This super easy chicken and broccoli recipe is just one of my many go-to easy sheet pan recipes. It's SO delicious, and getting a healthy dinner on the table that everyone will want to eat has never been easier.
You know it... I know it... sometimes figuring out what to make for dinner just plain stinks. This recipe is your new secret weapon.
My collection of easy sheet pan dinners dates way back before I ever started blogging about cooking.
It seems like I've always been a super busy person. Can you relate? There never seems to be enough hours in the day. It feels like getting a healthy dinner on the table takes serious planning. Throw in a family of picky eaters, and it's even more difficult!
This is why I live by the quick and easy dinner most nights of the week. I cook almost every single day. I absolutely have to have an arsenal of easy chicken recipes to make for dinner. (My other secret weapon in the battle for easy things to make for dinner is lean ground beef. But I digress.)
I created this Chinese chicken and broccoli recipe years ago. I love to order up some Chinese food on a busy night, but take out Chinese food is often loaded with extra sugar, sodium, and MSG. I needed an alternative, so I made up this quick, healthy dinner.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Freezer friendly. This meal is perfect for making ahead of time and freezing. I highly recommend doubling the recipe and freezing it so you can save time on meal prep. Future you will thank you!
- Easy and fast. It takes less than 20 minutes to make this super easy chicken sheet pan recipe.
- Kid approved. Kids and picky eaters alike love this recipe. It's a healthy meal that tastes like comfort food.
Recipe Notes
This is one of my favorite healthy chicken and broccoli recipes. This recipe is essentially a chicken and broccoli stir fry recipe that is cooked on a sheet pan. Swap out the brown sugar in this recipe for Swerve brown sugar to turn this into a keto chicken recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
You'll be making a simple stir fry sauce for this recipe. You only need to marinate the chicken for a short time, usually just long enough to cut up the broccoli and heat up the oven. I'm all about time saving and still getting that big, amazing flavor.
- Chicken. Chicken breasts or chicken thighs are totally fine. Buy them boneless and skinless to save on prep time.
- Broccoli. I usually buy 3 to 4 broccoli crowns for this recipe. If I'm freezing the marinated chicken, I buy broccoli the day (or a few days) before I'm going to cook this recipe so that it's extra crisp, tasty, and fresh.
- Soy Sauce. If you are gluten-free, use tamari here.
- Rice Vinegar. You can also substitute sherry vinegar for this recipe if you don't have any rice wine vinegar on hand.
- Brown Sugar. You can use honey or brown sugar to give this recipe its sweet and savory flavor. If you're following a ketogenic diet, replace the sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Swerve brand brown sugar.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a thickener for this sauce. You can also use arrowroot powder.
- Garlic and Ginger. Use either fresh garlic and ginger OR for a shortcut, use the jarred variety that you can find in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Sesame Oil. This is definitely the secret ingredient for next level stir fry flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This easy sheet pan dinner recipe can be made on and cooked on the same day, OR you can make it ahead of time. Sesame Chicken and Broccoli also makes a really great freezer meal.
Preheat the oven now if you'll be cooking this recipe immediately.
Optional Step: If you're going to serve this recipe with rice, make sure to start the rice so that it'll be ready by the time your chicken stir fry comes out of the oven.
Step 1 — Make the stir fry sauce.
Mix all of the ingredients for the stir fry sauce together in a bowl, or in a freezer bag if you plan to freeze the meal.
PRO TIP: Make a double batch of chicken and stir fry sauce. Freeze one batch. Now you're a meal prep genius!! Dinner is already done!
Step 2 — Cut up the broccoli into florets.
Add the chicken and the broccoli to a parchment lined baking sheet. You can also use whatever veggies you like here.
Step 3 — Bake.
Preheat the oven to 425℉. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the veggies. Broccoli is super easy, but if you're craving a little more variety, you can also add red peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Carrots, onions, celery, and ginger are all fabulous, too. Heck, go nuts and add a sweet potato!
- Serve with cauliflower rice. If you're following a ketogenic diet or a low carb keto diet, serve this Asian-inspired dinner with this low carb cauliflower rice.
FAQs and Expert Tips
To turn this easy dinner recipe into a freezer meal, simply make the sesame ginger stir fry sauce and then add the chicken and the sauce to a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for several months.
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven and the add your favorite veggies. Bake from 20 to 25 minutes on a parchment lined sheet pan.
Instant Pot Variation: You can totally turn this sheet pan chicken into Instant Pot chicken. Did I mention how much I love easy chicken dinner recipes? This variation still only requires one pot.
Heat up the Instant Pot using the Sauté function, then add the chicken along with the stir fry sauce to the pan. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through. Add the broccoli close and seal the pan, set the Instant Pot to Manual for 4 minutes. To thicken the brown sauce add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch + ¼ cup of water) and bring the sauce to a boil.
Other Easy Meal Prep Recipes That You’ll Love
- Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
- Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep Bowl
- Healthy Burger Meal Prep Bowl
- Fish Taco Bowl with Mango Salsa
- Super Easy Cauliflower Rice
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Sheet Pan Dinner Recipe {Keto-Friendly}
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 boneless chicken thighs or boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 broccoli crowns about 4 cups
Stir fry Sauce (Marinade)
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar for keto, use Swerve brand
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili oil
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds more if needed
- 3 tablespoons scallions chopped green parts only
Serve With
- steamed rice
- cauliflower rice
Instructions
Chicken and Broccoli
- This recipe calls for chicken thighs, but you can also use boneless chicken breasts. You'll want about 2 to 3 pounds of chicken. I would use 2 to 3 boneless chicken breasts or 6 to 8 boneless chicken thighs.
- Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and discard the stems.
Make the Stir Fry Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a zip top bag or in a bowl.
- Add the chicken to the stir fry sauce.
- PRO TIP: Store the marinating chicken in the fridge OR in the freezer. You can make a double batch and cook one batch tonight and freeze a second batch for later this month.
When you're ready to bake
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Start with thawed and marinated chicken.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and spread it over about one-half of the pan.
- Use tongs to place the chicken on the other half of the sheet pan. It's okay if you get sauce on the pan. I like to use about half of the sauce on the pan.
- Bake for 12 to 20 minutes. Check about halfway through cooking and give the chicken a toss. The larger the chunks of chicken, the longer your cooking time will be.
- Serve with rice, chopped scallions, and toasted sesame seeds.
Laura's Tips + Notes
- How to Freeze: If you want to freeze this easy chicken recipe, simply make the stir fry sauce in a freezer bag and add the chicken. Press all the air out of the bag, seal, and stick it in the freezer. When you are ready to cook it take the chicken out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.
- Stovetop Directions: Heat up a large skillet and add the chicken along with the stir fry sauce to the pan. Sauté over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through. Add the broccoli and stir fry for a few minutes until the broccoli is tender. You can cover the pan to speed this step up. To thicken the sauce, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch + ¼ cup of water) and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Instant Pot Directions: Heat up the Instant Pot using the Sauté function, then add the chicken along with the stir fry sauce to the pan. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through. Add the broccoli close and seal the pan, set the Instant Pot to Manual for 4 minutes. To thicken the sauce add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch + ¼ cup of water) and bring the sauce to a boil.
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