Sweet Chili Ground Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry — EASY, ready in 30 minutes, made in ONE skillet, and layered with Asian-inspired flavors! Juicy chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, red bell peppers, and more are coated with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and finished with fresh cilantro for a pop of freshness!
Table of Contents
- Craving More Easy Asian Recipes?
- Ingredients for This Recipe
- How to Make Ground Chicken Stir Fry
- Alternate Protein Options
- Cooking Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage Instructions
- What to Serve With Ground Chicken Stir-Fry
- Sweet Chili Ground Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
- More Easy Asian-Inspired Chicken Recipes:
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.
The sauce is a mixture of store bought sweet chili sauce (there’s a whole section about this in the FAQs), soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar to really bring home the Asian-inspired flavor profile.
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!
Craving More Easy Asian Recipes?
I have tons of other skillet recipes along these same lines with chicken and broccoli including Healthy Sesame Chicken and Broccoli and 15-Minute Orange Chili Chicken and Broccoli, but this one uses ground chicken.
Make sure to also see the Related Recipes below the recipe card for more easy skillet dinner inspiration!
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.
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!
- To a large high sided skillet, add the olive oil, onion, and saute for a few minutes over medium-high heat before adding the red pepper and sauteeing a few minutes more.
- Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the pound ground chicken and crumble and stir while it cooks.
- Evenly drizzle the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce (oyster sauce may be substituted), toasted sesame oil and stir to combine.
- Add the broccoli, stir to combine, turn the heat to low, cover the large skillet and allow the broccoli to steam for about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir, add a splash of vinegar, stir, taste, and check for seasoning balance.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, add more sweet chili sauce if desired, and optionally garnish with cilantro or red pepper flakes before serving.
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.
Recipe FAQs
I am not a fan of frozen broccoli really, ever. And in a stir fry, even less so because it’s very tricky to achieve a crisp-tender texture when you’re dealing with a soggy-ish item that has survived the freezing/thawing process. So while the taste will be fine, I don’t personally recommend frozen broccoli for the texture.
Sweet chili sauce is a really integral part of this recipe. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s because I love the flavor and it’s inexpensive. However, there are other brands available in most grocery stores if you want to check out the following:
Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce
Thai Kitchen Sweet Chili Sauce
La Choy Sweet Chili Sauce
Whole Foods Organic 365 Sweet Chili Sauce
There are also recipes online that you can follow to make your own. I’ve never tried but it’s entirely possible. If you absolutely cannot find it, the closest substitute is Chinese style sweet-and-sour sauce or another trusted stir fry sauce.
Yes you do, see above for brand recommendations or DIY.
Or use sweet-and-sour sauce if you absolutely have to.
No it’s not. Sweet chili sauce, despite the name potentially inferring that it’s spicy, it’s not. If you are a heat seeker, see below.
Now we’re talkin’! At least a little spicy is a must for me in any stir fry. To accomplish this goal, I went very liberal with the red chili flakes that I sprinkled.
Other ways to kick up the heat include a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper (be careful, a little goes a very long way), actual chili peppers like serrano chiles or for the very brave habanero chiles (be very careful with this if you’re not familiar). Jalapeno peppers are not spicy for those of us who like spicy food so I wouldn’t even bother.
Chili garlic sauce or sambal olek will also kick up the heat, and the garlic level too. A rounded tablespoon of either would be what I would use. You can try sriracha sauce if you want to add heat without as much garlic flavor.
My mother despises cilantro so I know this is definitely a thing. I love it however and add it abundantly here for a fresh burst of herby flavor. If you’re not a fan, or simply want to use something else, or just omit it, that’s fine too.
Other options include fresh basil, Thai basil, fresh mint, fresh parsley, or thinly sliced green onions.
Yes you sure can. But make sure to use a very big skillet since you’ll be working with a very large volume of food! However, I don’t personally have a skillet big enough and recommend instead a large Dutch oven to make sure you have enough space for all that broccoli you’ll be tossing in and needing to cover with a lid so it steams properly.
Of course you can! A few that are easy and make perfect sense include snow peas, peapods, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, baby corn, green beans, bok choy, water chestnuts, or fresh ginger.
What to Serve With Ground Chicken Stir-Fry
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Sweet Chili Ground Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium to large sweet Vidalia onion, or yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium to large red bell pepper, or the color of your choice, seeded and diced small
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 pound ground chicken, ground turkey, pork, sausage, etc. may be substituted; read blog post for more info
- ⅔ cup sweet chili sauce, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce, or to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, or to taste
- 12 ounces fresh broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, sometimes labeled rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or to taste
- ⅓ cup finely minced fresh cilantro, or to taste; optional for garnishing
- Red chili flakes, optional but highly recommended for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large high-sided skillet, add the olive oil, onions, and heat over medium-high heat to saute and soften the onions for about 4 minutes; stir very frequently.
- Add the red peppers, stir to combine, and saute them with the onions for another 3 minutes, or until the vegetables have begun to soften a bit; stir very frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; stir nearly constantly.
- Add the ground chicken and cook to brown, making sure to crumble and stir it as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
- After the chicken has browned and is done, evenly drizzle the sweet chili sauce* (tip – I use a 10 ounce bottle from Trader Joe's. I start with not quite half the bottle and later, end up adding more, but it's up to you how saucy and flavorful you like things), the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, (tip – it has a strong-ish flavor profile and will give a definite great 'Asian vibe" to this dish, but if you're not used to or sensitive to the flavor, start with 1 tbsp and then go from there; I usually add 2-3 tbsp total), and stir to combine.
- Add the broccoli, stir to combine, turn the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and allow the broccoli to steam for about 4 to 5 minutes. Broccoli Tips – I use bagged florets to save time, but you can cut up and dice a head of broccoli if you wish because it is more cost effective. If using bagged florets, make sure that there are no overly large pieces; most bags have a few big ones. All broccoli should be bite-sized and uniformly sized for best results. Steam the broccoli until it's as done as you like, that may be longer than 5 minutes if you like it softer but we prefer it to be pretty crisp on the crisp-tender scale.
- Remove the lid, and add the salt, pepper, rice vinegar, stir to combine, and taste. Salt Tips – You need to add enough salt to bring out the flavor of a pound of protein and nearly 2 pounds of vegetables. For me, this means I added 2 heaping teaspoons of salt, which I realize sounds like a lot, but given the quantity of food you need to flavor, it's really not. There's not enough saltiness in the small amount of soy sauce used to really do so, and the sweet chili sauce although it contains sodium, it doesn't read salty so actual salt is key here. If the food tastes at all bland, it likely needs more salt. Don't be afraid to add it.
- Optionally, garnish with fresh cilantro, to taste (tip – use less than I did if you're not a fan, omit it entirely, or another herb like fresh basil or parsley is also fine) and optionally sprinkle with red chili flakes, to taste (tip – if you want it spicier, add very generously like I did; and for more intense heat add a serrano chile, habanero, or a tiny pinch of cayenne and read the blog post for more info on this).
- Serve immediately as is, or with rice, tortillas, naan, or your favorite side. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months, noting that the texture of the broccoli will become much softer and not retain the crisp-tenderness after freezing/thawing/reheating, although the taste will be fine.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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!
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!
Just made this tonight!! It was super fast to make and was DELICIOUS!! My picky hubby loved it too!!
I had to tweak to accommodate no gluten free chili sauce ( I subbed Bachans Japanese Sauce so I adjusted some other ingredient amounts). But just a really fast and super tasty meal. Thanks for a great healthy weeknight meal!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad it was super fast, delish, and picky eater approved! And you even made it GF, too. That’s great!