Chicken Stir Fry
Posted Oct 20, 2024
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This chicken stir fry recipe is better than takeout! Chicken & vegetables are stir-fried in a delicious sauce for an easy, healthy and dinner ready in 30 minutes.
Chicken stir fry is my go to meal when we need a healthy dinner in a hurry, and always the first thing I cook after traveling.
It’s easy to make, in 30 minutes (depending on how long you like to marinate the chicken), and is full of nutritious veggies and protein.
Serve it with a side of fried rice or vegetable lo mein for a hearty and flavorful meal.
Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken breast. thigh meat works well too.
- Minced Garlic. freshly minced or jarred (my preference) garlic both work well.
- Sesame oil. Peanut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil are acceptable replacements for sesame oil. Be warned, the dish will lack the authentic take-out flavor without sesame oil but it will still be delicious.
Broccoli. If you don’t prefer broccoli, you can substitute it with your favorite vegetable. - Carrots. I prefer whole carrots chopped finely for the best taste. You can purchase shredded carrots to cut out the chopping step (which is time consuming).
- Bell Pepper. Any color pepper works well.
- Soy Sauce. regular or low sodium soy sauce both work great.
- Hoisin Sauce. No substitute here, this is a must-have ingredient.
- Mirin. rice vinegar is a goods substitute for mirin.
- Ground Ginger. Fresh minced ginger can be used in place of ground.
- Honey. brown sugar is an easy substitute for honey.
How to Make Chicken Stir Fry
Let’s walk through this chicken stir fry recipe together, and be sure to watch the video for additional help.
Make the Stir Fry Sauce
Begin by whisking the sauce ingredients together (except for the cornstarch and water) in a small bowl, then set it aside.
Marinate the Stir Fry Chicken
You can marinate the chicken for as little as 15 minutes, and up to 2 hours. I often just let it marinate while I chop the vegetables. To prepare the chicken, slice it thin strips, 1” long.
Then, place the chicken in a shallow bowl and add 3 Tablespoons of stir fry sauce. Stir to combine, then let it marinate at room temperature (or longer in the refrigerator).
Cook the chicken
I prefer to cook the chicken alone first, because it ensure it gets nicely browned and cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the marinade, transfer to a colander and strain off excess marinade.
Then cook the chicken in a large fry pan or wok with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over high heat, stirring often.
Cook until the chicken is browned, then transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the Chicken Stir Fry
Heat 1 Tablespoon sesame oil in the fry pan/wok (you do not need to rinse or clean it out after cooking the chicken.).
Then, add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook over high heat until onion is soft (2-5 minutes).
Next, add the rest of the vegetables and additional 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
Cover and cook until the broccoli is bright green and the other veggies are slightly soft.
Add the and chicken and stir fry sauce
and stir to combine.
Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl (I just do it in the vessel the sauce was in after pouring it over the veggies).
Then stir the cornstarch mixture to the sauce in the pan and cook, uncovered, until thickened, stirring often (2-3 minutes).
Serve
Serve immediately with some of your favorite Asian dishes, here are some suggestions:
- Start with an appetizer of chicken lettuce wraps or spring rolls.
- Serve it over fried rice or with vegetable lo mein on the side.
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Chicken Stir Fry Recipe FAQS
Yes, you can substitute any veggies you’d like, including but not limited to: bean sprouts, zucchini, peppers, celery, etc.
There are three secret ingredients in this recipe – sesame oil, mirin, and hoisin sauce. They all work together to impart an authentic flavor.
Here are some important “rules” for making chicken stir fry.
1) Always cook the protein (chicken) and vegetables separately.
2) Use sesame oil – it’s critical in imparting an authentic taste.
3) Cook on high heat.
4) Add the sauce once all the ingredients are already cooked and nicely browned – not before.
5) Use cornstarch to thicken the sauce at the end.
Always start with hard vegetables that take longer to cook like carrots and onions, then add softer veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, etc. later. Since vegetables have different cook times, it’s important to be mindful of this when making stir fry.
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Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast sliced into 1” long, thin strips
- ½ onion thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoons sesame oil divided
- 3 cups broccoli florets chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 green bell pepper julienned
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 2 carrots julienned
Stir Fry Sauce/Marinade:
- 6 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 Tablespoon mirin (or rice vinegar)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- 1 Tablespoon water
Garnishes: Green onions, sesame seeds, etc.
Instructions
Make the Stir Fry Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water. Set aside.
Marinate the Chicken
- Slice chicken in thin strips, 1” long.
- Place in a shallow bowl.
- Add 3 Tablespoons stir fry sauce.
- Stir and marinate 15-60 minutes. (I marinate the chicken while I chop the veggies).
Cook the Chicken
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, transfer to a colander and strain off excess marinade.
- Cook in a large fry pan or wok with 1 tablespoon sesame oil over high heat, stirring often.
- Cook until the chicken is browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the Chicken Stir Fry
- Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in the fry pan/wok (no need to rinse or clean it out).
- Add onion, garlic and carrots and cook over high heat until onion is soft (2-5 minutes)
- Add the rest of the vegetables and additional 1 Tablespoon sesame oil.
- Cover and cook until the broccoli is bright green and the other veggies are slightly soft.
- Add the and chicken and stir fry sauce and stir to combine.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl (I just do it in the vessel the sauce was in after pouring it over the veggies).
- Stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce in the pan and cook, uncovered, until thickened, stirring often (2-3 minutes).
- Serve immediately over rice, noodles, etc.
Video
Notes
- Minced Garlic. freshly minced or jarred (my preference) garlic both work well.
- Sesame oil. Peanut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil are acceptable replacements for sesame oil. Be warned, the dish will lack the authentic take-out flavor without sesame oil but it will still be delicious.
- Broccoli. If you don’t prefer broccoli, you can substitute it with your favorite vegetable.
- Carrots. I prefer whole carrots chopped finely for the best taste. You can purchase shredded carrots to cut out the chopping step (which is time consuming).
- Bell Pepper. Any color pepper works well.
- Soy Sauce. regular or low sodium soy sauce both work great.
- Hoisin Sauce. No substitute here, this is a must-have ingredient.
- Mirin. rice vinegar is a goods substitute for mirin.
- Ground Ginger. Fresh minced ginger can be used in place of ground.
- Honey. brown sugar is an easy substitute for honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
