This chicken and broccoli stir-fry tastes better than carry-out and comes together in less than half an hour. It's loaded with wholesome ingredients like broccoli, onions, mushrooms, and cashews, and it's the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. If you don't like some of those ingredients, don't worry--the veggies are totally customizable. It's Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, totally delicious, and the perfect healthy recipe for the New Year (and any time of the year)!
Here's what you need.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer!
- Coconut aminos. Coconut aminos is similar to soy sauce, but comes from coconut plant sap. It's usually found in the same aisle as soy sauce, or you can buy it online. If you're not following a gluten-free or Paleo diet, you can substitute soy sauce.
- Arrowroot starch/powder. Arrowroot starch is a thickening agent used in gluten-free/Paleo cooking and baking. You can usually find it in the baking aisle or with gluten-free flours. If you're not following a Paleo diet, you can substitute cornstarch.
- Maple syrup. Make sure you use 100% pure maple syrup if you're following a Paleo diet. If you're not, you can substitute brown sugar.
- Mushrooms. We use baby bellas, but you can use whatever type of mushroom is your favorite.
- Sweet onion
- Broccoli florets. I like to buy pre-cut broccoli florets to make prep a little easier, but obviously you can use whole broccoli florets and cut them up yourself.
- Cashews. We buy raw unsalted cashews at Costco, but use whatever you have on hand. If you're not following a Paleo diet, you can substitute peanuts.
- Pantry ingredients/spices: cooking oil (we use avocado oil), minced garlic, crushed red pepper, and ground cayenne
Kitchen Tools:
Here's how you make it.
This stir-fry is really easy. First, cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and add them to a gallon baggie. Then add coconut aminos, garlic, arrowroot powder, maple syrup, crushed red pepper, and ground cayenne. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least half an hour, or up to 12 hours. I usually don't have my life together enough to marinate this chicken ahead of time, so I tend to let it marinate while I'm prepping and cooking the veggies and then call it good enough.
Once the chicken is nearly done marinating, add oil to a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until they are fragrant and begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms and broccoli. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, then transfer the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
Add more oil to the pan. Use a slotted spoon (or a fork) to remove the chicken from the baggie and add it to the pan (leaving the marinade in the bag). Set the bag of marinade aside--you'll use it later. Sauté the chicken until it's fully cooked, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the marinade to the pan. Let it thicken for a couple of minutes, then add water, the veggies, and cashews. Stir to coat everything with the sauce, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. If the sauce isn't thick enough for your preference, continue to cook for a couple of minutes--it should thicken as it cooks. Personally, I like mine a little runny.
Serve with your choice of side!
Suggested stir-fry sides:
This chicken and broccoli stir-fry is great with:
- Cauliflower rice
- White rice (if you're not following a Paleo diet)
- Rice noodles (if you're not following a Paleo diet)
- Our Quick and Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice
If you like this, try some of our other one-pan, healthy-ish recipes:
- One Pan Creamy Pesto Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes and Pecans
- One-Pan Spinach and Artichoke Salmon with Tomatoes
- Easy Beef and Broccoli with Peppers and Mushrooms
Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry (One-Pan and Paleo)
This chicken and broccoli stir-fry tastes better than carry-out and comes together in less than half an hour. It's Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, totally delicious, and the perfect healthy recipe for the New Year (and any time of the year)!
4
servings10
minutes20
minutes520
kcal30
minutesPrevent your screen from going dark!
Ingredients
1 pound 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
½ cup ½ coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not GF/Paleo)
4 cloves 4 garlic, minced
1 tablespoon 1 arrowroot powder (or cornstarch if not Paleo)
¼ cup ¼ maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ¼ crushed red peppers
¼ teaspoon ¼ ground cayenne (omit or reduce if you don't like spicy food)
2 tablespoons 2 oil, divided (we use avocado oil)
½ ½ sweet onion, sliced into thin strips
2 cups 2 mushrooms, sliced (we use baby bellas)
12 ounces 12 broccoli florets
½ cup ½ water
1 cup 1 cashews
Directions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add them to a gallon baggie. Then add coconut aminos, garlic, arrowroot powder, maple syrup, crushed red pepper, and ground cayenne. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least half an hour, or up to 12 hours.
- Once the chicken is nearly done marinating, add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until they are fragrant and begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms and broccoli. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, then transfer the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Use a slotted spoon (or a fork) to remove the chicken from the baggie and add it to the pan (leaving the marinade in the bag). Set the bag of marinade aside--you'll use it later. Sauté the chicken until it's fully cooked, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the marinade to the pan. Let it thicken for a couple of minutes, then add water, the veggies, and cashews. Stir to coat everything with the sauce, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Serve with your choice of side. Top with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- I tend to let the chicken marinate while I'm prepping and cooking the vegetables and call that good enough.
- If the sauce isn't thick enough for your preference, allow it to cook for a couple more minutes--it should thicken as it cooks. Personally, I like mine a little runny.
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