Jump to Recipe
This Chicken Stir Fry recipe is full of fresh veggies and covered in a flavor-packed garlic and ginger sauce. From start to finish, it’ll be on your table in under 25 minutes. It’ll have you begging to skip the takeout!
Listen, I love takeout – some might even call me the takeout queen. It’s just so easy. But, it can really start to add up. But I still crave Chinese takeout, like alllll the time! So, I’ve come up with my own, better than takeout Chicken Stir Fry recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
- Better Than Takeout: This easy chicken stir fry hits the spot when I’m craving takeout. It’s quick and easy to make and full of the Asian flavors I crave.Aaaaaand, it’s kinder on your wallet!
- So Much Flavor: Fresh veggies, tender chicken, and a super flavorful sauce makes this stir fry chicken out of this world!
- Family Friendly: This is a great recipe to get the kids to eat more veggies. The sauce does a great job of hiding all of that fresh goodness. My kids are super excited every time this is on our rotation.
What You’ll Need
Chicken stir fry is really simple – all you’ll need is chicken, chopped veggies and stir fry sauce. Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for exact amounts.
FOR THE STIR FRY:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- Vegetable Oil
- Veggies: I used fresh garlic, fresh ginger, onion, carrot, red pepper, button mushrooms, and green onion.
- Sesame Seeds: Toast these for an extra punch of flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Soy Sauce: I prefer a low sodium soy sauce or Tamari so I can control how salty the sauce gets.
- Cornstarch
- Light Brown Sugar
- Sesame Oil
- Chicken Broth
How to Make Easy Chicken Stir Fry
- Prep: Cut your chicken into cubes or strips, and prep all your veggies. Make your sauce by combining the soy sauce and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Whisk it until it’s completely incorporated. Then, whisk in the brown sugar, sesame oil, and chicken broth.
- Saute: Add the oil to a wok or use a large nonstick skillet and cook the garlic and ginger for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and cook for a few more minutes until it starts to get soft.
- Chicken: Stir in the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to get white. Make sure to stir it frequently so the chicken cooks on all sides.
- Add Veggies: Add the rest of the veggies and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Combine: Stir the sauce that you prepared earlier, and then add it to the wok. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring very frequently, until the sauce has thickened, veggies are crisp-tender, and chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Remove the wok from heat. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes. Serve over rice.
Tips and Tricks
If you want your stir fry chicken to turn out better than takeout, too, make sure you read these tips!
- Size Matters: Try to chop your veggies in similar sizes so that they cook evenly.
- Don’t Skip the Prep: Mix your sauce ahead of time! Once everything is sauteing and it’s time to add the sauce, things will move quickly and you won’t have time to mix it together at that point.
- Low Sodium Ingredients: Using low sodium chicken broth and low sodium soy sauce will help to keep the overall salt content of this meal down. If you don’t use low sodium, it will be quite salty.
Variation Ideas
One of the great things about this chicken stir fry recipe is that you can throw in any veggies you have around your house to switch things up and keep it fresh.
- Veggies: I love to add baby corn on the cob or water chestnuts if I have them in my pantry.You can also add in veggies like chopped kale, boy choy, broccoli, snow peas, or asparagus.
- Spice: If I want to add a kick and I have them, I’ll throw in some spicy peppers.
- Sauce: Aside from varying your veggies, you can also make swaps in your sauce. You could opt to use a Teriyaki base instead of soy sauce, or you could swap the light brown sugar for honey and orange juice.
- Protein: You can also swap out the chicken for a different protein, like shrimp, steak, or tofu!
What to Serve With Stir Fry Chicken
I serve this easy chicken stir fry over rice. I prefer Basmati rice but I’m not opposed to short grain white rice or brown rice. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even whip up a fried rice to serve with your stir fry. For those counting carbs, opt for riced cauliflower or quinoa.
It’s also a real treat served over rice noodles. To pack this meal with serious veggie power, you can also serve it over zoodles. Then, top it with green onions, sesame seeds and red pepper flake!
You can’t beat a homemade spring roll on the side!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- I store my leftover stir fry chicken in an airtight container in my fridge for about 3-5 days.
- If I decide to freeze it, I let my stir fry come to room temperature. Then, I place it into a zip top bag, sauce and all, seal it, label it, and store it in my freezer for about 3 months.
- Reheating your stir fry is super easy but may make your veggies a bit less crisp. Simply put it into a wok or pan and heat over low until everything is heated through. You may need to add a bit of water or chicken broth to thin out your sauce.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Chicken Fajita Pasta
- One Pot Creamed Spinach Chicken
Print Recipe
4.78 from 9 votes
Better Than Takeout Chicken Stir Fry
This better than takeout Chicken Stir Fry recipe is packed full of fresh veggies and covered in a flavor-packed garlic and ginger sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chicken stir fry, chicken stir fry recipe, easy chicken stir fry, stir fry chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or Tamari sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
For the Stir Fry
- 10 to 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly cut into strips OR cut into about 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced into coins
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
- 4 ounces sliced button mushrooms
- green onion , for garnish
- toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- red pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
In a mixing bowl combine soy sauce and cornstarch; whisk until completely incorporated.
Whisk in brown sugar, sesame oil, and chicken broth; set aside.
Prepare chicken by cutting it into small cubes or long thin strips; set aside.
Add vegetable oil to a Wok or use a large nonstick skillet; set wok over high heat.
Once oil is hot, add garlic and ginger; stir and cook for 10 seconds.
Add onion and continue to cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently, just until onion softens.
Stir in the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until chicken is white; stir frequently.
Add in prepared carrots, peppers, and mushrooms; continue to cook for 2 minutes.
Stir the sauce that you prepared earlier, and then add it to the wok; cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring very frequently, until sauce has thickened, veggies are crisp-tender, and chicken is cooked through.
Remove from heat.
Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes.
Serve over rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3608IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
chicken breastsmushroomsred peppers
