If you’re looking for a one skillet, easy dinner recipe that’s full of flavor, look no farther than this 30-minute Asian-inspired stir fry! There’s plenty of juicy ground chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, red bell peppers and onions for extra flavor as well as a pop of bright color, and a sweet-yet-savory sauce that coats everything to perfection. The broccoli florets are like little sponges that soak it all up perfectly. Even if you have picky eaters, I promise when broccoli is made like this, they’ll be much more inclined to give it a try. By no means does the dish read sweet despite the name sweet chili sauce. Nor does it read spicy despite chili in the name. It reads absolutely perfect and well balanced if you ask me and my family members who devoured this one skillet recipe. I included ways below to crank up the heat intensity if you do love spicier foods like we do. When you need to get a healthy-ish dinner on the table in less than a half hour after a long day at work or school on busy weeknights, this is a go-to. The recipe is made in a way that you don’t have to cook one thing, empty out the skillet, cook something else, add the other item back in – nope! This is an add-and-cook recipe that builds with ease, no emptying, re-adding things, and shuffling!
Ingredients for This Recipe
This fast and easy stir fry with ground chicken and vegetables uses very common fridge and pantry ingredients. And all things considered, it’s a pretty brief list because many of the items are salt, pepper, or oil which we all have on hand already. Make sure to also see the Related Recipes below the recipe card for more easy skillet dinner inspiration! I purchased everything I needed for this recipe at my local Trader Joe’s. This is not sponsored. I just wanted to mention it. If you have a TJ’s in your area, stopping by to pick up the ingredients you don’t already have on hand is easy and very cost-effective, but of course, you can get similar items most anywhere.
Olive oil Sweet vidalia or yellow onion Red bell pepper (or your favorite color) Garlic Ground chicken (see below for other protein options) Sweet chili sauce Low sodium soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos are good substitutions for those wanting to make this gluten-free; make sure to select sweet chili sauce that’s also GF) Toasted sesame oil Fresh broccoli florets Rice vinegar (sometimes called ‘rice wine vinegar’ which is the same thing; or apple cider vinegar) Salt Pepper Cilantro, optional for garnishing Red pepper flakes, optional (but not really) for garnishing Brown sugar, optional (sometimes I like to add a pinch for flavor balance but it’s up to you)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts or Thighs?
If you want to use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs instead of the ground chicken, you can. Simply saute the onions, then the bell peppers, add the garlic. And then add bite-sized pieces of diced chicken breasts or chicken thighs to the skillet, and cook them through before moving on.
How to Make Ground Chicken Stir Fry
Making this one skillet stir fry recipe is a cinch with minimal prep time a quick cooking time, and about 40 mins total time. Follow my straightforward instructions and you’ll be eating this in less than a half hour! This is a great meal prep recipe because leftovers taste so good!
Alternate Protein Options
I used one pound of ground chicken, but other ground proteins are definitely fine. I have listed the alternatives in my subjective preferential order:
Ground turkey – This is the closest to ground chicken. With all the sauce, seasonings, and fresh herbs in this recipe I can’t tell the difference between ground chicken or ground turkey. Ground chicken is generally a couple dollars a pound cheaper, so I tend to go with it. Ground pork – The ‘other white meat’ and when crumbled during cooking, it still tastes lean enough and neutral enough in flavor Ground sausage (or Ground Chorizo)- Whether we’re talking Italian, hot, sweet, or another type of sausage (or a mild to spicy pork chorizo) you’ll definitely notice a flavor difference and the mouthfeel will be greasier since sausage contains much more fat. Not in a bad way but it won’t feel quite as clean eating. Chorizo is full of fat so keep that in mind and with that said, it’s probably not well suited to this skillet recipe. Ground beef – If you use a very lean beef, at least 90/10 ground beef or leaner, the mouthfeel won’t seem greasy. But the flavor will be totally different. Again, not bad but you can’t compare chicken with beef, apples to oranges. If you’re looking for a great beef with broccoli recipe, I’ve got two! Better Than Takeout Beef with Broccoli made like a stir fry in a skillet in minutes. And 15-Minute Sheet Pan Beef with Broccoli. Plant-Based Proteins (such as Crumbles) – I list this as my last option but only because I haven’t experimented with the oodles of new brands and manufacturers out there of “plant based crumbles” as they tend to be called. Whether it’s imitation ground beef, fake chorizo, or just a good ‘ole tofu crumble, you’ll have to see what works best if you want to keep this dish totally plant based and vegan.
Cooking Tips
Below are a few final tips for making this ground chicken and broccoli stir-fry.
Salt
Until the end, there’s very little salt in this recipe, other than from the soy sauce and sweet chili sauce, although it doesn’t read salty. Therefore the pound of ground chicken + and nearly two pounds of vegetables (onion, bell pepper, broccoli) desperately need salt to bring out the best in them. Don’t be afraid to salt generously. I used 2 teaspoons which may sound like a lot to some, but for us it’s not. Always salt to your own tastes, of course.
Red Pepper Flakes or Chili Flakes
These go back into the critical need zone. I truly cannot eat Asian-inspired foods without a little bit of heat (or Mexican food) so I shake liberally. Add to your taste. And note that they go by many names included red pepper flakes, chili flakes, pizza flakes, etc.
Broccoli Florets
To save time, I used a 12-ounce bag broccoli florets but of course, you can chop a head of broccoli. Make sure that the broccoli is both uniform in size, and bite-size. It will shrink a bit as it steams, but make sure there are no pieces larger than a golf ball and that’s the max – honestly I chop those in half. Every bag has at least a couple of those so before you dump them all into your skillet pare down anything that’s not truly bite sized.
Toasted Sesame Oil
People always write to me with any recipe that uses sesame oil what exactly to buy. You want toasted, as opposed to not toasted. It will clearly state it on the label. Most sesame oil intended for cooking or sauce is sold as toasted but it’s one of those ingredients I always point out since my readers write to me a lot about it otherwise. Love sesame? Add sesame seeds to garnish. Trader Joe’s Toasted Sesame Oil is tasty and a great value, but there are tons of options in any supermarket. The Whole Foods Toasted Sesame Oil is another safe bet. If you don’t like the flavor of sesame oil, have an allergy, or don’t want to buy a bottle for just a tablespoon or two – just omit it.
More Easy Asian-Inspired Chicken Recipes:
P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps – You can skip the restaurant version and make your own in 20 minutes and I promise you this homemade version tastes better! Personally, I like to make this for dinner on busy weeknights and the next day enjoy it for lunch at my desk or as a no-fuss dinner option the following night. Want to batch cook this? Sure thing. You can double the recipe. You’ll likely need to use a Dutch oven instead of a skillet, otherwise all of the ingredients won’t fit! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Chicken Egg Roll Bowls — These egg roll bowls are easy, ready in 15 minutes, full of flavor, have lots of texture, and are healthier than actual egg rolls. 15-Minute Chicken, Vegetable, and Ramen Noodle Stir Fry – Don’t call for takeout when you can make this EASY Asian stir fry in minutes!! HEALTHIER and faster than takeout and great for busy weeknights! 15-Minute Orange Chili Chicken and Broccoli – The orange chili sauce is spicy, tangy, and sweet all in one!! The PERFECT sauce to jazz up chicken and broccoli! A FAST and EASY dinner with great Asian FLAVOR!! Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken — This sweet and sour chicken recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and tastes way better than takeout. Perfect for a weeknight dinner! Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken — Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce!! Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice – One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken! Sticky Basil Chicken — Skip takeout and make this AMAZING chicken that tastes like it’s from a Thai restaurant at home in 15 minutes!! So EASY with the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and plenty of fresh basil!
