Chinese Chicken and Broccoli made with seasoned chicken thighs and crisp broccoli coated in a flavorful brown sauce. This 30 minute meal is the perfect segue into your weeknight cooking.
Chinese chicken and broccoli makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal that's full of protein and veggies. You can adapt this recipe to substitute in your favorite protein if chicken isn't your thing plus you can add in an assortment of veggies if you'd like to make it even more colorful and nutritious.
If you struggle with getting food on the table fast, I think you'll appreciate the simplicity of this recipe. All you need is 30 minutes and dinner will be served.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Broccoli (cut into florets)
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Coco aminos (soy sauce substitute)
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Cooking oil (grape-seed, olive oil or peanut oil)
- Corn starch + water as a thickener (optional)
How to make Chinese chicken and broccoli
This Chinese chicken and broccoli recipe comes together pretty quickly. If you'd like to add additional veggies feel free to do so.
Chicken: Pat dry chicken with paper towels and season with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Sear both sides of chicken and place on clean plate. Allow chicken thighs to rest. Cut seared thighs into strips or cubes.
You can cut the chicken thigh into strips or cubes first then sear if you'd like. I prefer searing the thighs first then cut them up. Chicken is easier to cut after its cooked in my opinion.
Aromatics: Add fresh minced garlic and ginger to same skillet and saute until fragrant. Add coco aminos and water mixture to skillet and simmer. Add cut chicken thighs to skillet and continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes so the sauce will thicken and develop more flavor.
Putting it together: Add the blanched broccoli to the skillet and toss everything together so that the broccoli florets get well coated. Add a dash of salt and a squeeze of juice from a fresh lemon.
How to serve: Serve over a bed of rice and enjoy.
Tips
- Chicken thighs add more flavor than chicken breast
- Freshly minced garlic and ginger elevates the flavor making the entire dish even more delicious
- Blanching the broccoli for 2 to 3 minutes keeps the broccoli crisp and vibrant in color and makes for perfectly cooked Chinese chicken and broccoli
- Do not overcook the broccoli if so it will become soft and mushy which will ruin the recipe
- Combing the sauce with the aromatic and cooking it down will thicken the sauce and will add incredible flavor
- To thicken the sauce even more, add a slurry which is a combination of equal parts cornstarch and water to the sauce and stir this will create a nice velvety sauce
- If using soy sauce, feel free to add in bit of oyster sauce or Hoisin sauce for a slightly sweet taste when using coco aminos I do not feel that it's needed as coco aminos already has a slightly sweeter taste than soy sauce
You may also like these other Asian inspired recipes
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Thanks for visiting,
Cree
📖 Recipe
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet, dutch oven, or other heavy bottom skillet
Ingredients
- 1-½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
- 2 lbs broccoli (cut into florets)
- 5 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
- ½ cup coco aminos (or soy sauce - if using soy sauce feel free to add a tablespoon of oyster sauce or Hoisin sauce for a little sweetness)
- 3 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1-2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon grape-seed oil (olive oil or peanut oil)
Instructions
- Mince the fresh garlic and ginger and set aside. Using a measuring cup, measure out the coco aminos and water and set aside.
- Wash the broccoli and cut into florets. Place the broccoli florets into a pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli then immediately place the broccoli in a bowl of cold water with ice to stop the broccoli from further cooking. Drain the water and remove the ice cubes. Set the broccoli aside.
- Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels until the thighs are completely dry. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Add grape-seed oil or other cooking oil to a skillet and place over medium high heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs and sear for 6 to 8 minutes on both sides. Do not crowd the skillet. Sear the thighs in batches if necessary to prevent the thighs from steaming instead of searing. After searing, place the chicken thighs on a clean plate. Set aside until the thighs are warm to the touch. Use kitchen shears or a chef's knife to slice or cut the thighs into cubes.
- To the same skillet, saute the minced garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the coco aminos and water mixture and allow to simmer. To thicken the sauce further, add a slurry (combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water). Add it to the sauce and whisk. (OPTIONAL).
- Add the thighs back to the skillet and continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the broccoli to the skillet and toss until the chicken and broccoli are coated in the brown sauce. Season with a dash of salt or to taste.
- Serve over rice and enjoy.
Notes
- Chicken thighs add more flavor than chicken breast
- Freshly minced garlic and ginger elevates the flavor making the entire dish even more delicious
- Blanching the broccoli for 2 to 3 minutes keeps the broccoli crisp and vibrant in color and makes for perfectly cooked Chinese chicken and broccoli
- Do not overcook the broccoli if so it will become soft and mushy which will ruin the recipe
- Combing the sauce with the aromatic and cooking it down will thicken the sauce and will add incredible flavor
- To thicken the sauce even more, add a slurry which is a combination of equal parts cornstarch and water to the sauce and stir this will create a nice velvety sauce
- If using soy sauce, feel free to add in bit of oyster sauce or Hoisin sauce for a slightly sweet taste when using coco aminos I do not feel that it's needed as coco aminos already has a slightly sweeter taste than soy sauce
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