WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
Chicken Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry
Array/5
COOK TIME
20 min
TOTAL TIME
30 min
SERVINGS
4-6 servings
Tender chicken, broccoli, and chewy ramen noodles get tossed in a savory homemade stir fry sauce for this delicious Chicken Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry recipe! This quick meal is served in just 30 minutes and is packed with all the best flavors and textures.
This chicken and broccoli noodle stir fry combines the best of two worlds: classic stir fry and the comfort food taste of ramen noodles. It’s packed with chicken, crisp broccoli, and a homemade sauce that ties everything together in the most delicious way. This dish is like a takeout favorite but even better because you made it right at home without a delivery fee or tip!
This easy dinner is on heavy rotation at our house because of how easy it is to change each time based on what you have on hand. You can switch up the protein with shrimp, beef, or tofu and add whatever veggies you have, like bell peppers, carrots, or snap peas. It’s the perfect dinner for families with different tastes or for those nights when you need to clear out the fridge without wasting a thing.
With just one skillet and a quick boil for the ramen noodles, dinner is ready in only 30 minutes. Cook the chicken until it’s golden and juicy, then toss in the broccoli until it’s tender. While that’s happening, boil the ramen noodles for a few minutes, then mix everything with a flavorful homemade stir-fry sauce. It’s such a simple process, but the result is a dinner that feels way more special than the effort it takes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs are perfect for this stir fry because they stay juicy and tender while soaking up all that delicious sauce. You can also use chicken breast if that’s what you have on hand, but I love the extra flavor thighs bring.
Broccoli Florets – Broccoli adds a pop of color and crunch to the stir fry. You can use fresh or frozen, which makes this recipe super convenient. If using fresh, add a bit of water to steam it while cooking for the best texture.
Olive Oil – Used to sauté the chicken and broccoli, keeping everything from sticking to the pan. You could also use any neutral oil you like.
Ramen Noodles – They bring a chewy, slurpable element to the dish and help soak up the sauce. Make sure to discard the seasoning packet that comes with the noodles because we’re making our own flavorful sauce here.
Green Onions & Sesame Seeds (Optional) – These toppings add a bit of freshness and a nice crunch to the finished stir fry.
Homemade Stir Fry Sauce
Soy Sauce – Forms the base of the stirfry sauce, adding a savory, umami flavor. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to keep the dish from becoming too salty.
Chicken Broth – This adds a bit of richness and helps create a smooth, silky sauce.
Corn Starch – Corn starch is the magic ingredient that thickens the sauce, helping it cling to every bite of chicken, broccoli, and noodles.
Honey – A touch of honey brings a little sweetness to balance out the savory flavors. It also helps give the sauce a nice, glossy finish.
Sesame Oil – Sesame oil adds a nutty, aromatic flavor that makes this stir fry taste like your favorite takeout. A little goes a long way!
Ginger & Garlic – These two ingredients bring warmth and depth to the dish. Freshly minced is always best, but you can use jarred or powdered.
Step By Step Instructions
Make the Stir Fry Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the low-sodium soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add the honey, sesame oil, minced ginger, and minced garlic, and whisk again until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Set the sauce aside for later.
Cook the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
Prepare the Broccoli: In the same skillet, add another drizzle of olive oil. While the skillet heats up, fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a boil for the ramen noodles. Add the broccoli florets to the hot skillet. If using fresh broccoli, pour in 2 tablespoons of water to help steam the broccoli. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
Cook the Ramen Noodles: Once the water in the saucepan is boiling, add the ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packets). Cook for 2-3 minutes until the noodles are just tender. Drain the noodles in a colander and immediately rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and toss to prevent sticking.
Combine and Serve: Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet with the broccoli. Then, add the cooked ramen noodles to the skillet. Pour the stir-fry sauce over the chicken, broccoli, and noodles. Stir everything together. Reduce the heat to low and let everything warm through for a couple of minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly, coating the noodles and veggies. Remove from the stove and top with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
Ramen Noodle Cooking Tips
Cook the noodles at the right time: Start boiling the noodles while you cook the broccoli. This keeps the timing smooth so everything is ready to toss together at the same time.
Rinse with cold water: After draining the noodles, rinse them under cold water. This stops the cooking process immediately, keeping the noodles from becoming mushy or overcooked.
Prevent sticking with sesame oil: Drizzle a little sesame oil (or any neutral oil) over the noodles after rinsing. Gently toss to coat, which helps prevent the noodles from clumping together while you finish the rest of the stir fry.
More Expert Tips
Cut chicken evenly: Cut the chicken into uniform, bite-sized pieces to help it cook evenly and quickly.
Use high heat for searing: When cooking the chicken, make sure your skillet is nice and hot before adding the chicken. This helps get that golden, slightly crispy outside while keeping the inside juicy.
Steam fresh broccoli in the skillet: If you’re using fresh broccoli, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the skillet while cooking. Cover with a lid to steam the broccoli, keeping it vibrant and tender.
Thicken sauce with cornstarch: Whisk the cornstarch well into the sauce mixture before adding it to the stir fry. This helps the sauce thicken evenly without any lumps.
Keep the skillet moving: When adding the sauce to the chicken, broccoli, and noodles, stir frequently to coat everything evenly.
Serve right away: This dish tastes best when served immediately while everything is hot and the noodles are perfectly tender.
Ways To Customize
This easy chicken ramen stirfry is incredibly versatile, making it easy to switch things up based on what you have on hand or what your family loves. Here are a few simple ways to customize this recipe to keep it exciting!
Noodles: You can use classic ramen noodles, but feel free to swap them out for rice noodles, soba noodles, or even spaghetti. For a lower-carb option, zucchini noodles or shirataki noodles work well too.
Veggies: Add in some diced bell pepper, zucchini, mushroom, shaved carrots, snap peas, onions, kale, or your favorite veggie.
Protein: Switch up the chicken with beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or even salmon. You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken to make this dish even quicker.
Nuts: Add some crunch with cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or sliced almonds. Toasting them slightly before adding them gives them even more flavor.
Sauce: You can change up the sauce by adding a splash of hoisin, teriyaki, fish sauce, or oyster sauce. A spoonful of peanut butter mixed into the sauce creates a delicious, creamy, and nutty flavor.
Storing & Reheating
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the texture of the vegetables will change and get soggy when thawed.
Reheating: Reheat the stir fry in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth or water to help loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.
FAQ
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Yes, frozen vegetables work well in this recipe. They’re super convenient and cook quickly. Just add them straight to the skillet with a bit of water so they steam. Larger pieces will take more time to thaw so try to make sure everything is the same size.
What kind of chicken is best for stir fry?
Chicken thighs are ideal because they stay juicy and tender, but chicken breast works too. Just make sure to cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Just swap the ramen noodles for gluten-free rice noodles or gluten-free ramen. Also, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in the stirfry sauce. Check all other ingredients you are using.
Can I use a different type of noodle?
Rice noodles, soba noodles, udon, or even spaghetti can be used as a substitute for ramen noodles in this stir fry.
What can I do if the stir fry sauce is too salty?
If your sauce turns out too salty, add a splash of chicken broth or water to dilute it. You can also add a bit more honey to balance out the flavors.
More Easy Noodle Dinners
Instant Pot Tomato Ziti 
Peanut Butter Noodles
Easy Crockpot Chicken and Noodles
One Pan Ground Beef Stroganoff
Print
Chicken Broccoli Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
A 30 minute dinner recipe full of chicken, broccoli, noodles and classic stir fry flavors. One pan easy dinner, your family will love.
Ingredients
Stir Fry Sauce
1/4 cup low sodium Soy Sauce
1/3 cup low sodium Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon minced Ginger
2 Tablespoons minced Garlic
Stir Fry
1 lb chicken, cut in 1 inch pieces (I use thighs)
Broccoli Florets, 10 oz bag (fresh or frozen)
olive oil
2 packets Ramen Noodles (discard the seasoning pack)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
sesame seeds and green onion to top (optional)
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, and corn starch. Whisk together. Add the honey, sesame oil, minced ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk again until all are mixed together. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet on medium high heat, drizzle olive oil into the pan. Once hot, add the chicken pieces, move around, and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and place in a separate bowl or plate.
3. Add another drizzle of olive oil to the same skillet. While heating, start fill a small saucepan with water on high heat to boil for the ramen noodles.
4. Once the skillet is hot again, add the broccoli florets. If using fresh broccoli, add 2 Tablespoons of water also. If using frozen, no need to add water. Cook for a few minutes until broccoli is warm, bright green and cooked through.
5. While cooking the broccoli, add the ramen noodles from the two packs to the boiling water. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Drain water in a colander and immediately rinse noodles with cold water. Drizzle sesame oil over noodles to prevent sticking.
6. After broccoli is cooked, add the chicken back to the same skillet. Then add cooked ramen noodles to the same skillet. Pour stir fry sauce over everything. Stir and toss chicken, broccoli, and noodles all together to coat in the sauce. Heat on low medium heat until all is warmed through together.
7. Top with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired. Serve warm!
Notes
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4 Responses
Very good! And easy and quick! Love this for a quick supper during the week! The flavor is so good! I am going to try with asparagus too! Thanks!
So glad you liked this one! Asparagus in this is a great idea! Thank you!
Love it! So easy and so much flavor! Great week night meal! I might try it with asparagus next time…thanks for sharing!
I really enjoyed this! All I had was ground chicken so I used that and felt like it worked out pretty well. I used low sodium chicken broth in the pan while cooking the fresh Broccoli and I feel like it gave it a little boost of flavor. I’ll definitely make it again! Thanks for sharing!