By Becky Hardin
Published Jan 11, 2023
There’s something special about a good Chicken Stir Fry . The combination of juicy chicken, crispy vegetables, and savory sauce is always a winner in my book. Plus, it’s the perfect dish for a busy weeknight meal. This stir fry recipe is easy to follow and sure to become a family favorite.
What’s in this Chicken Stir Fry Recipe?
Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry is a quick, healthy, and delicious meal that can be made with just a few simple ingredients. The combination of fresh vegetables, succulent chicken, and savory sauce is simply irresistible.
- Chicken Broth : Adds a savory, umami flavor to the sauce.
- Water: Helps thin the sauce to the right consistency.
- Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and umami flavor.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds a toasty, nutty flavor to the sauce.
- Olive Oil: Helps the chicken cook without burning it.
- Chicken Thighs: Have a rich, juicy flavor. You can also use chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Vegetables: Carrot, broccoli, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion . Cut the vegetables into similarly-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor.
- Ginger: Adds a bright, spicy flavor.
- Jasmine Rice: The perfect base to soak up all of that delicious sauce.
Pro Tip: You can cook this stir fry in any neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable.
Variations on Stir Fry Chicken
- To make the sauce gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Instead of chicken thighs, try chicken breasts, shrimp, sliced steak, or tofu!
- Feel free to swap in your favorite vegetables, such as snow peas, bok choy, green beans, snap peas, edamame, asparagus, zucchini, or cauliflower.
- For a spicy stir fry, add in some crushed red pepper flakes!
- You can serve this stir fry over brown rice or noodles instead of Jasmine rice.
I like to use chicken thighs because they are flavorful and less likely to overcook, but you can absolutely use chicken breasts instead.
The chicken will get cooked first and set aside until the end to ensure that it doesn’t dry out!
I love to use carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, mushrooms, and onions, but you can use almost any vegetable in this stir fry. Try snow peas, bok choy, green beans, snap peas, edamame, asparagus, zucchini, or cauliflower.
Nope! If you like spice, you can add crushed red pepper flakes to increase the spice level. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and increase until you reach the desired level of spice.
If your chicken stir fry seems lumpy, you may not have whisked the sauce together enough. The sauce contains cornstarch, a thickening agent that works best when dissolved in a cool or room-temperature liquid and added to a hot pan of food. If the cornstarch is not fully dissolved in the sauce first, it can clump up when exposed to heat, leading to a lumpy stir fry.
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can chop and prepare all of the vegetables up to 1 day in advance of when you plan to cook this stir fry. Store the cut vegetables in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Store leftover chicken stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze and Reheat
Freeze chicken stir fry whole or in individual portions in airtight containers or Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken stir fry can be served over rice or combined with other Chinese dishes like fried rice , lo mein , egg rolls , egg drop soup , cucumber salad , or crab rangoon .
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- ▢ ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ ¼ cup water
- ▢ ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ▢ 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the Stir Fry
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized cubes
- ▢ ½ carrot sliced
- ▢ 2 cups broccoli florets
- ▢ 1 red bell pepper sliced
- ▢ 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- ▢ ½ onion chopped
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- ▢ 1 green onion sliced; optional, for garnish
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- ▢ 3 cups cooked jasmine rice for serving
Video
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk all the stir fry sauce ingredients together. Set aside. ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- In a wok or large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Add in the carrot, broccoli, bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. ½ carrot, 2 cups broccoli florets, 1 red bell pepper, 8 ounces mushrooms, ½ onion
- Add in the garlic, ginger and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant. 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- Pour the stir fry sauce into the pan and add in the chicken. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats the stir fry.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve over cooked rice. 1 green onion, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
Becky’s Tips
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free alternative, use tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
- You can cook this stir fry in any neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable.
- Instead of chicken thighs, try chicken breasts, shrimp, sliced steak, or tofu!
- Feel free to swap in your favorite vegetables, such as snow peas, bok choy, green beans, snap peas, edamame, asparagus, zucchini, or cauliflower.
- For a spicy stir fry, add in some crushed red pepper flakes!
- You can serve this stir fry over brown rice or noodles instead of Jasmine rice.
- Cut the vegetables into similarly-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
- If the pan seems dry after cooking the chicken, add another tablespoon of oil.
- Sauté the vegetables until crisp-tender, not soft. This will prevent a mushy stir fry.
- Let the sauce come to a simmer after adding it in order to allow the cornstarch to activate and thicken.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Stir Fry Recipes We Love
- Beef Stir Fry
- Pork Stir Fry
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Beef Lo Mein
- Vegetable Lo Mein
Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized cubes
- ½ carrot sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- ½ onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 green onion sliced; optional, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk all the stir fry sauce ingredients together. Set aside. ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- In a wok or large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Add in the carrot, broccoli, bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. ½ carrot, 2 cups broccoli florets, 1 red bell pepper, 8 ounces mushrooms, ½ onion
- Add in the garlic, ginger and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant. 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- Pour the stir fry sauce into the pan and add in the chicken. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats the stir fry.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve over cooked rice. 1 green onion, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
Video
Notes
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free alternative, use tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
- You can cook this stir fry in any neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable.
- Instead of chicken thighs, try chicken breasts, shrimp, sliced steak, or tofu!
- Feel free to swap in your favorite vegetables, such as snow peas, bok choy, green beans, snap peas, edamame, asparagus, zucchini, or cauliflower.
- For a spicy stir fry, add in some crushed red pepper flakes!
- You can serve this stir fry over brown rice or noodles instead of Jasmine rice.
- Cut the vegetables into similarly-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
- If the pan seems dry after cooking the chicken, add another tablespoon of oil.
- Sauté the vegetables until crisp-tender, not soft. This will prevent a mushy stir fry.
- Let the sauce come to a simmer after adding it in order to allow the cornstarch to activate and thicken.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
