This shrimp and broccoli stir fry recipe is a quick, healthy, and delicious alternative to your usual Chinese takeout. With its perfect blend of tender shrimp, crisp broccoli, and a savory sauce, it's a meal that's guaranteed to impress in under 30 minutes!
Peel and finely mince or grate 2 cloves garlic and set it aside.
Cut off the green onion root and discard it. Finely chop the green onion, separate the whites for stir-frying with the shrimp, and the greens for garnish. Set them aside for later
(Optional) Slice Carrots: If you're using carrots to give this dish a pop of color, you can cut a few slices of flower-shaped carrot slices and set it aside for later. Alternatively, you can also just slice it into thin slices without the fancy flower shapes.
Wash the broccoli and cut them into 1 inch pieces and set aside.I like to cut them from the stem direction. Cut it up to the florets and then rip it by hand.This keeps the florets intact, and you lose less broccoli this way.
Peel and devein (optional) 10 shrimp and set it aside for later. (Make sure the shrimp has been fully thawed if you're using from frozen.)
Prepare the Chinese White Sauce
In a small bowl, mix together 2½ teaspoon chicken powder, ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, ¼ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cups water.
In another small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water.
Pour the cornstarch slurry into the bowl of sauce, and mix everything together. Set it aside for later.
Stir Fry and Steam the Broccoli
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook until they are lightly charred for 1 minute.
Then add in ¼ cup of water and cover the pan with a lid and steam it for 2 minutes. Do a taste test after 2 minutes, if you like your broccoli softer, steam it for an extra minute with a few teaspoons of water.
Remove the broccoli from the pan and plate it once it has finished steaming. Set it aside for later.
Stir Fry the Shrimp
Lower the heat to medium-low, and wipe any residual water off the pan.
Add a little more oil to the pan and the shrimp. Stir fry it for 1 minute, until the shrimp are pink
Add in the minced garlic and the whites of the green onion and stir fry it for another 2-4 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked. Make sure not to overcook the shrimp as they can become tough and rubbery.
(Optional) If you are using carrot slices, add it in now as well.
Once the shrimp is cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside for later.
Cook and Thicken the White Sauce
Set the heat back up to medium.
Stir the sauce in the bowl again (the cornstarch settles to the bottom), then add it to the pan. Keep stirring until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken.
Add in ½-1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and mix it into the sauce after the sauce is thick.
Add Everything Together
Once the sauce is thick, add the shrimp and broccoli back into the frying pan and stir-fry everything for a few minutes.
Enjoy! Serve this delicious shrimp and broccoli stir fry immediately over rice or noodles.
Notes
Steam the Broccoli First: For this recipe, we steam the broccoli directly in the pan but you can also do this in microwave ahead of time as well. To microwave it, after you have chopped the broccoli, add it to a bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of water, and cover it with a lid and microwave it for about 1 minute. If you like your broccoli softer, you can add more time to it.
Thaw the Shrimp: Before you start the recipe, make sure your shrimp is fully thawed if you are using frozen shrimp. This will help the shrimp cook more evenly, and prevent it from being overcooked. I also like to remove the shells so it is easier to eat. Plus, it will allow the shrimp to fully absorb the flavors of the garlic and Chinese white sauce.
Cut the Broccoli Stem Side: To prevent the broccoli florets from breaking apart, I like to cut them from the stem direction. Cut up to the florets, and then from there, you can just rip it in half. This helps keep all the florets intact, and you lose less broccoli as well.