Weeknight

Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry
with Garlic Ginger Glaze

Name: Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry with Garlic Ginger Glaze
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Ingredients: 1.5 lb (680 g) chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces; 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch, divided; 4 tbsp (60 ml) low-sodium soy sauce, divided; 4 cups (280 g) broccoli florets, cut into even, bite-size pieces; 2 tbsp (42 g) honey; ⅓ cup (80 ml) chicken broth or water; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, grated; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, for the pan; Cooked rice, green onions, and sesame seeds, for serving

Ingredients Cooking steps

Prep 15 minCook 10 minTotal 25 minEasyServes 4

“Beats the delivery clock. Every time.”

By Sok Heng Oeun, Founder and Reviewer · Published July 19, 2026 · Updated September 22, 2026

This stir-fry reaches the table in about 25 minutes, and only 10 of those are at the stove. High heat, a prepared sauce, and evenly cut ingredients keep the broccoli crisp and the chicken juicy.

And it will actually taste like takeout, because of one small move most home versions skip: a cornstarch toss on the chicken. Restaurants call it velveting, and it is the reason every piece comes out tender with a glaze that clings.

🥦 The promise: tender glazed chicken and crisp-tender broccoli in one pan — 25 minutes start to finish, faster than delivery.

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How to make it

View ingredient overview

All ingredients for Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry, labeled — 🧺 Everything you need, all in one look

🧂 Ingredient notes & easy swaps

The cornstarch does two different jobs, so it's split: half coats the chicken (that's the velveting), half thickens the sauce into a glaze. Low-sodium soy matters — regular turns the reduced glaze salty. Cut the broccoli florets small and even so two lidded minutes gets them tender at the edges; fresh ginger is worth grating here, though the squeeze-tube kind works. Chicken thighs swap in and stay juicy even if the second batch runs a minute long.

🍳 What you actually need (equipment)

Your widest skillet or a wok over your biggest burner — a crowded pan drops the temperature and the chicken steams grey instead of browning. A lid (for the broccoli's 2-minute steam) and a rice pot on the side.

Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce; let it sit 10 minutes while you prep everything else — this thin coat is what keeps it silky at high heat.
Stir the sauce: remaining soy, honey, broth, sesame oil, and the remaining cornstarch, whisked smooth. Keep it next to the stove: once the pan is hot there is no time to measure.
Heat the oil in the pan until it genuinely shimmers. Sear the chicken in a single layer, in two batches, 2–3 minutes per batch until golden at the edges. Move to a plate.
Add the broccoli with a splash of water and lid the pan for 2 minutes — steam-crisp: bright green, tender edges, still snappy inside.
Push the broccoli aside, add the garlic and ginger to the center and stir for 30 seconds, just until they smell sharp and the garlic loses its raw edge.
Return the chicken, pour the sauce in, and toss 60–90 seconds until it bubbles and turns glossy, coating every piece. Spoon over rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds; the glaze tightens as it cools, so serve straight from the pan.

✅ How to know it's done

The sauce should cling like a glaze — glossy, not watery, with slow bubbles — the chicken opaque and juicy, and the broccoli bright green with bite. Dull, thin sauce means 30 more seconds of bubbling; dark and sticky means it went a little long — a splash of water loosens it. Check the largest piece of chicken with a thermometer: it must reach 165°F (74°C), and bite-size pieces get there within the sauce toss.

💡 Practical tips (and what not to do)

Prep everything before the burner clicks. The whole cook is 10 minutes; there is no time to chop broccoli once the chicken is in.
Two batches, real sear. A crowded pan steams the chicken gray; batch one waits happily on a plate.
Keep the broccoli snappy. Two lidded minutes, no more — it cooks another minute or two in the sauce, and soft broccoli sheds its glaze.
Sauce goes in LAST. The cornstarch thickens in about a minute of bubbling — any longer and the glaze turns to glue.
Biggest burner, always. Home stoves run cooler than restaurant woks; give this dish every degree you own.

💛✨ Flavor boost

The cornstarch toss on the raw chicken — velveting. The thin starch layer gelatinizes at high heat into a silky shield that blocks moisture from escaping, which is why takeout chicken is never dry and pan-naked home chicken often is. Ten seconds of tossing, and it works on pork, shrimp, and beef strips exactly the same way.

🍚 What Goes Well With It

Steamed jasmine or plain white rice to catch the glaze.
Plain noodles tossed with a drop of sesame oil.
A quick cucumber salad with rice vinegar for cool crunch.
Extra steamed broccoli if you want more vegetable per bowl.

📦 Storage & Freezer Notes

Fridge: airtight, 3 days — the glaze soaks into the chicken and day-two rice bowls are good.
Freezer: 2 months, though the broccoli comes back softer.
Reheat: in a hot skillet with a tablespoon of water, 3–4 minutes, tossing — the water loosens the set cornstarch glaze so it coats again. Microwave: covered, 90 seconds on high with a splash of water, stirring halfway.

🧒 Serving Ideas for Kids

The glaze is sweet and mild, with no chili, so most children take it as written; for a plainer plate, lift out a few glazed chicken pieces and florets after the sauce toss and serve them over rice without the green onions.
Serve it as a build-your-own rice bowl.
Cut the chicken smaller and skip the sesame seeds for toddlers.

❓ Quick answers

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Yes — thaw and pat it dry first, then skip the steam step and add it straight to the sauce stage; it's already tender.

What can I use instead of honey?

Brown sugar (1½ tablespoons) or maple syrup one-for-one — the glaze needs some sugar to turn glossy and cling.

Why did my chicken come out dry?

Skipped the cornstarch toss or overcooked the second batch. Velvet the chicken, sear it just to golden, and let the sauce finish it.

Can I double the sauce for extra rice?

Yes — double the soy, honey, broth and sesame oil but use only 1½ tablespoons of cornstarch in the sauce, so it stays a glaze instead of thickening to a paste.

🥗 Nutrition, roughly: about 340 calories and 38 g of protein per serving before rice. Estimates only; brands, cuts and portion sizes change the numbers.

Published by MommyCooking.org. AI assists with web copy; food images are generated illustrations. The publisher confirms the recipes were tested before publication. Nutrition is estimated. Editorial policy · Report a correction.

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