Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry with Rice
Use this when you can’t decide: it’s fast, familiar, and dinner is done in under 45 minutes.
If you’re standing in the kitchen tired and hungry, this is the kind of dinner that helps you stop thinking. Chicken stir-fry is familiar enough to feel safe, but flexible enough to use what you already have. It’s a good choice on busy weeknights when you want something hot, savory, and filling without a lot of cleanup or guesswork. Expect crisp-tender broccoli, juicy chicken, and a simple glossy sauce over rice. It’s not fancy, and that’s the point: this is dependable dinner that comes together quickly and gets you to the couch sooner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast — cut into thin bite-size pieces
- 3 cup broccoli florets — cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil — divided
- 1 tsp salt — divided
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger — grated
- 0.25 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 cup cooked white rice — for serving
- 2 unit green onions — sliced
Method
- 1 Mix the soy sauce, water, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
- 2 Season the chicken with half the salt and the pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- 3 Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet. Stir-fry the broccoli for 3 to 4 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed to help it soften.
- 4 Add the garlic and ginger, stir for 30 seconds, then return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and thickened.
- 5 Serve over rice and finish with green onions.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the chicken with 14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed, and cook it the same way.
- Faster swap — Use microwave rice and pre-cut broccoli florets to cut the active time almost in half.
- Substitutions — Swap broccoli for snap peas, bell peppers, or a frozen stir-fry vegetable mix; use brown sugar instead of honey if that’s what you have.
Notes
If the sauce thickens too fast, add 1 to 2 tbsp water and stir. For the best texture, keep the broccoli pieces small so they cook quickly.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — A wide pan lets the chicken brown instead of steaming and gives the broccoli room to cook evenly.
- Small bowl — You can whisk the sauce before the pan gets hot, which keeps the cooking moving.
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