Quick Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

If you ask me, a good stir fry is one of the smartest weeknight dinners around.

This quick Asian-inspired dish brings together tender chicken and fresh vegetables in a savory sauce that coats every bite. Crisp broccoli and crunchy carrots mix with juicy chicken pieces, all tossed in a simple soy-ginger sauce.

It’s cooked quickly in a hot pan, letting the vegetables keep their crunch while the chicken turns golden brown. A bowl of steaming rice on the side soaks up all those wonderful cooking juices.

It’s a family-friendly meal that comes together in minutes, perfect for those busy evenings when you want something both tasty and nutritious.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For stir-frying, boneless, skinless chicken breast is the most popular choice, though you could also use chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat. Fresh chicken works best, but if you’re using frozen chicken breasts, make sure they’re completely thawed and patted dry before cutting – this helps achieve better browning in the pan. When cutting your chicken, try to keep the pieces uniform in size (about 1-inch cubes) so they cook evenly, and slice against the grain for the most tender results. For the best texture, avoid overcooking the chicken pieces – they should be just cooked through but still juicy inside.

Options for Substitutions

This stir fry recipe is super flexible and you can make several easy swaps:

• Chicken breast: You can easily swap chicken breast with chicken thighs, tofu, shrimp, or even thinly sliced beef. Just adjust cooking times accordingly – shrimp needs only 2-3 minutes, while chicken thighs might need an extra minute or two.
• Olive oil: While olive oil works fine, you can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil – actually, these are even better for stir-frying since they have higher smoke points.
• Vegetables: The great thing about stir fry is that you can use pretty much any veggie you have on hand. Try snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, or baby corn. Just make sure to cut them in similar sizes for even cooking.
• Fresh ginger: If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger instead. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still add that nice ginger kick.
• Cornstarch: You can substitute cornstarch with arrowroot powder or potato starch using the same amount. If using flour, double the amount but know that the sauce might not be as glossy.
• Honey: Brown sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar can replace honey – start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to taste.
• Sesame oil: This gives a distinct flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can skip it. Just add an extra tablespoon of your cooking oil to maintain the right amount of oil in the recipe.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making stir fry is overcrowding the pan, which causes the vegetables to steam instead of getting that perfect crispy-tender texture – work in batches if needed and keep your pan hot throughout the cooking process. A common error is adding all the sauce ingredients at once, which can make your dish too wet; instead, mix the cornstarch with cold water first, then combine with other sauce ingredients before adding to the pan. To prevent tough, dry chicken, avoid cooking it too long – remove the chicken pieces as soon as they’re no longer pink in the center (about 4-5 minutes), then add them back when combining with the vegetables and sauce at the end. For the best results, have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking, as stir-frying moves quickly and leaving ingredients unattended can lead to burning.

What to Serve With Chicken Stir Fry?

Rice is the classic choice for serving with stir fry – I usually go with jasmine or basmati rice since they’re perfect for soaking up all that tasty sauce. If you want to keep things lighter, cauliflower rice or brown rice are great alternatives that still pair really well with the chicken and veggies. For a complete Asian-inspired meal, you might want to start with some simple egg drop soup or add a side of steamed edamame sprinkled with sea salt. You can also serve your stir fry over some lo mein noodles or rice noodles instead of rice for a different twist.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your stir fry will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The veggies might soften a bit over time, but the flavors actually get better as they meld together! It’s perfect for meal prep and makes great leftovers for lunch.

Freeze: If you want to freeze your stir fry, go for it! Place it in a freezer-safe container and it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just keep in mind that the vegetables might be a bit softer when thawed, but the taste will still be great.

Reheat: To warm up your stir fry, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through. For better texture, reheat it in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes – this helps keep the vegetables from getting too soft. If the sauce seems thick, add a splash of water or chicken broth while reheating.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 750-850
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 30-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-90 g

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (use in two parts)
• 2 cups broccoli pieces
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 cup sliced baby carrots
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Step 1: Prepare the Stir Fry Sauce

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together corn starch and water until well blended.

Add the remaining ingredients: chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.

Whisk everything together to ensure the sauce is well combined.

Set the prepared sauce aside for later use.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken in batches if necessary, and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is cooked through.

Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.

Add the broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots.

Cook these vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp-tender, which should take around a few minutes.

Add ginger and garlic, cooking them for an additional minute to enhance the flavor.

Step 4: Combine Chicken and Vegetables

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables.

Stir to combine the ingredients evenly, ensuring the chicken is well distributed among the vegetables.

Step 5: Add and Cook Sauce

Whisk the stir fry sauce once more to ensure it is well mixed.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the skillet.

Stir gently to coat all the ingredients with the sauce.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and allow it to boil for one minute to thicken the sauce.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Once the sauce has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat.

Serve the stir fry hot over a bed of rice or chow mein noodles if desired.

Enjoy your flavorful and satisfying meal!