Homemade Chinese Chicken and Broccoli recipe, ready in 30 minutes. Made with chicken thighs and crunchy broccoli, you’re going to love how extra saucy it tastes when it’s all cooked together!
Saucy Chicken and Broccoli
Craving Chinese takeout? Try this homemade Chinese Chicken and Broccoli recipe you can whip up in 30 minutes! Your family will love this tender chicken and crunchy broccoli covered in a (very!) yummy brown sauce!
Lots of chicken and broccoli recipes call for chicken breast, but I find that making it with chicken thighs tastes so much better. Chicken thighs are naturally juicier, adding more flavor to the dish and also helping keep the meat moist during cooking.
This has become one of our favorite recipes on our weekly dinner menu which never has leftovers. All my kids clean their plates! Serve with pork fried rice, wonton soup or lo mein for a complete meal.
Looking for more broccoli dishes? Check out my top 20 broccoli dinner recipes.
Ingredients
Vegetables: broccoli, green pepper and sugar snap peas. You can totally skip the peas if you don’t have them on hand but the added crunch is really nice!
Chicken Marinade: Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cornstarch, sugar, baking soda, soy sauce, vegetable oil and water.
Brown sauce: soy sauce, minced garlic, brown sugar, flour, rice cooking wine, vegetable oil and sesame oil.
Additionally: Water or chicken broth (for stronger flavor).
How to Make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
In a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients. Add the bite-size chicken pieces into a bowl and stir to coat. Set aside.
Tip: You can use chicken thighs or chicken breasts, but I think chicken thighs tastes much more like traditional Chinese takeout!
In a small bowl, combine the brown sauce ingredients.
Heat up vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, its marinade, and 1/2 of the sauce mixture. Keep cooking until chicken is fully cooked.
Add broccoli, green pepper, sugar snap peas, remaining sauce, and water. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and the broccoli is tender.
Dinner is recipe! Serve as you prefer, we love it over white rice or next to pork fried rice..
How to Store Leftovers:
What? There’s leftovers? Are you kidding me?
If you really do have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Pin for later:
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli (30 minutes)
PrintIngredients
Vegetables
- 1 large head broccoli cut up into florets
- 1 small green pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar snap peas strings removed, chopped into thirds
For the chicken marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut up into bite size pieces
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon water
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Additionally
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to fry in
- 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the marinade ingredients: cornstarch, sugar, baking soda, soy sauce, vegetable oil and water. Add the bite size chicken pieces into bowl and stir to coat. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl mix together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, minced garlic, brown sugar, flour, rice cooking wine, vegetable oil and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, it's marinade and 1/2 of the sauce mixture. Keep cooking until chicken is fully cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side, making sure to stir often to prevent sticking.
- Add broccoli, green pepper, sugar snap peas, remaining sauce and 3/4 cup water (or chicken broth). Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce thickens up and broccoli is tender.
- Serve alongside white rice or lo mein, enjoy!
Barb says
I’ve made this a couple times and will be making it many times to come. This is pretty, healthy and SO good-even better than takeout, I think. I make stir-fry rice to go with it but it would be great with simple white rice too. So much flavor. THANKS!
Beth Trotter says
I love Chinese food and will be cooking it real soon cause I got all ingredients except the fresh broccoli.
Pamela says
Hope you enjoy Beth, it’s one of our favorite recipes!
Judy Wilson says
Can I use rice vinegar instead of the rice wine? Thank you.
Pamela says
Hey Judy, you absolutely can!
Laurie Rasor says
Have A Good Day