If you’re craving takeout but trying to stick to the grocery budget, this Sticky Garlic Chicken & Broccoli is such a good one to have in your back pocket.
Tender pieces of chicken and broccoli get tossed in a sweet and savory homemade garlic sauce and served over warm rice. The sauce is sticky, garlicky, and SO good, but it’s made with really simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry.
Even better? This entire dinner comes together in about 30 minutes, making it totally doable on a busy weeknight.
Why You’ll Love This Sticky Garlic Chicken
There’s a lot to love about this one:
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Uses inexpensive, everyday ingredients
- No complicated ingredients or specialty sauces
- Sweet and savory without being spicy
- Easy to make with fresh OR frozen broccoli
- Great for using ingredients you already have
- Cheaper than grabbing takeout for the family
The cornstarch gives the chicken a light coating before it hits the skillet, and then we use a little more in the sauce to give it that glossy, sticky consistency.
Ingredients
Chicken & Broccoli
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
Sticky Garlic Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil, optional
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
For Serving
- 3 cups cooked rice
- Sliced green onions, optional
How to Make Sticky Garlic Chicken & Broccoli
1. Start the Rice
Cook your rice according to the package directions so it’s ready when the chicken is finished.
2. Coat the Chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until each piece has a light coating.
You don’t need a thick breading here. That little bit of cornstarch helps the outside of the chicken brown while also helping the sauce cling to it later.
3. Cook the Chicken
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s golden on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
4. Cook the Broccoli
Add the broccoli to the same skillet along with a small splash of water.
Cover and cook for about 3–4 minutes, or until the broccoli is crisp-tender.
Frozen broccoli works too! It may just need an extra minute or two.
If there is a lot of water remaining in the skillet after cooking the broccoli, carefully drain the excess before adding the sauce.
5. Make the Sticky Garlic Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, optional sesame oil, cornstarch, and water.
Pour the sauce into the skillet with the broccoli.
Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. You’ll see the sauce start to become thicker and glossy pretty quickly.
6. Bring It All Together
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
Toss the chicken and broccoli in the sticky garlic sauce until everything is completely coated.
Cook for another 1–2 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat.
7. Serve
Spoon the sticky garlic chicken and broccoli over warm rice.
Top with sliced green onions if you have them, and dinner is done!
Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?
Absolutely.
This is actually one of my favorite ways to keep this dinner inexpensive. Frozen broccoli is often cheaper, lasts much longer, and means there’s one less fresh ingredient you have to worry about using before it goes bad.
You can add it straight to the skillet. Just give it a little extra time to cook and drain off excess water before adding the sauce.
Is Sticky Garlic Chicken Spicy?
Nope! This version is sweet, savory, and garlicky without any added heat, which makes it a great option for families.
If you like things spicy, add crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili crisp to individual servings.
That way everyone at the table can make theirs as spicy—or not spicy—as they want.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
One of the best things about a skillet dinner like this is that you don’t have to run to the store because you’re missing one ingredient.
No chicken breasts? Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work too.
No fresh broccoli? Use frozen.
No rice vinegar? Apple cider vinegar works just fine.
No sesame oil? Leave it out. It adds some extra flavor, but the recipe is still delicious without it.
Want more vegetables? Try adding sliced bell peppers, carrots, or snap peas.
Budget-Friendly Tips
Chicken, broccoli, and rice are all ingredients that can stretch pretty far when you’re feeding a family.
Using 1½ pounds of chicken with plenty of broccoli and rice gives you a filling dinner without needing a huge amount of meat.
You can also use frozen broccoli, store-brand soy sauce, and whatever rice you already have in the pantry.
And if you’re following one of my weekly dinner plans, ingredients like rice, garlic, soy sauce, and chicken are easy to work into multiple dinners so you’re not buying an entire ingredient for one recipe.
What to Serve with Sticky Garlic Chicken
Rice is definitely my first choice because it soaks up all that extra sauce.
You could also serve this with:
- Fried rice
- Noodles
- Steamed vegetables
- Egg rolls
- Dumplings
- Cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option
But honestly, chicken + broccoli + a big scoop of rice is already a complete dinner in my book.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover sticky garlic chicken and broccoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat it gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat.
If the sauce gets too thick after refrigeration, add a tiny splash of water while reheating.
Sticky Garlic Chicken & Broccoli
Description
This easy Sticky Garlic Chicken and Broccoli is tossed in a sweet and savory homemade garlic sauce and served over rice for an affordable 30-minute family dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken & Broccoli
Sauce
Serving
Instructions
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Cook enough rice to make 2 cups cooked rice according to package directions.
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Toss 1½ lbs diced chicken with 2 tbsp cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
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Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6–8 minutes, until browned and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
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Add 4 cups broccoli and a small splash of water to the skillet. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain excess water if necessary.
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Whisk together ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup honey, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp optional sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and ¼ cup water.
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Pour sauce into the skillet with the broccoli and simmer 1–2 minutes, stirring, until thickened and glossy.
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Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook another 1–2 minutes.
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Serve over 2 cups cooked rice and top with green onions if desired.
