When it comes to one-pan meals, this chicken really can do it all. A simple chicken stir fry recipe is not only easy to make, but it’s also quite delicious. Made with chicken, veggies, and pantry sauces this one gets done in less than 15 minutes.
Table of Content
Having lived in Singapore for ten years, I love Asian food and I absolutely adore love stir fry recipes. Simple one-pot meals that can be made quickly and easily. This easy stir-fry is a great way to get the kids to eat their daily veggies as well as stir-fry with broccoli.
Why make this stir-fry
- A great stir-fry starts with a great base. This one uses chicken breast or thighs with a variety of veggies and a few pantry sauces.
- It gets done in 15 minutes and is better than any takeaway you can order. Trust me.
- Most of the ingredients are easy to find or already in your pantry. In fact, it is a great recipe to use up leftover veggies in the fridge.
- This is a meal on its own, chicken for protein and lots of veggies. And gluten-free too.
- But, you can serve this over a bowl of boiled noodles, white or brown rice as well as over cauliflower rice or quinoa.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken - I'm big on using chicken thighs. And yet, chicken breast will also work just as well.
- Veggies - I love a combination of colorful veggies. So today, I am using green beans, orange carrots, and of course colors peppers - yellow, red, green, and orange. But, the options for veggies are plenty. You can also add sweet peas, snow peas, snap peas, baby corn, etc. Personally, I do not recommend veggies like zucchini because they add too much liquid to stir frys and they become soft very easily.
- Sesame oil - gives the stir fry that Asian flavor and smell. I also used sesame chili oil but you can also use red pepper flakes
- Corn starch - Helps thicken the sauce and give us that thick rather than watery sauce. It also helps bind everything together. I used water to make the cornstarch slurry but you can also use chicken broth or chicken stock.
- Sauces - today, I am using low sodium soy sauce both light and dark but you can also use tamari. I love the flavor of rice vinegar but you also use white vinegar or dry sherry.
- Herbs - I love to use cilantro, and yet parsley works just as well.
- Honey - for sweetness but Japanese mirin works just as well.
- Green onions - Always add a nice touch to any Asian dish with its fresh leafy greens. My kids do not like it so I omit them in my recipe but I highly recommend them.
Chicken stir fry recipe
- Prep the chicken - Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken. Cut into bite-size cubes or long strips.
Pro tip - Cut the chicken into small pieces so they cook quickly and can be eaten without having to be cut.
- Chicken - In a wok or wide saute pan ( I like using my 12-inch cast-iron skillet) add one tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken pieces and spread them so they cook in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes on one other side, then turn them and cook a few minutes more until almost cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
Pro tip - The chicken breast will take about 6 minutes while chicken thighs will take 8 minutes to cook. - Veggies - To the same wok/skillet add the remaining oil. Stir fry the garlic and ginger and onions for 2 minutes. Then add the red chilly and green beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the carrots and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, add the peppers and stir fry until well combined.
Pro tip - Add the peppers only after the beans and carrots are almost tender because peppers cook in less than 2 minutes and must stay crunchy.
- Assemble - Return the chicken back to the pan and stir-fry another minute. Then add all the sauces - light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chilly oil, rice vinegar, and honey, Season with kosher salt and pepper.
Pro tip - Use less salt in the beginning as some of these sauces contain salt. In the end, taste and adjust as necessary. - Thicken - Finally, combine the cornstarch with water to make a slurry and add it to the stir fry. Combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately over boiled noodles, steamed rice, or on its own.
Tips for stir fry
- A stir-fry if done correctly is an absolute treat. So take care of the little things.
- The meat has to be well cooked, yet smoky not steam. The best way to do that is to pat dry the meat thoroughly so it does not stew in its own juices.
- The veggies have to be cooked al-Dante meaning cooked but with a bite not soft and not mushy. This means add veggies that take longer to cook first and leaving the quick-cooking ones for later. In this recipe, I have added the green beans first, then the carrots, and then the peppers.
- The right pan for a stir-fry is a wok. If you don't have a wok use, a light sauté pan or cast iron large skillet that you can handle medium high heat. Never use non-stick pots or heavy bottom pans. Non-stick will get ruined, and the heavy bottom pan will create steam and stew the meat.
- Mise en
plas or prepare before you stir-fry. A stir-fry is a quick dish, which means you have to get all the things ready before you turn that heat on. Cut the ingredients you need, prepare the sauce, have the garnish chopped. Keep that serving platter on hand so you can take it off the heat quickly. - Quick-cooking - Most stir-fry dishes take not more than 7 to 10 minutes on the heat. The idea of stir-fry is to cook quickly on high heat so keep that flame on high or medium-high. Use a splash of water when necessary to bring down the temperature of the heat in the pan. Never leave the
wok unattended.
More stir fry recipes
- Chicken with Broccoli stir fry
- Healthy and Crispy General Tso's Chicken
- Quick Ginger Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
- Honey Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
- Quick Ginger Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
- Chicken and Broccoli Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry
- Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry
- See all stir fry recipes or see all chicken recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this stir fry keep?
A chicken stir fry is best served as soon as it is ready because that's when the veggies are al-Dante or crunchy. But, leftovers will keep in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
What kind of vegetables do I add to stir fry?
The best thing about stir-fry dishes is that they are so versatile and leave you so much freedom to add or subtract. In this stir-fry, try using other veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, peas, baby corn. You can also add lemongrass, Chinese parsley, or dill for flavor.
What is the best oil for a chicken stir-fry?
It is recommended to use soybean oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil. All of these have a high smoking point. Any oil that works well for deep frying is preferable for stir-fry because a stir-fry is cooked on high heat. Olive oil, in contrast, is best used raw on salad and when cooking with a light saute method.
What is the best sauce for chicken stir fry?
The great thing about easy stir fry recipes is that they are also very customizable. The basic sauce would be soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chilly sauce, a little honey for sweetness. But, you can also add, sauces like a dash of Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and the likes.
Can I add cabbage to this chicken stir fry?
Absolutely. Adding cabbage is a great alternative to boiled noodles or rice if you are trying to keep a gluten-free diet. You can add cabbage just before you add the peppers as it does not need long to cook either. You may also want to increase the quantity of the sauces as the cabbage may make it bland.
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Printable Recipe
Chicken Stir Fry with Veggies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 274kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 6 servings
Description
When it comes to one-pan meals, this chicken really can do it all. A simple chicken stir fry recipe is not only easy to make, but it’s also quite delicious. Made with chicken, veggies, and pantry sauces this one gets done in less than 15 minutes.
Video
Ingredients
Chicken and veggies
- 1 lb (500 g) Chicken boneless breast or thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil canola or sunflower (divided
- 2 med Garlic thinly sliced
- ¼ inch Ginger fresh - thinly sliced
- 1 med Onion sliced and separated
- 1 large Red chily fresh, sliced and seeds removed
- 1 cup (500 g) Green beans washed and cut into 2
- 1 cup Carrots Cut into sticks
- 2 cups Bell Peppers any colors - I used yellow, orange, green, and red
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Stir fry Sauces
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce (I use low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Chilly oil (or ½ teaspoon paprika)
- 1 tablespoon Corn starch (cornflour)
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ cup Parsley (or cilantro) roughly chopped
- ¼ cup Scallions chopped at an angle (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the chicken - Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken. Cut into bite-size cubes or long strips.Pro tip - Cut the chicken into small pieces so they cook quickly and can be eaten without having to be cut.
- Chicken - In a wok or wide saute pan ( I like using my 12-inch cast-iron skillet) add one tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken pieces and spread them so they cook in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes on one other side, then turn them and cook a few minutes more until almost cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.Pro tip - The chicken breast will take about 6 minutes while chicken thighs will take 8 minutes to cook.
- Veggies - To the same wok/skillet add the remaining oil. Stir fry the garlic and ginger and onions for 2 minutes. Then add the red chilly and green beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the carrots and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, add the peppers and stir fry until well combined. Pro tip - Add the peppers only after the beans and carrots are almost tender because peppers cook in less than 2 minutes and must stay crunchy.
- Assemble - Return the chicken back to the pan and stir-fry another minute. Then add all the sauces - light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chilly oil, rice vinegar, and honey, Season with salt and pepper. Pro tip - Use less salt in the beginning as some of these sauces contain salt. In the end, taste and adjust as necessary.
- Thicken - Finally, combine the cornstarch with water to make a slurry and add it to the stir fry. Combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately over boiled noodles, steamed rice, or on its own.
Recipe Notes
- A stir-fry if done correctly is an absolute treat. So take care of the little things.
- The meat has to be well cooked, yet smoky not steam. The best way to do that is to pat dry the meat thoroughly so it does not stew in its own juices.
- The veggies have to be cooked al-Dante meaning cooked but with a bite not soft and not mushy. This means adding veggies that take longer to cook first and leaving the quick-cooking ones for later. In this recipe, I have added the green beans first, then the carrots, and then the peppers.
- The right pan for a stir-fry is a wok. If you don't have a wok use, a light sauté pan or cast iron large skillet that you can handle medium-high heat. Never use non-stick pots or heavy bottom pans. Non-stick will get ruined, and the heavy bottom pan will create steam and stew the meat.
- Mise en plas or prepare before you stir-fry. A stir-fry is a quick dish, which means you have to get all the things ready before you turn that heat on. Cut the ingredients you need, prepare the sauce, have the garnish chopped. Keep that serving platter on hand so you can take it off the heat quickly.
- Quick-cooking - Most stir-fry dishes take not more than 7 to 10 minutes on the heat. The idea of stir-fry is to cook quickly on high heat so keep that flame on high or medium-high. Use a splash of water when necessary to bring down the temperature of the heat in the pan. Never leave the wok unattended.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 155- gCalories: 274- kcalCarbohydrates: 15- gProtein: 17- gFat: 17- gSaturated Fat: 4- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3- gMonounsaturated Fat: 8- gTrans Fat: 1- gCholesterol: 57- mgSodium: 686- mgPotassium: 448- mgFiber: 3- gSugar: 8- gVitamin A: 5821- IUVitamin C: 77- mgCalcium: 44- mgIron: 2- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Such a delicious dish! Stir fry is one of our fave family meals so definitely going to be giving this a try
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely, Bintu. We love stir frys too.
Diana
Love the step by step images, you just made this stir fry look so easy to make! Pinning to try later.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Diana. Happy you found the progress pictures useful
Claudia Lamascolo
I love the flavors in this sauce it has everything in it I love when we order out. Now I can make it at home it looks so easy
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Claudia. yes, we love this sauce too. Wonderful Asian flavors.