Stir fry and garlic are staples around here. This honey garlic chicken stir fry with broccoli & carrots combines both of those to make a delicious and healthy meal the family loves!
I have no idea where I get my love of garlic from. My mom actually really dislikes it, so she didn’t cook with it when I was a kid. Regardless, Dean and I (and all three of our kids) LOVE garlic. 4 out of 5 of us also LOVE stir fry – especially this honey garlic chicken stir fry with broccoli and carrots. The one hold out still gets his chicken, rice and veggies separated on his plate. 🙄
A Healthy Dinner Option
Filled with broccoli and carrots, this is a much healthier option than take out. But it tastes just as great!
Plus, you can customize it for preferences and even food intolerances! For example, I make mine these days with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce due to my own sensitivity. If someone has a gluten issue at your house, you could simply swap regular soy sauce for the gluten free kind!
How Do You Make Honey Garlic Stir Fry?
To make chicken stir fry, you’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes, broccoli, carrots, soy sauce (or a substitute), honey and garlic.
Cook the chicken in a hot pan with coconut oil. While the chicken and cooks, whisk together the sauce ingredients. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan. Then add the vegetables into the pan and cook with the garlic until the veggies are tender. Add the chicken back in with the veggies, add the sauce and stir until heated through.
How Do You Cook Chicken for Stir Fry?
My favorite way to cook chicken for stir fry is to season it with salt and pepper, then sear it in coconut oil in a hot pan until browned and cooked through. Be careful not to overcrowd your pan; if you add too much meat at once, the chicken will steam instead of brown. Then you’ll have soggy stir fry!
Honey Garlic Chicken Variations
You can use whatever vegetables you like here. I typically go with carrots and broccoli because that’s what my family prefers. Other great options are:
- mushrooms
- onions
- snow peas
- green beans
- asparagus
What Kind of Sauce Do You Put in a Stir Fry?
Most stir fry sauces are made with soy sauce, garlic, and other seasonings such as sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, chicken broth or chili sauce. One important component of stir fry sauce is a thickening agent, such as cornstarch or tapioca starch. A thicker sauce will cling better to your chicken and vegetables.
This recipe is written for garlic lovers with 2-3 cloves of garlic in the dish. If you prefer you can cut that amount down to 1 clove and it’ll still be tasty, with a little less potency. Try it paired with coconut sticky rice for a delicious dinner!
Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry and garlic are staples around here. This honey garlic chicken stir fry with broccoli combines both of those to make a delicious and healthy meal the whole family loves!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 cups broccoli
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 tbsp minced garlic, (about 2-3 cloves, depending on size)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (gluten free)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp tapioca starch
- salt and pepper to taste
- sesame seeds, optional
- chopped green onions, optional
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add in the cubed chicken breast. Cook until all of the chicken is cooked through and browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. (I usually place paper towels in a bowl and then place chicken on top.)
- Melt another tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan.
- Add the carrots and broccoli and saute until tender but still firm, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and toss. Then add the chicken back in and let simmer while preparing the sauce.
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the chicken broth, soy sauce, tapioca starch and honey. Pour into the pan and stir for 30 seconds.
- Let simmer for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve over rice and top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Got a little more time to make your own Chinese takeout? Try our Gluten Free Chicken Balls and Garlic Broccoli recipe!
Does your family like stir fry and garlic as much as ours does?
