Description
A quick, healthy, and flavorful stir-fry made with chicken thighs, broccoli, bell peppers, and a savory-sweet sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, this dish is perfect for busy weeknights and customizable to your taste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into bite-sized strips
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 medium bell peppers (red and green), sliced into thin strips
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado or vegetable) for cooking
- Optional: Sesame seeds for garnish, sliced green onions, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and slice into thin strips against the grain. Set aside.
- Chop broccoli and bell peppers into roughly equal-sized pieces. Mince the garlic.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Stir well to dissolve cornstarch.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil.
- Add chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) and sear for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add broccoli and bell peppers. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Add minced garlic to the vegetables in the last 30 seconds of cooking to prevent burning.
- Return chicken to the pan with the vegetables.
- Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Toss constantly until the sauce thickens and coats everything, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
Do not crowd the pan to ensure the chicken sears rather than steams. Use toasted sesame oil for authentic flavor, not raw sesame oil. Pat chicken dry before cooking for a better sear. If sauce is too runny, cook longer; if too thick, add a splash of water or broth. This recipe does not freeze well due to vegetable texture changes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: healthy chicken stir fry, weeknight dinner, quick meals, 5-ingredient recipes, chicken and vegetables, easy stir fry, gluten-free option