The magic of a dish like chicken stir-fry is simple. It’s versatile, it’s healthy and it can be made with almost whatever you have on hand.
Chicken Stir-Fry Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Neutral cooking oil
- Garlic cloves
- Mixed fresh vegetables
- Salt
- Ground white pepper
- Cornstarch
Sauce:
- Chicken broth
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Honey
- Ground white pepper
- Salt
- Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine, optional
- Cornstarch
Directions
Step 1: Tenderize chicken
Mix sliced chicken with a teaspoon of salt, 2 to 3 pinches of ground white pepper, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 teaspoon canola oil in a medium bowl and set aside.
Editor’s Tip: This recipe results in extra tender and soft chicken, but you can skip if you’re short on time or prefer a chewier texture.
Step 2: Prepare sauce
Mix all ingredients for the sauce and stir well.
Step 3: Cook chicken
Heat wok or large skillet to high heat. Coat pan with oil. Add chicken and cook until about half done (white on the surface, but not yet cooked through), about a minute total, flipping halfway. Take the chicken out and set aside.
Step 4: Stir-fry vegetables
On medium heat, add oil to coat skillet or wok. Add garlic and stir until light brown, careful not to burn. Add vegetables and stir-fry for about 1 minute, then turn heat back up to high.
Editor’s Tip: Overcooking vegetables will cause them to be limp, so watch the cook time. Prep vegetables by cutting into similar sized pieces before beginning to cook. Denser vegetables like carrots should be cut thinner.
Step 5: Combine and dish out
Add chicken and sauce to the skillet, and stir-fry for 2 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are the desired tenderness. Serve hot.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t be afraid to add the heat! If you love spicy food, add your favorite hot sauce while stir-frying.
How do you store chicken stir-fry?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three to four days in the refrigerator. The texture of the vegetables, however, will change when stored, so stir-fry is best eaten the day of.
Chicken Stir-Fry Tips
Is stir-fry healthy?
A dish is as healthy as its ingredients. Because stir-fry is typically made with fresh vegetables, lean protein and minimal oil, the answer is usually yes!
What’s the best chicken for stir-fry?
Skinless chicken breast is the leanest option and easy to slice up for the wok, but if you prefer deboned, skinless chicken thighs, it works well too. Cut the pieces thin and uniformly for even and fast cooking.
To use leftover cooked chicken or sliced rotisserie chicken for this recipe, skip step one and step three.
Can you change the vegetables in stir-fry?
Absolutely! Any vegetables you have on hand can work, especially broccoli, carrots, snow peas or sugar snap peas, cabbage or bok choy. Canned bamboo shoots and canned mushrooms are also tasty.
What do you serve with chicken stir-fry?
Rice, of course! White, brown or go wild! You can also serve it with cooked noodles. (Make extra sauce, toss in cooked noodles and turn it into a chow mein.)
