Easy 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. From start to finish, it’ll be on your table in under 25 minutes. It’ll have you begging to skip the takeout!

My Go-To Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

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. A while back we added a line to our budget for takeout/eating out and it was eye opening, to say the least. Ever since then, I’ve been a lot more conscientious of how much we’re spending on takeout. 

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. It hits the spot when I’m craving takeout without hitting my wallet. It’s quick and easy to make and full of the Asian flavors I crave. 

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken stir fry is really simple – all you’ll need is chicken, chopped veggies and stir fry sauce. These are the veggies I use in mine.

FOR THE STIR FRY:

• boneless, skinless chicken breast
• vegetable oil
• garlic
• fresh ginger
• yellow onion
• carrot
• red pepper
• button mushrooms
• green onion
• toasted sesame seeds
• red pepper flakes

How to Make the Stir Fry Sauce

What makes our chicken stir fry better than takeout is our sweet and tangy sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to make it. 

FOR THE SAUCE:

• low sodium soy sauce or Tamari sauce
• Cornstarch
• light brown sugar
• sesame oil
• low sodium chicken broth

To make your sauce, combine 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. Now, it’s ready to use in your Chicken Stir Fry. 

How to Make Chicken Stir Fry

Cube: Prepare the chicken by cutting it into small cubes or long thin strips and then set it aside.

1. Saute: Add vegetable oil to a Wok or use a large nonstick skillet. Set your wok over high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add your garlic and ginger then stir and cook for 10 seconds.
3. Add the onion and continue to cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently, until the onion softens. 
4. Add Chicken: Stir in the chicken cubes or strips and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until chicken is white. Make sure to stir frequently.
5. Add Veggies: Add in your prepared carrots, peppers, and mushrooms then continue to cook for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in Sauce: 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.
7. Serve: Remove the wok from heat. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes. Serve over rice. 

Tips for the Best Chicken Stir Fry

If you want your Chicken Stir Fry to turn out better than takeout, too, make sure you read these tips!

• Try to chop your veggies in similar sizes so that they cook evenly.
• 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. 
• 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 a stir fry is that you can throw in any veggies you have around your house to switch things up and keep it fresh. I love to add baby corn on the cob or water chestnuts if I have them in my pantry. 

Here are some additional veggies you can sub in:

• chopped kale
• bok choy
• broccoli
• snow peas 
• asparagus 

If I want to add a kick and I have them, I’ll throw in some spicy peppers. 

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. 

You can also swap out the chicken for a different protein, like shrimp, steak, or tofu!

Serving Suggestions

I serve my 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 Chicken Stir Fry 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.