Healthy Chicken and Broccoli

This Healthy Chicken and Broccoli is one of my favorite quick and easy weeknight dinners. It’s gluten-free, lighter and lower in calories than takeout but still has a rich flavorful sauce with tender chicken and crisp broccoli. 

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This delicious stir fry is loaded with broccoli, ginger, and garlic along with tender chicken that adds a lot of protein. It also comes together in less than 30 minutes, which is perfect for those nights when you don’t really feel like cooking. This broccoli and chicken is great served with brown rice or enjoyed by itself.

If you like healthy chicken broccoli recipes, you will love chicken teryaki broccoli and healthy chicken pot pie casserole!

 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthier Than Takeout: This recipe uses avocado oil and coconut aminos to make a lower-sodium and lower-calorie Asian-inspired dish. It is still full of flavor, but much better for you.
• Ready in Less Than 30 Minutes: Like this broccoli crunch salad, this healthy broccoli and chicken stir fry is ready in less than 30 minutes! That makes it the perfect meal for a busy weeknight or when you need a quick dinner. 
• Gluten-Free: Using gluten-free substitutes like coconut aminos and arrowroot powder makes this a great option for people avoiding gluten, but who still want to enjoy their favorite takeout dishes.

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the best cut of chicken to use for this recipe, but you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well. Cut them into thin, bite-size pieces.
• Coconut Aminos: This soy sauce substitute is both gluten-free and soy-free, making it ideal for individuals with various allergies and food sensitivities.
• Arrowroot Powder: This gluten-free alternative to cornstarch serves as a thickening agent for the sauce.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

• Add More Veggies: This low-calorie stir fry tastes even better with more vegetables like mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, and snow peas. Load it up with all the veggies you want!
• Make It Vegetarian: Substitute the chicken with tempeh or tofu to make a vegetarian stir fry with broccoli. 
• Make Beef and Broccoli: This recipe is easy to customize with a different meat. Make a healthier beef and broccoli, use thinly sliced pork, or even shrimp!
• Spice It Up: This recipe already utilizes sriracha for a spicy kick, but you could also use jalapenos, chili flakes, or a Gochujang sauce.

How to Make a Chicken and Broccoli Healthy

When the cravings for takeout hit, don’t reach for the phone. Reach in your pantry instead! This healthier chicken and broccoli recipe is made with a few simple ingredients, but it tastes just as good as your favorite take-away.

Step 1: Blanch the Broccoli. Blanch your broccoli in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes to keep it bright and crisp.

Step 2: Make the Sauce. Whisk together the coconut aminos, sriracha, and arrowroot powder until there are no clumps.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken. Sear the chicken chunks until cooked through to 165°F, then remove them from the pan and set them aside.

Step 4: Add the Vegetables. Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger. Add the blanched broccoli and chicken back to the skillet, then pour the sauce over and cook until the flavors are combined.

Enjoy this healthy stir-fried chicken and broccoli served with a scoop of brown rice, cauliflower rice, or a high volume salad on the side like zucchini pasta salad. Garnish it with chopped green onion and sesame seeds for a flavorful crunch.

Expert Tips

• Thinly Slice the Chicken: Slice the chicken into thin slices against the grain of the meat. This makes the chicken more tender and easier to chew, which is ideal for a stir fry.
• Blanch the Broccoli: Keep the broccoli crunchy and vibrant green by blanching it before adding it to the dish. Blanching is when you quickly boil the broccoli, either on the stove or in the microwave, then submerge it in a bowl of ice water to quickly stop the cooking process.
• Marinate the Chicken: Another way to tenderize the chicken is to marinate it in a ziploc bag for a few hours before cooking. The arrowroot powder, coconut aminos, and sriracha will all help tenderize the meat and make it more flavorful as it sits in the refrigerator.

Storage Directions 

• Storing: Store leftover healthy chicken broccoli stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 60-second intervals until it is heated through, or heat it in a skillet on the stove. Be sure to thaw frozen leftovers for at least 24 hours before reheating.
• Make Ahead: If you’re meal prepping, you can store this dish uncooked in the sauce for up to 3 months for a quick and easy dinner. You can also cut the chicken and marinate it in the sauce, and blanch the broccoli and store it in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Serving Suggestions

If you love Asian takeout, but are looking for a healthier alternative, this low-calorie chicken and broccoli is the best of both worlds. It uses less salt and oil than takeout, yet still boasts an amazing ginger and garlic flavor. It only takes 30 minutes to whip up this chicken broccoli stir fry for dinner and pairs well with some of your favorite Asian-inspired dishes.

• These Thai chicken lettuce wraps are the perfect appetizer to pair with this healthy stir fry. 
• Make a fun dinner inspired by your favorite takeout dishes and pair this chicken and broccoli with healthier classics like Kung Pao shrimp, Korean beef bowls, and chop suey dinner.
• If you want something sweet after dinner, try a chocolate treat like chocolate cottage cheese cookies for dessert.

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