blanch the broccoli before stir-frying. The main advantage is to shorten the stir-frying time to just 30 seconds, while helping the florets retain a brighter, more appealing color. If you skip this step, you’ll need to stir-fry the broccoli for 2 to 3 minutes to get it tender, but it may lose its vibrant green hue by then.
3. If you’re not cooking the broccoli immediately after blanching, transfer it straight into a bowl of ice water. The cold water instantly stops the cooking process, preserving the bright color and crisp texture. Drain the broccoli thoroughly and store it in the refrigerator. It can be kept for up to a day without sacrificing quality. This allows you to prepare it in advance.
4. I’ve incorporated the cornstarch slurry directly into the sauce. This method was developed during my time working in a restaurant, where I found it to be the most efficient way to thicken the gravy.
5. You can use regular flour instead of cornstarch as a thickener, but since flour has a lower thickening power, you’ll need about three times the amount to match the same consistency. Also, flour is less stable than cornstarch, which may thin out over time if left sitting.
6. I do not use dark soy sauce as seasoning, as it will dull the bright green color of the broccoli.

Key Tips That Make This Recipe Work

• Marinate the chicken to infuse it with flavor.
• Half-freeze the chicken breast to make it easier to slice thinly.
• Blanch the broccoli before stir-frying to preserve its color and texture.
• Pre-mix the stir-fry sauce so everything goes smoothly once the wok is hot.
• Brown the chicken pieces to deepen the flavor.
• Use plenty of garlic and ginger for a fragrant, savory base.
• Stir-fry over high heat just before serving for the wok aroma.

Why Marinating the Meat Matters in Stir-Frying

When stir-frying, the sauce mainly coats the surface of the meat during cooking. Marinating helps the flavors go deeper. The salt and seasonings in the marinade are absorbed into the chicken, giving it a more flavorful bite throughout. Without marinating, the seasoning won’t penetrate the inner part of the meat, as it only remains on the surface.

A Few More Dishes You Might Want to Cook Next

If you enjoy broccoli, you might want to try some of my other related recipes for a change.

• Chinese Broccoli Stir-Fry – A simple and flavorful stir-fry using Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan).
• Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry – It is common in Chinese cooking to pair seafood or meat with vegetables in one dish. This is a home-cooked favorite.
• Hainanese Chicken Chop – A uniquely Malaysian take on “Western” food that blends Chinese cooking techniques into a classic chicken chop recipe.