Garlic-Soy Chicken Thigh & Broccoli Stir-Fry Over Rice

Name: Garlic-Soy Chicken Thigh & Broccoli Stir-Fry Over Rice
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 3–4
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Ingredients: 450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm pieces; 300 g broccoli florets (plus peeled sliced stems if you have them); 15 g fresh garlic, finely minced (about 4 cloves); 10 g fresh ginger, finely minced (about 2 tsp); 15 ml neutral oil (plus a little more if needed); 2 g kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp); 1 g black pepper (about 1/4 tsp); 120 ml water (for steaming); 60 ml soy sauce; 15 ml rice vinegar (I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap); 15 ml honey or brown sugar; 10 ml toasted sesame oil (optional; I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap); 10 g cornstarch; 600 g cooked rice, warmed; Sliced scallions or sesame seeds (optional)

chatgptads-g3·20 min·Serves 3–4

A fast, weeknight stir-fry that hits all the right notes: deeply browned chicken thighs, crisp-tender broccoli, and a glossy garlic-soy sauce that clings to every bite. It’s designed to move quickly—sear hard, steam briefly, then finish with sauce—so you get wok-style flavor in a home skillet. Perfect for using up cooked rice and whatever aromatics you have, and it scales easily for leftovers.

weeknight
stir-fry
one-pan
high-protein

20 min total · 8 min prep · 12 min cook

540 kcal · 34g protein · 64g carbs · 16g fat total

Large skillet or wok with lid

Ingredients

Stir-fry
•450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
•300 g broccoli florets (plus peeled sliced stems if you have them)
•15 g fresh garlic, finely minced (about 4 cloves)
•10 g fresh ginger, finely minced (about 2 tsp)
•15 ml neutral oil (plus a little more if needed)
•2 g kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp)
•1 g black pepper (about 1/4 tsp)
•120 ml water (for steaming)
Garlic-soy sauce
•60 ml soy sauce
•15 ml rice vinegar (I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap)
•15 ml honey or brown sugar
•10 ml toasted sesame oil (optional; I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap)
•10 g cornstarch
To serve
•600 g cooked rice, warmed
•Sliced scallions or sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Game plan

You’ll sear the chicken, steam the broccoli in the same pan, then add the sauce to glaze everything. Total time is about 20 minutes if your rice is already cooked.

Cook

Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey (or brown sugar), sesame oil (if using), and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside—give it another quick stir right before pouring (cornstarch settles).

Prep chicken: Pat chicken dry (this helps browning). Toss with salt and black pepper.

Sear chicken (6–8 min): Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until you see the first wisp of smoke. Add neutral oil, then spread chicken in a single layer. Let it cook undisturbed until the bottom is deeply browned and releases easily. Flip and cook until the second side gets some color; the pieces should be mostly cooked through.

Aromatics (30–45 sec): Push chicken to the edges. Add garlic and ginger to the center with a tiny splash more oil if the pan is dry. Stir just until fragrant—don’t let the garlic darken.

Steam broccoli (3–4 min): Add broccoli and the water. Immediately cover with a lid/sheet pan. Steam until broccoli turns bright green and is crisp-tender (a fork should meet slight resistance).

Glaze (1–2 min): Uncover, stir the sauce again, then pour it into the pan. Toss continuously as it bubbles; it will turn glossy and lightly thicken, coating chicken and broccoli. If it gets too tight, splash in 15–30 ml water to loosen.

Serve: Spoon over warm rice. Finish with scallions and/or sesame seeds if you like.

Doneness cues: Chicken is done when the thickest pieces are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear; the pan should smell toasty-sweet from the soy/honey as the sauce reduces.

Timing

- Prep: ~8 minutes

- Cook: ~12 minutes

- Total: ~20 minutes (add 15–20 minutes if you need to cook rice)

Notes

Substitutions: No rice vinegar? Use lemon/lime juice or a mild vinegar (start with 10 ml, then adjust). No cornstarch? Use 15 g flour, but simmer 30–60 seconds longer to lose raw taste. Using leftover cold rice: break up clumps and microwave with a splash of water until hot; hot rice keeps the stir-fry from cooling down. Storage: keeps 3–4 days; reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water to re-gloss the sauce.

Ingredients

Stir-fry

•450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm pieces

•300 g broccoli florets (plus peeled sliced stems if you have them)

•15 g fresh garlic, finely minced (about 4 cloves)

•10 g fresh ginger, finely minced (about 2 tsp)

•15 ml neutral oil (plus a little more if needed)

•2 g kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp)

•1 g black pepper (about 1/4 tsp)

•120 ml water (for steaming)

Garlic-soy sauce

•60 ml soy sauce

•15 ml rice vinegar (I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap)

•15 ml honey or brown sugar

•10 ml toasted sesame oil (optional; I'm assuming you have this—let me know if not and I'll swap)

•10 g cornstarch

To serve

•600 g cooked rice, warmed

•Sliced scallions or sesame seeds (optional)