Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

5 from 1 vote

Chicken and broccoli stir-fry built on velvety chicken thighs, blanched broccoli, and a marinade that does double duty as the sauce — with cashews added at the end for crunch and the depth of flavor the dish earns rather than fakes.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stir fry

Servings: people

Calories: 548kcal

Equipment

large pot to blanch broccoli
Wok heavy skillet

Ingredients

Marinade

¼ cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry sherry or rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 chicken breasts boneless, sliced into thin strips

Other Ingredients

3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon ginger minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons oil
1 bunch broccoli cut into florets
1 red pepper julienne
1 large onion cut into chunks
¼ cup halved cashew nuts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Marinade and Marinate the Chicken

In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, dry sherry, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil until the cornstarch is fully dissolved — no lumps.
Add the chicken thigh strips and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour.
The cornstarch is coating each strip as it sits, doing the velveting work that keeps the chicken tender under high heat.
While the chicken marinates, prep everything else — cut the broccoli into florets, julienne the red pepper, cut the onion into chunks, mince the garlic and ginger. Have the cashews measured and ready. By the time the chicken is done marinating, nothing should be left to prep.

Blanch the Broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and salt it generously. While it heats, prepare an ice bath — a large bowl of cold water with a handful of ice cubes.
Drop the broccoli florets into the boiling water for exactly 60 to 90 seconds — no longer.
Lift them out with a spider or slotted spoon and place them directly into the ice bath.
Leave for one minute, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
The broccoli should be vivid green and slightly firm — par-cooked but not done. It finishes in the wok.

Set Up Your Mise en Place

This is not optional in stir fry. Once the wok is hot, everything moves in under 10 minutes, and there's no time to stop and chop.
Arrange your ingredients in the order they go into the wok: chicken, garlic and ginger together, red pepper and onion, blanched broccoli, reserved marinade, and cashews.
Everything within arm's reach.

Heat the Wok

Set your wok or largest heavy skillet over high heat. Let it heat for 2 full minutes.

It's ready when a drop of water flicked onto the surface evaporates instantly.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer immediately.

Sear the Chicken in Batches

Remove the chicken from the marinade and set the marinade aside — you'll need it.
Pat the chicken strips lightly dry with paper towels. Add them to the wok in a single layer with space between each piece.

Do not crowd the pan — if your wok isn't large enough, cook in two batches. A crowded wok drops the temperature immediately and steams the chicken rather than searing it.

Cook without moving for 2 minutes until the underside is golden. Toss and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through — no longer pink at the center but still moist.
Transfer to a plate. The chicken will finish cooking when it returns to the sauce at the end — pull it slightly early rather than late.

Cook the Aromatics

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot wok.
Add the garlic and ginger together and stir constantly for about 10 seconds — just until fragrant.
This window is short. Garlic burns fast in a hot wok; keep it moving.

Add the Vegetables

Add the red pepper and onion to the wok. Stir fry over high heat for 2 minutes until slightly softened but still with some bite.
Add the blanched broccoli and toss everything together for 60 seconds — the broccoli is already par-cooked and just needs to heat through.
You're looking for vegetables that are tender but not limp, with color still intact.

Add the Marinade & Return the Chicken

Pour the reserved marinade over the vegetables and stir quickly — the cornstarch will begin thickening immediately on contact with the heat.
Add the chicken back in and toss everything together for 60 to 90 seconds until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and cling to the chicken and vegetables.
If the sauce seems too thick, add a small splash of chicken stock. If too thin, let it reduce for another 30 seconds.

Add the Cashews & Serve

Remove the wok from the heat and toss in the cashews. Stir once or twice to distribute them evenly — they don't need cooking, just warming through.
Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice. This dish does not hold well; the cashews soften, and the broccoli continues to cook from residual heat if it sits.

Notes

Nutritional information is automatically calculated using the WP Recipe Maker nutrition database and should be considered only an estimate. Actual values may vary depending on ingredient brands, product variations, substitutions, and portion sizes.

Nutrition