These are my Chinese takeout recipes for a classic chicken and broccoli meal, smothered in a sweet, brown, soy sauce glazing. I love Chinese restaurant style chicken and broccoli stir fry. You know, the classic meal from your local takeout place. Sometimes it has mixed veggies, sometimes it just has broccoli. Make this either way.
It is made with tender cooked chicken and finished off with a delicious, savory, creamy sauce. You can have this meal on the table in about 30 minutes; therefore, you can skip the takeout restaurant!
Have you ever had that classic chicken and broccoli stir fry from your local Chinese takeout restaurant? Alternatively, maybe you have had the classic chicken and vegetables, one of my other favorites. Well, this recipe is exactly that.
If you are new around here, one of my specialities is recreating takeout dishes. Have you tried my famous sweet and sour chicken, orange chicken, sesame chicken or general tso chicken? Well you need to! But, this is the recipe for Chinese takeout style chicken and broccoli, still a classic and amazing copycat recipe.
Have you tried the sauce for a Chinese takeout chicken and broccoli? It is rich, creamy, slightly sweet and made with soy sauce. It almost acts like a glazing to the chicken. You can toss the broccoli, or veggies, into it, or leave them on the side. But, do not worry, there is always leftover sauce to pour over your rice.
Quick Tips from Allie Carte
- Make this recipe gluten free by using the gluten free alternatives
- This recipe is very WW (Weight Watchers) friendly
- Use the same recipe but substitute beef for a classic beef and broccoli dish
- Don't forget to prepare your rice to have on the side
I always build extra sauce in my recipe to pour over your rice or additional vegetables; however, if you do not want extra sauce, just reduce the recipe a little.
What you Need for Chicken and Broccoli Chinese Takeout
We are going to be making a classic chicken and broccoli meal, smothered in a sweet, brown, soy sauce glazing. Soy sauce chicken recipes are some of my favorite recipes. I absolutely love takeout and all things soy sauce.
Ingredients for The Chicken and Broccoli:
- Chicken
- Broccoli
- Oil
- Minced garlic
- Minced ginger
- Salt, pepper and garlic powder
First, this recipe is for chicken and broccoli, which we have gone over a lot. However, if you are not a fan of broccoli, you do not need to make the broccoli. Broccoli is great in this recipe; however, many other vegetables are as well including carrots, peppers or mushrooms. Alternatively, you can skip the vegetables in total or do a combination of all your favorite.
This recipe does make a lot of extra sauce, which is perfect for additional vegetables and rice. However, if you are skipping the vegetables and/or rice, you may want to reduce some of the sauce.
Second, this recipe calls for try chicken tenderloins; however, it really does not matter which cut of chicken you use. I love using chicken tenderloins as they are a very tender piece of chicken, hence the name, and easier to cut as they are already slim. This recipe is amazing with chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken cutlets, just about anything.
Alternatively, if you more of a beef or pork person this recipe works great with either of those proteins. However, this recipe would be pretty great with just about any protein that you want to throw in it.
I use minced garlic and minced ginger out of a bottle. I know, I am awful, but I am also lazy. Alternatively, you can mince your own garlic and ginger. If you want to spice up this recipe, add some crushed red pepper as well.
Chicken and Broccoli Sauce Ingredients:
The sauce is very simple and I typically have all of the ingredients on hand.
- Broth
- Soy sauce
- Teriyaki sauce
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Corn starch
This recipe will call for chicken broth; however, I have made this many times with beef broth or veggie broth, whatever you have on hand. I typically use chicken broth, as that is what I have in my house normally, but I really do not notice a big taste difference. Nevertheless, use whichever one you want to use and have on hand, it does not make a big difference. If you are making this into a vegetarian or pescatarian dish, you can certainly use vegetable broth as well.
Soy sauce and teriyaki sauce are used in this recipe; but, you can use just soy sauce. I think that the teriyaki sauce really provides and elevated flavor; however, I have made this with just soy sauce before and it is still amazing.
I use brown sugar substitute, and a lot of it. Chicken and broccoli tends to me more of a savory dish, which this still is; however, in mine, I can taste a bit of the sweetness, which I love. For me, there is nothing like chicken in a sweet soy sauce. If you want to keep this restaurant style chicken and broccoli dish more savory, like in the restaurant, reduce the amount of sugar. However, you can also substitute regular brown sugar.
How to Make Chinese Style Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
This recipe will not include rice; however, if you want to add rice, I would get that started first. You can use my stovetop rice method or my instant pot rice method. Alternatively, try a pre-made rice, substitute cauliflower rice or try noodles.
Broccoli
First, start by cooking the broccoli. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. I steam my broccoli on the stove with a little bit of water. Fill a medium sized pot with about an inch of water. Place that on the stove over medium heat and let that come to a slight boil.
Add the cut up broccoli, cover the pot, and steam for about 5-7 minutes, depending how you like the broccoli. Once cooked, remove from heat and drain. Then set aside as we cook the chicken.
However, you can cook the broccoli with any cooking method that you prefer. I typically prefer baked broccoli but this will also do.
Chicken
Let's make our restaurant style chicken and broccoli. Grab the chicken and cut into cubes, about one inch by one inch, but you can make it as big or small as you please. Place chicken in a bowl. Then, sprinkle on the seasonings, tossing to coat.
Heat a large pan over medium / medium high heat. Grease with cook spray; however, you can also drizzle with a little oil. Once heated, add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the cut up, seasoned chicken to the pan and cook for a couple minutes on each side. It should only take about 10 minutes to cook the chicken; however, be sure it is fully cooked.
Chinese Style Sauce for Chicken and Broccoli
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the Chinese style sauce for chicken and broccoli. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in one bowl, and the two ingredients for the slurry in another.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the sauce to the pan, bringing to a slight simmer. Simmer the sauce with the beef for about 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Then, add the slurry and mix that into the sauce. Bring back up to a simmer and simmer again for another 3 minutes, until the sauce is to your desired thickness.
Either add the broccoli in and mix everything together or serve on the side. As mentioned, there will be plenty of extra sauce for the broccoli and rice.
How good does this chicken in broccoli in brown sauce look!?
What To Do With Leftovers
This chicken and broccoli in brown sauce recipe makes a bunch of servings, 4 servings. It will be great for a meal prep; however, you can also adjust the serving size. If there are leftovers, store in an air tight container in the fridge, it should be good for about four days. You can use the leftover chicken for salads as well.
Substituting with Beef
If you are not a fan of my soy sauce chicken recipes, try beef! This recipe can easily be adapted into a beef and broccoli. See that photo right there, beef and broccoli.
You basically just want to follow all the same steps; however, use beef instead.
I also have a whole post on my Chinese style beef and broccoli but be cautious as that is for 6 servings and this chicken recipe is for 4 servings.
Video Tutorial
Are you more of a visual learner? I have you covered! Watch my video tutorial. Then, come back here for more detailed instructions.
Chicken and Broccoli Chinese Takeout
This is one of my recipes for soy sauce chicken. I love Chinese takeout style chicken and broccoli stir fry. You know, the classic meal from your local takeout place. If you are knew here, takeout fakeout recipes are some of my favorite and most popular recipes!
Chicken and Broccoli Chinese Takeout
Equipment
- Stovetop
Ingredients
Broccoli
- 2 heads Broccoli
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- ⅔ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ⅓ teaspoon minced ginger
Sauce
- ⅙ cup chicken broth
- ⅛ cup soy sauce low sodium
- ⅛ cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar replacement
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Slurry
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
Broccoli
- Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Fill a medium sized pot with about an inch of water. Place that on the stove over medium heat and let that come to a slight boil.
- Add the cut up broccoli, cover the pot, and steam for about 5-7 minutes, depending how you like the broccoli. Once cooked, remove from heat and drain. Then set aside.
Chicken
- Cut chicken into cubes, about one inch by one inch. Place in a large bowl, sprinkling on the seasonings and tossing to coat.
- Heat a large pan over medium / medium high heat. Grease with cook spray. Once heated, add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the cut up, seasoned chicken to the pan and cook for a couple minutes on each side. It should only take about 10 minutes to cook the chicken.
Sauce
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in one bowl, and the two ingredients for the slurry in another.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the sauce to the pan, bringing to a slight simmer. Simmer the sauce with the chicken for about 3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Then, add the slurry and mix that into the sauce. Bring back up to a simmer and simmer again for another 3 minutes, until the sauce is to your desired thickness.
- Either add the broccoli in and mix everything together or serve on the side. As mentioned, there will be plenty of extra sauce for the broccoli and rice.
Nutrition
Are you on WW (Weight Watchers) and looking for a points value for this sweet soy sauce chicken. Click this link and your points will automatically calculate for you. For me, as I have chicken as a zero, it is basically a gaining recipe as I get points back for all the broccoli. Then, I have extra points for rice!
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