Chili Garlic Air Fryer Chicken and Broccoli

If you’re looking for a simple air fryer chicken and veggies combo, you’re in the right place. This chili garlic air fryer chicken and broccoli only takes 20-30 minutes and is packed with big flavors and just the right amount of heat. And every serving has 29 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of fat, making it great for healthy weeknight dinners or meal prep.

Ingredients for Chili Garlic Chicken and Broccoli

You can split this recipe into three components—the broccoli, chicken, and sauce for glazing. Here’s what you’ll need for each.

The Broccoli

• 12 oz Broccoli Florets
• 1 tablespoon of Olive, Avocado, or Chili Oil (for spice lovers)
• 1 teaspoon each of Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, and Garlic Powder

Other cruciferous veggies like cauliflower or brussels sprouts would work great if you wanted to get creative with seasoning blends and different flavor profiles. Though the cook time on something like brussels sprouts may need to be extended.

The Spicy Chicken Breast Bites

• 1 pound of Diced Chicken Breast
• 1 tablespoon of Chili Oil
• 2 teaspoons of Ground Ginger
• A pinch of salt and pepper

Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce

• 2 tablespoons of Chili Garlic Sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Honey

If you’d like to take a shortcut, you could use sweet chili sauce like my air fryer sweet chili chicken meatballs and air fryer sweet chili chicken and brussels sprouts recipes.

You could also play around with other sauces like the Bachan’s Japanese barbecue I used to make BBQ chicken fried cauliflower rice or my homemade Japanese barbecue sauce. The gochujang sauce from my sheet pan Korean chicken recipe or sweet and spicy sauce from my chili crisp chicken bowls would also be great alternatives.

Two Ways to Cook Air Fryer Chicken and Broccoli

In the recipe video below, you’ll see I used an Instant Pot Vortex Pro with two separate racks or baskets to cook the chicken and broccoli separate. If you’re a long time Kinda Healthy Recipes reader, this is a shift from my typical single-basket Ninja Foodi and Instant Pot air fryer recipes.

But have no fear, you can make this chili garlic chicken and broccoli in any air fryer!

If you’re using a single-basket air fryer, simply air fry the seasoned broccoli on its own before removing and air frying the chicken. Unlike some of my other air fryer chicken and veggies recipes like cajun chicken and vegetables, the broccoli doesn’t hold up when air fried together with the chicken. It releases too much moisture, which prevents anything from getting crispy and charred.

The takeaway: For best results with a single-basket air fryer, cook the broccoli and chicken separately before tossing together and serving.

How to Serve Air Fried Chicken and Broccoli

Toasted sesame seeds are the perfect garnish, as well as a little extra honey and chili garlic sauce. The chili garlic crisp from my ground chicken and broccoli, creamy kimchi sauce in my ground beef bulgogi bowls, or the low cal yum yum sauce in my teriyaki ground turkey rice bowls would all work great here.

For pairings, keep it simple with rice, cauliflower rice, or a blend of the two. I’m also a fan of the pre-seasoned cauliflower stir-fry options like the one from Trader Joe’s. (I’ve even made air fried cauliflower rice stir fry with it.)

That should cover it. If you have a question about the recipe or potential ingredient substitutions, leave a comment at the bottom of this post. And if you try this healthy air fryer recipe and love it, I always appreciate recipe reviews!