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Chicken and broccoli stir-fry is a Chinese restaurant classic for a reason! It’s a quick, easy, and incredibly flavorful dish that’s perfect for a weeknight meal. This simple and delicious recipe delivers a combination of tender chicken, al dente broccoli, and a simple savory sauce that you can make at home.

Keys to a Great Stir-Fry

The key to a successful stir-fry lies in high heat and quick cooking. You want to sear the chicken and quickly cook the broccoli to retain its vibrant color and crisp-tender texture.

Tips for Stir-Fry Success:

• Prep your ingredients: Before you start cooking, prep all your ingredients. Slice the chicken, chop the broccoli, mince the garlic, and measure out your sauces. This will make the cooking process much smoother.

• Velvet your chicken: This is a Chinese restaurant best kept secret to deliver moist succulent meat all the time. I had showed you this method in my Beef and Broccoli Stir fry recipe, but I will show you here again

• Medium-high Heat: Use high heat to sear the chicken and quickly cook the vegetables.

• Don’t Overcrowd the griddle: If you overcrowd the griddle surface, the food will steam instead of stir-fry.

• Stir Constantly: Keep stirring the ingredients throughout the cooking process to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

• To avoid over seasoning, do not use any salt until the end when you give the dish a taste, then you can adjust from there. 

Thinly sliced chicken(Boneless thighs preferred)

Broccoli 

4 cloves garlic minced

½ onion sliced

Cornstarch

Baking soda

¼ cup water

Stir-Fry Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

⅛ cup rice cooking wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chili oil

2 tsp ponzu sauce

2 tsp hoisin sauce

4 tbsp olive oil

Mix ingredients together in a separate bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Velveted Chicken

Place chicken in a bowl, add 1-2 tbsp cornstarch and ¼ cup of water. Massage meat until no water or cornstarch is visible. Season Beef, ¼ cup of stir-fry sauce and cornstarch. Use your hands to mix well until ingredients are fully incorporated. Allow to marinate for 20 mins. The broccoli will not be seasoned ahead of time so use the extra sauce to adjust the flavor. If needed, use a little salt and pepper to round out the flavor, or a dash of MSG. 

On your griddle on medium heat, cook Broccoli until al dente and move to your cool side. Add chicken to the hot side and spread evenly across the surface. Add onion and garlic on the side to begin sautéing. Pour the remaining stir-fry sauce over the meat and combine with the garlic and onion. Add mixed vegetables(optional) and then combine the chicken and broccoli together. The chicken should be moist and succulent. Served over a bowl of white sticky rice. 

Enjoy this classic dish and feel free to customize it with your favorite additions!

Do you have any favorite variations of chicken and broccoli stir-fry? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!