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, itโll be on your table in under 25 minutes. Itโll 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. Itโs 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, Iโve been a lot more conscientious of how much weโre spending on takeout.
But I still crave Chinese takeout, like alllll the time! So, Iโve come up with my own, better than takeout Chicken Stir Fry recipe. It hits the spot when Iโm craving takeout without hitting my wallet. Itโs quick and easy to make and full of the Asian flavors I crave.
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken stir fry is really simple – all youโll 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. Hereโs what youโll 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 itโs completely incorporated. Then, whisk in the brown sugar, sesame oil, and chicken broth. Now, itโs 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.
- Saute: Add vegetable oil to a Wok or use a large nonstick skillet. Set your wok over high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add your garlic and ginger then stir and cook for 10 seconds.
- Add the onion and continue to cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently, until the onion softens.ย
- 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.
- Add Veggies: Add in your prepared carrots, peppers, and mushrooms then continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- 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.
- Serve: Remove the wok from heat. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes. Serve over rice.ย
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 itโs 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 donโt 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, Iโll 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.ย
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 Iโm not opposed to short grain white rice or brown rice. If youโre 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.
Itโs 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 canโt 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.ย
- 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.ย
Better Than Takeout Chicken Stir Fry
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
- ยพ 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
- ยฝ 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.
15 Comments
Jessica
April 28, 2020 at 10:40 pmWe LOVE Stir Fry – love a good homemade sauce too!
Katerina Petrovska
April 29, 2020 at 5:23 pmThank you! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
Amanda
April 29, 2020 at 12:08 amI highly recommend this recipe to everyone it’s so tasty!
Katerina Petrovska
April 29, 2020 at 5:24 pmI am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
Dorothy Reinhold
April 29, 2020 at 1:56 amI am thinking of all the veggies that I have in the fridge that I can throw in this stir fry. All of your suggestions sound great. That sauce sounds delicious!
Katerina Petrovska
April 29, 2020 at 5:24 pmThank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
Catalina
April 29, 2020 at 1:41 pmIt sounds really easy to make this chicken stir fry dish!
Sara Welch
April 29, 2020 at 6:20 pmWhat a delicious dish! Definitely worthy of a restaurant; looking forward to making this for dinner tonight, indeed!
Katerina Petrovska
May 2, 2020 at 5:45 pmThank you so much! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
Vikki
April 30, 2020 at 5:46 amI love this tasty stir fry!
Katerina Petrovska
May 2, 2020 at 5:44 pmThank you, Vikki! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
Holly
February 17, 2021 at 12:49 amVery good Stir fry ~
We used egg rolls from Sams
I happened to make another brown sauce
From another pink which was good
Next time Iโll use your recipe ! A lot simpler ~
Thanks
Katerina Petrovska
February 18, 2021 at 1:11 pmThank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! ๐
Barbara
March 3, 2021 at 1:26 amWhat can you substitute for sesame oil?
Katerina
March 3, 2021 at 1:34 amHi!
You can just use olive oil if you don’t have sesame oil.