Hot and Sour Chicken-Broccoli Stir-Fry

Here’s a simple, fresh, and flavorful stir-fry that’s on the table in less than an hour, from prepped to cooked. Tender chicken breast and crunchy broccoli highlight the dish with a bold, spicy, sweet, and sour sauce bringing it all together.

Don’t sell stir-fries short. Loaded with fresh ingredients (homemade—takeout, not so much), these dishes are easy to put together and cook fast in one pan. Don’t have a wok? Use a deep, nonstick skillet. It’s all good.

For another hot and sour stir-fry with shrimp added, check out Hot and Sour Shrimp and Chicken Stir-Fry, or for shrimp alone, see Shrimp and Pineapple Stir-Fry for Two.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• juice of 1 whole lime
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1-1/2 tbsp sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 tsp cornstarch, divided 
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin 2-inch strips
• 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided
• 6 oz broccoli florets (thick stalks halved lengthwise)
• 2 Thai chiles, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, (white and green parts separated)
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1-inch, thin piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• cooked rice noodles, for serving

Prepared Chicken Breast 

Prepared Ingredients

Preparation

1. Whisk the lime juice and next 5 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a medium bowl. 

Hot and Sour Sauce

1. Whisk the water and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a separate bowl. Set aside and whisk again just before using.
2. Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Toss or stir to coat.
3. Heat a wok (or deep skillet) over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the wok.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the wok and add the broccoli, Thai chiles, and bell pepper. Stir-fry 3 minutes.
5. Add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the pan and add the sauce. Stir-fry 1 minute. Re-whisk the water-cornstarch slurry and stir into the wok mixture. Cook until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Chicken Beginning to Cook 

Stir-Fried Chicken 

Broccoli Mixture Beginning to Cook 

Scallion Mixture Added 

Chicken and Sauce Added 

Thickened Sauce

To serve, divide the noodles among 4 shallow bowls. Divide the chicken mixture on top and garnish with the dark green parts of the scallions. Serve right away.

Hot and Sour Chicken-Broccoli Stir-Fry