Go Back

30-Minute Chicken and Broccoli

30-minute chicken and broccoli with crisp-tender broccoli and a glossy garlic-soy sauce. Bite-sized chicken is quickly browned in a skillet, then finished in a thickened sauce for a takeout-style weeknight dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken and Broccoli
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 cup broccoli florets use florets
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
For the Sauce
  • 0.33 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Mix the sauce
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, cornstarch, chicken broth, and rice vinegar until smooth and no lumps of cornstarch remain.
  2. Keep the sauce nearby while you cook so it thickens right when the chicken and broccoli are ready.
Brown the chicken
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add boneless skinless chicken breast pieces and cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally for even color.
  3. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
Cook the broccoli and finish
  1. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet, then add broccoli florets and cook for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender.
  2. Stir in garlic cloves and fresh ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet.
  4. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir well, then cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and broccoli.
  5. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: whisk the sauce until fully smooth before it hits the hot skillet—cornstarch lumps are hard to fix once cooking starts. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because broccoli texture softens. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium (or reduced-sodium) soy sauce and check that your broth is also low-sodium.