Chicken Stir-Fry with Peppers Recipe
This chicken and pepper stir-fry is better than any takeaway you can find. Made with lean chicken breast, fresh crunchy bell peppers, and a few readymade sauces like soy and sesame. The best part is that it’s so easy to prepare, and it takes less than 15 minutes to make this whole dish.
Stir-fry is a beloved cooking technique that originated in Chinese cuisine and has gained worldwide popularity for its quick, versatile, and healthy preparation. This cooking style involves rapidly frying ingredients—typically proteins, vegetables, and sauces—in a small amount of hot oil, resulting in a dish that retains vibrant flavors and crisp textures.
Incorporating bell peppers into your stir fry enhances its nutritional profile and flavor. It elevates the dish’s visual appeal and textural diversity, making it a winning choice for home cooks everywhere.
Why is this the best recipe
- Balanced Flavor Profile: Combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce creates a savory, slightly sweet, and umami-rich flavor that complements the chicken and peppers perfectly. Adding ginger and garlic enhances the depth of flavor, making each bite delightful.
- Quick and Easy Preparation: With a total cooking time of about 30 minutes, this recipe is ideal for busy weeknights. The simple marinating process and fast stir-frying technique make it a convenient option without sacrificing taste.
- Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: This recipe incorporates a variety of colorful bell peppers, providing essential vitamins and antioxidants. The lean chicken offers high-quality protein, making the dish both nutritious and satisfying.
- Versatility: The recipe is highly adaptable. You can easily substitute chicken with other proteins like beef, shrimp, or tofu. Additionally, you can include other vegetables such as broccoli, snap peas, or zucchini to suit your preferences or use up what you have on hand.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken ( boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced): Provides the primary protein source and base for the dish. You can also use tofu (for a vegetarian option), beef, shrimp, or pork.
- Soy Sauce: Adds umami and saltiness to marinate and flavor the chicken. You can also use tamari (for a gluten-free option) or coconut aminos (for a soy-free option).
- Rice Wine or Dry Sherry: Helps tenderize the chicken and adds a subtle depth of flavor. You can also substitute with mirin, white wine, or apple cider vinegar (diluted with water).
- Cornstarch: Helps the marinade adhere to the chicken and provides a slight thickening effect when cooked. You can also use arrowroot powder or potato starch.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty flavor to the marinade. You can omit it if unavailable or use a few drops of toasted sesame seeds.
- Bell Peppers ( red, yellow, and green, thinly sliced): Add color, sweetness, and crunch to the stir fry. You can also use any combination of bell peppers or other vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or zucchini.
- Onion (thinly sliced): Adds sweetness and depth of flavor. You can also substitute with shallots, leeks, or green onions.
- Garlic (minced): Adds aromatic and savory flavor. You can also use garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon) or garlic paste.
- Ginger (minced): Adds a fresh, slightly spicy flavor. You can also use ground ginger (1/2 teaspoon) or ginger paste.
- Oyster Sauce: Adds a rich, savory depth to the sauce. You can also use hoisin sauce or mushroom sauce (for a vegetarian option).
- Hoisin Sauce: Adds sweetness and a hint of spice. You can also substitute with plum sauce or a mixture of soy sauce and honey.
Step-by-step: Chicken stir fry with peppers
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, season the sliced chicken with salt and pepper. Add the soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil (if using). Mix well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until combined. And set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until it is cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.
- Stir Fry the Vegetables: Add the remaining one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same wok. Stir-fry the onion and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine and Cook: Return the cooked chicken to the wok with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well to combine. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- Season and Garnish: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.
- Serve: Serve the stir-fry hot over steamed rice or noodles.
Frequently asked questions
What else can I add to this chicken stir-fry?
The best thing about stir-fry dishes is that they are versatile and give you much freedom to add or subtract. In this chicken stir-fry, you can use fewer or more peppers if you want. Try using more green and yellow rather than pungent red peppers. You can also add lemongrass, Chinese parsley, or dill just for flavor.
Can I add other vegetables to this stir-fry?
Absolutely! Try adding some broccoli, green beans, or carrots as I have done in my recipes for Chicken and green beans stir-fry, and chicken and broccoli stir-fry. I use what is in season, and I love adding colorful bell peppers when they are in season, like my Beef and pepper stir-fry.
Can I use other meats instead of chicken?
Yes, beef is very popular in stir-fry recipes. You can even try thinly sliced pork or chopped sausages. Also, fish and seafood are always a great addition on their own or alongside the meat in a stir-fry. Asian cooking uses pork and seafood very successfully in stir-fry dishes.
Can I use olive oil for stir-fried chicken?
Soybean oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil are recommended. All of these have a high smoking point. Any oil that works well for deep frying is preferable for stir-frying, since stir-frying is cooked on high heat. Olive oil, in contrast, is best used raw on salads and for light sautéing.
Quick Chicken Stir Fry with Peppers
This quick chicken stir fry with peppers is the simplest easy and fastest way to get lunch or dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less, especially on busy days.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 lb (450 g) Chicken breast (about 2 breast) cut into strips
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- Salt & pepper
For the Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 large Onion sliced and layers separated
- 3-inch piece Fresh Ginger thinly sliced
- 3 – 4 large Garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 stalks Scallions or green onions chopped at an angle
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper powder
- 1 cup Green bell peppers cut into strips
- 1 cup Yellow bell peppers
- 1 cup Red bell peppers
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
For the Sauce
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce or 1 tsp Dashi powder
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark soya sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey or sugar
- ½ tsp Sesame oil
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- ¼ cup Broth or water
Method
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, season the sliced chicken with salt and pepper. Add the soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil (if using). Mix well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.1 lb Chicken breast , 1 tbsp Soy sauce, 2 tbsp Cornstarch, 1 tbsp Sesame oil , Salt & pepper
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until combined. Set aside.1 tbsp Fish sauce , 2 tbsp Soy sauce, 1 tbsp Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Dark soya sauce, 1 tbsp Honey, ½ tsp Sesame oil, 1 tsp Cornstarch, 1/4 cup Broth or water
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until it is cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.2 tbsp Cooking oil
- Stir-fry the Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same wok. Stir–fry the onion and bell peppers for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.1 large Onion , 3-inch piece Fresh Ginger, 3 – 4 large Garlic cloves, ¼ tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder, 1 cup Green bell peppers, 1 cup Yellow bell peppers, 1 cup Red bell peppers
- Combine and Cook: Return the cooked chicken to the wok with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well to combine. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens about 1-2 minutes.
- Season and Garnish: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.½ cup Cilantro, 2 stalks Scallions or green onions
- Serve: Serve the stir fry hot over steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- Preparation is Key: Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Stir-frying is a quick process, so having everything sliced, minced, and measured out ensures smooth cooking. Cut the chicken and vegetables into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Marinate Properly: Let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes. If you have more time, marinating for 30 minutes to an hour will enhance the flavor further. Ensure the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the marinade for consistent flavor.
- Use High Heat: Make sure your wok or skillet is hot before adding the oil. This helps to achieve a good sear on the chicken and keeps the vegetables crisp-tender. Stir-frying requires constant motion. Keep stirring and tossing the ingredients to cook them evenly and prevent burning.
- Avoid Overcrowding: If you have a small wok or skillet, cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. Overcrowding lowers the pan’s temperature, resulting in steaming rather than stir-frying. Temporarily removing the cooked chicken from the wok while stir-frying the vegetables helps to maintain high heat and prevents overcooking the chicken.
- Proper Oil Selection: Use oils with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil, to prevent smoking and burning. Use just enough oil to coat the wok and prevent sticking. Excess oil can make the stir fry greasy.
- Balance the Sauce: Always taste the sauce before adding it to the stir fry. Adjust the saltiness, sweetness, and thickness according to your preference. If you prefer a thicker sauce, use the cornstarch mixture. Add it gradually and stir well to avoid clumping.
- Timing is Crucial: Add vegetables in stages according to their cooking times. Start with those that take longer to cook (like bell peppers) and add quicker-cooking vegetables (like onions) later. Aim for crisp-tender vegetables. Overcooking can make them mushy and less vibrant.
- Enhance with Garnishes: Add garnishes like sesame seeds and chopped green onions just before serving for added flavor, texture, and visual appeal. Serve the stir fry over steamed rice or noodles to make it a complete meal.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Hi, I’m going to try this recipe, but is it necessary to put fish sauce, because I usually use dark soy sauce. Thank you
Hey Christine. You can certainly make it to your taste. If you don’t like fish sauce – feel free to omit it.
Bring on the peppers! We put pepper in just about everything around here. It’s one of the veggies the whole family can agree on!
We love peppers too.. ! especially my Rhea.. loves peppers.. thanks for commenting
love a quick stir fry like this
Thank you so much Swayam
Who doesn’t love a good stir fry?
That is true Lisa.. Who doesn’t love a good stir fry.
Looks delicious, healthy and light. Nice photos, too!
Thank you so much danzehr !
I love quick and easy dishes – and I love stir fry too! Your Quick Chicken Stir Fry with Peppers looks so delicious and wholesome too!
Thank you April. !
I love quick and easy recipes like this – and I love stir fry! Your Quick Chicken Stir Fry with Peppers looks so delicious and wholesome too!
Thank you so much April.
This is my kind of recipe – quick and easy. I know my teen would love this recipe. He’s a big fan of fried rice and stirfry recipes. I will have to give this a try especially on a school night when things are busy.
I do hope you try it Ali. It’s a winner. Thank you so much for commenting.