08.18.19

Whole30 Chicken and Broccoli

This Whole30 Chicken and Broccoli is a staple in our house!

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

One of my all-time favorite dishes growing up was Chicken and Broccoli from a Chinese restaurant in McKinney, Texas– China Sun. It was the closest Chinese restaurant to the small town I grew up in and my closest friends and I would drive there at least once a week to pig out on big platters of chicken and broccoli with a side of wonton soup. I loved those teenage “road trips” (it was about 30 minutes away) with my best friends from home: Ashley, Lindy, and Beth. I have so many fond memories of Ashley, Lindy, and I eating our platters of chicken and broccoli!

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

Over the years, I’ve made variations of the classic American Chinese dish. But I’ve finally gotten a great Whole30 rendition that I just know that you and your families will love. My kiddos love this Chinese Chicken and Broccoli stir-fry as much as my husband and I do, making it a great go to on any weeknight! It’s simple to make, and full of flavor, with a rich and flavorful brown sauce you’ll want to lick off the plate! 

If you like this chicken stir fry, try this Chicken and Kimchi Stir Fry or Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry.

Chicken and Broccoli

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Serves: 4 people
Print
4.93 from 14 votes
Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (black pepper is okay)
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp tapioca flour

For the Sauce:

  • 3 tsp tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos (I like Big Tree Farm brand)
  • 1 tsp fish sauce (I use Red Boat brand)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp finely grated ginger

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil, or more as needed
  • 6 cups broccoli, cut into florets

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken:

  • Place chicken in a single layer across a cutting board and cover with wax paper. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a skillet, pound the chicken until it is a uniform 1/2 inch thickness. Then, cut chicken into 1/2 inch sized cubes.
  • Place the cubed chicken in a large bowl with the avocado oil, kosher salt, white pepper, coconut aminos and tapioca. Toss until well combined. Set aside.

Make the Sauce:

  • In a small bowl, combine all of the "for the sauce" ingredients and whisk until well combined and the tapioca has dissolved in the mixture. Set aside.

Make the Stir Fry:

  • Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot and in batches so as to be careful not to overcrowd the pan, cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and continue, adding oil if your skillet seems dry as needed, until all the chicken is browned and cooked through.
  • In the same skillet (still over medium-high heat), add the broccoli florets and 1/4 cup of water to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the water has completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the sauce to the skillet with the broccoli and cook, stirring, until the sauce just begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken and any of it's juices back into the skillet with the broccoli and sauce. Simmer, stirring, until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken evenly, about 2 to 4 more minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!

55 Comments

  • Reply
    Brigid
    February 24, 2023 at 2:25 pm

    My fiancé replied with “this is the best stir fry sauce you’ve made” – thanks for creating the best flavor combos, you’re my go-to!! 😋

    • Reply
      Alex
      February 24, 2023 at 8:23 pm

      Love to hear it!

  • Reply
    Annie
    January 15, 2023 at 4:57 pm

    How necessary would you say the sesame oil and fish sauce are?? I have all other ingredients and want to make it but I don’t want it to be ruined if I leave one or both out!

    • Reply
      Alex
      January 16, 2023 at 8:12 pm

      The Fish Sauce adds a wonderfuly and salty umami flavor that may be missed if you just use the coconut aminos. or i’d sub in soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos if you don’t have the fish sauce.
      The sesame oil isn’t essential but does add a depth of flavor and nuttiness!

  • Reply
    Katelyn
    May 19, 2022 at 4:39 pm

    Can I substitute or leave it the fish oil?

    • Reply
      Alex
      May 26, 2022 at 11:32 am

      You can omit.

      • Reply
        Becky
        September 22, 2022 at 3:25 pm

        5 stars
        One of our go tos!

  • Reply
    Stephanie
    May 10, 2022 at 1:50 am

    5 stars
    Our family loves this recipe! We double it so we can eat it for a few meals. I love that it tastes amazing like from a restaurant but it’s also made with nourishing ingredients. Thanks for this recipe!!

  • Reply
    Emily
    February 9, 2022 at 12:13 am

    4 stars
    This was sooooo good. Better than takeout! I substituted Liquid Aminos for the Coconut Aminos, Cornstarch for the tapioca flour, and olive oil instead of avocado oil. The only downfall was it was WAY too salty for our taste. I would maybe reduce the amount of salt on the chicken and even slightly reduce the aminos or fish sauce? It tasted so good so we kept eating it but we were chugging water throughout the meal.

    • Reply
      Alex
      February 9, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      Hi!! Liquid aminos are *so much* more salty than coconut aminos– which is why you had that issue!

  • Reply
    Vanessa
    January 27, 2022 at 7:38 pm

    5 stars
    We couldn’t believe this was Whole30! We made it two weeks in a row and double the recipe both times.
    We used a cast iron wok both times and enough fond developed while browning the chicken that I didn’t need to use chicken broth. I actually think it would’ve been a little overpowering to have chicken broth in addition to the fond.
    Thanks for making our Whole30 possible, Alex! Your recipes have been on constant rotation since we started.

  • Reply
    Jessica
    November 18, 2021 at 7:34 pm

    Hi! This looks delish! We aren’t on a special diet. Can we use regular flour?

    • Reply
      Alex
      November 22, 2021 at 6:16 pm

      Cornstarch works here, not regular flour!

  • Reply
    Judi McGowan
    November 10, 2021 at 5:40 pm

    SO GOOD! I am making 3 recipes of this for some ladies I’m having for dinner. Could I make this ahead of time and freeze it and then thaw and warm for serving that evening? My family enjoys many many many of your recipes.

    • Reply
      Alex
      November 10, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      I don’t think that this recipe would freeze well! unfortunately the arrowroot or tapioca wouldn’t hold up in the freezer well in this stir fry.

    • Reply
      Vanessa
      January 27, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      I know this is really late but I can report that the sauce at least holds well in the fridge. We had some leftover from doubling the recipe and it was delicious on another occasion. It also made dining at someone else’s house really easy. The host made a stir fry, held a portion aside for us before saucing, and we just used the remaining sauce in a separate pan.

  • Reply
    Jessica W
    November 5, 2021 at 10:58 pm

    A family favorite, we make this almost weekly and my two kids love it!

  • Reply
    Terry Blanton
    October 16, 2021 at 10:15 pm

    Could I use olive oil for the avocado oil? Allergic to avocados.

    • Reply
      Alex
      October 18, 2021 at 11:55 am

      yes! you can.

    • Reply
      Katie
      April 10, 2023 at 8:47 pm

      Has anyone added other stir fry veggies to this? Just wondering if it would taste good with onions, peppers etc?

      • Reply
        Alex
        April 10, 2023 at 11:23 pm

        Both would be great in this!

  • Reply
    Lisa Giannotti
    September 21, 2021 at 10:44 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness. Had to make two changes based on what I had (used corn starch instead of tapioca flour and used liquid soy aminos instead of coconut aminos). Soooo good! I served it with jasmine rice and it was just heavenly. Will make many more times.

  • Reply
    Molly
    August 16, 2021 at 8:09 pm

    5 stars
    This dish was delicious! Perfect for meal prep as well. Thanks for this awesome recipe.

  • Reply
    mavee125
    August 11, 2021 at 8:45 am

    5 stars
    This is so good! Tried it once and its awesomely perfect! The whole family loved it, too! Will definitely try again over the weekend. Just glad I got to get all the necessary Asian ingredients I needed in Karman Foods.

  • Reply
    Barbra
    June 22, 2021 at 2:04 pm

    5 stars
    Made this one on the fly. O. M. G. Alex, this was the most amazing meal. Weekly repeat, for sure! My favorite Chinese take out restaurant changed hands and the flavor is just not the same. Plus we have had to make some changes in the family’s diet and this one hit all the marks…flavor, ingredients, ease of prep. Thank you for all the hard work you do to make amazing recipes for healthy and tasty food.

  • Reply
    Sara
    June 16, 2021 at 4:21 pm

    what would be a good substitute for tapioca flour? Thanks!

    • Reply
      Alex
      June 16, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      Arrowroot flour is the best substitute.

      • Reply
        Sadie
        February 4, 2022 at 7:50 pm

        Is arrowroot a 1:1 sub for tapioca?

        • Reply
          Alex
          February 8, 2022 at 8:54 pm

          yes!

  • Reply
    Taylor
    June 14, 2021 at 8:27 pm

    I only have regular flour, will that work?!

    • Reply
      Alex
      June 14, 2021 at 10:01 pm

      It won’t thicken the right way.

      • Reply
        su
        June 14, 2021 at 10:41 pm

        is the coconut aminos you use – coco aminos teriyaki?

        • Reply
          Alex
          June 14, 2021 at 11:32 pm

          No, just regular coconut aminos– not flavored. I like this one from Big Tree Farms:
          https://amzn.to/2U7hz79

  • Reply
    Dominique
    June 4, 2021 at 12:01 pm

    Looks so good! I’m allergic to coconut. Are you able to substitute the coconut aminos for low sodium gf soy sauce or do you have an alternative you like better? Love your recipes! Can’t wait to try!

    • Reply
      Alex
      June 4, 2021 at 12:03 pm

      Soy Sauce is a great alternative, but I’d also omit the fish sauce or it may turn out too salty.

      • Reply
        Dominique
        June 6, 2021 at 4:40 pm

        Thanks so much! Trying it this week!

      • Reply
        Neva Russell
        September 7, 2022 at 3:56 pm

        Hi Alex,
        How could I go about making this in a slow cooker? (Just for the sake of ease) I’ll try to do some research but thought I’d ask. Thank you!

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    April 8, 2021 at 3:01 am

    Delicious! I added shiitake mushrooms!! Yum.

  • Reply
    Maddy G
    March 14, 2021 at 7:50 pm

    Such a yummy recipe! Love when healthy meals taste so fulfilling and flavorful. I feel like I’m eating decadent takeout with this dish, while being much more clean than takeout.

  • Reply
    Sarah
    February 22, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    If I were to add cashews, when would I do so?

    • Reply
      Alex
      February 23, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      When you add the sauce! 🙂

  • Reply
    Donna J Read
    February 14, 2021 at 11:17 pm

    5 stars
    Looking forward to tasting this recipe, and many more along the way!

  • Reply
    Stephanie
    January 25, 2021 at 2:26 am

    5 stars
    Subbed arrowroot powder for tapioca flour, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. Loved it! One of the few dishes I’ve actually enjoyed eating over cauliflower rice. Will definitely try with cashews next time. Thank you!!

  • Reply
    Lesley
    January 10, 2021 at 10:11 pm

    Very excited to try this! If I’m trying to meal prep, do you think I could make the sauce ahead of time and it still be flavorful and good to use?

    • Reply
      Alex
      January 13, 2021 at 12:01 am

      absolutely!!!

  • Reply
    Stacy
    December 1, 2020 at 1:18 am

    5 stars
    I usually make your Chang’s Spicy Chicken, but I am out of rice vinegar, so I browsed for something else and came upon this. It’s delicious! So delicious! My husband asked me to make it again soon! I agree! Thank you for making healthy, delicious take-out alternatives.

    • Reply
      Alex
      December 1, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      yay! Glad you have a new recipe to turn to!

    • Reply
      Erika
      December 8, 2020 at 7:51 pm

      Sounds so good! Can I sub arrowroot powder for the tapioca?

      • Reply
        Alex
        December 8, 2020 at 8:29 pm

        yes you definitely can here!

  • Reply
    inna
    November 30, 2020 at 5:45 am

    5 stars
    wow this was incredible!!!! definitely saving it! 5 stars!!

  • Reply
    Inna
    November 30, 2020 at 5:45 am

    wow this was incredible!!!! definitely saving it!

  • Reply
    Beth
    November 24, 2020 at 1:34 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I also added cashews to the sauce and it made it even better (some savory bites). Definitely will add this into the meal rotation!

    • Reply
      Alex
      November 24, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      ohhh love the cashew addition!

  • Reply
    Megan
    November 8, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first attept at an Asian flavored dish so several of the ingredients were new to me. Thankfully, the recipe was easy to follow and it turned out to be quite tasty. I will definitey make this recipe again and also be a bit more advenutrous with other Asian dishes. Thanks!!

    • Reply
      Alex
      November 9, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      Now that you are familiar with those Whole30/paleo swaps, you’ll be able to do so much with them! 🙂 Thanks for the kind comment and rating!

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