What to Make With Chicken and Broccoli: 3 Fast Weeknight Dinners
Chicken and broccoli is the plate a lot of kids already recognize, which is a gift on a weeknight. Cut the chicken small so it finishes with the broccoli instead of ten minutes later. One dinner is a fast stir-fry, one is a sheet pan, and one is a garlicky skillet with no thick sauce. The times include chopping. Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
Quick picks: 3 dinners with chicken and broccoli in 30 minutes or less
Fastest option: a 18-minute dinner
18 min
Chicken and broccoli stir-fry
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
A hot skillet, small chicken pieces, and broccoli that stays bright, with soy sauce at the end.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken
- 3 cups broccoli
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Steps
- Cut the chicken into small strips and toss it with the cornstarch and a pinch of salt.
- Stir-fry the chicken in a hot skillet until it is just opaque. Scoop it out.
- Add the broccoli with a splash of water and cover for 2 minutes so it turns bright.
- Return the chicken, add the garlic and soy sauce, and toss for a minute.
- The broccoli should still have a bite. If it is olive-drab, it went too long.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days. Reheat it hot and fast so the broccoli doesn't weep.
One-pan or sheet-pan option
25 min
Sheet-pan chicken and broccoli
Total time, start to plate · One sheet pan · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Broccoli and chicken roast on one pan with oil and salt, no sauce to wash off.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken
- 4 cups broccoli
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon
Steps
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the chicken small and the broccoli into florets.
- Toss both with oil and salt on a sheet pan. Leave space. A crowded pan steams.
- Roast about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the broccoli has dark edges.
- Squeeze the lemon over the pan.
- Taste a floret. Add salt if the lemon is the only thing you notice.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days. The broccoli softens and is still fine chopped into a lunch.
The other dinner
20 min
Garlic skillet chicken and broccoli
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Chicken sears, broccoli follows, and garlic finishes the pan. No cornstarch, no gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken
- 3 cups broccoli
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Steps
- Salt the chicken and sear it in oil in one layer. Do two rounds if the pan is full.
- Set the chicken aside when it is browned and just cooked.
- Add the broccoli to the same skillet with a splash of water. Cover 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and the chicken. Cook one more minute, uncovered, so the water boils off.
- Eat it while the broccoli is still green.
Keeps: Fridge for 2 days. Best the first night, while the broccoli still has crunch.
Make it with leftovers
Cooked chicken only needs to be warmed in the stir-fry and the garlic skillet. Add it at the end. Leftover roasted broccoli is already soft, so toss it in for a minute. Don't roast it again on the sheet pan or it goes gray and sad.
Pantry staples you'll need
- Oil
- Salt
- Garlic
- Soy sauce
- Lemon
No broccoli: green beans or sliced zucchini take the same timing in the stir-fry. No chicken: firm tofu, pressed dry, works in the stir-fry if that is the protein you have.
Picky-eater and healthy tweaks
The sheet pan is the least saucy. Salt and a little oil, broccoli that still has a bite, chicken that is not hiding in gravy. Serve the soy sauce on the side for the stir-fry.
This combo is already the lighter plate if you skip a cheese sauce. Steam is not required. A hot pan and a short cook keep the broccoli bright. Breast or thigh both work.
Have something else in the fridge?
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Questions
What can I make with chicken and broccoli in 20 minutes?
Chicken and broccoli stir-fry takes 18 minutes, start to plate. A hot skillet, small chicken pieces, and broccoli that stays bright, with soy sauce at the end.
What's the easiest dinner with chicken and broccoli?
Chicken and broccoli stir-fry is the low-fuss one: one skillet, 18 minutes. A hot skillet, small chicken pieces, and broccoli that stays bright, with soy sauce at the end.
Can I make this with leftover or cooked chicken?
Cooked chicken only needs to be warmed in the stir-fry and the garlic skillet. Add it at the end. Leftover roasted broccoli is already soft, so toss it in for a minute. Don't roast it again on the sheet pan or it goes gray and sad.
What else can I add to chicken and broccoli for a full meal?
The cards already use chicken, broccoli, soy sauce. A piece of fruit or a handful of frozen vegetables is enough if you want more on the plate. Don't make a second shopping trip.
Is chicken and broccoli a healthy dinner?
This combo is already the lighter plate if you skip a cheese sauce. Steam is not required. A hot pan and a short cook keep the broccoli bright. Breast or thigh both work.
How do I make chicken and broccoli kid-friendly?
The sheet pan is the least saucy. Salt and a little oil, broccoli that still has a bite, chicken that is not hiding in gravy. Serve the soy sauce on the side for the stir-fry.
Can I make chicken and broccoli in one pan or a sheet pan?
Sheet-pan chicken and broccoli uses one sheet pan and takes 25 minutes. Broccoli and chicken roast on one pan with oil and salt, no sauce to wash off.
What if I don't have broccoli?
No broccoli: green beans or sliced zucchini take the same timing in the stir-fry. No chicken: firm tofu, pressed dry, works in the stir-fry if that is the protein you have.