This Is My Everyday Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

One of the first easy dinners I learned how to make was chicken stir fry, mainly because I loved the idea of a one-pan meal that could use up one-off veggies I had. I still love it for that, but these days, here’s why I make this chicken stir fry recipe the most:

Sweet and savory sauce without processed ingredients – Many chicken stir fry recipes have long ingredient lists, with processed condiments, sugar, and starch. Sometimes they have a separate sauce and marinade. My chicken stir fry marinade doubles as a sauce, and has just 3 ingredients in it (yes, three!). And when mixed with the sauteed aromatics, it hits all the right sweet, savory, and umami notes.
Golden, juicy chicken with tender vegetables – Overcooked chicken or limp vegetables can absolutely ruin a stir fry, and you won’t find that here. Follow my simple process and you’ll get consistent results.
Light, easy 30-minute meal – All with simple, naturally gluten-free ingredients. The simplicity is the main reason I make this stir fry chicken so often on busy weeknights.

If you like my chicken broccoli stir fry and low carb chicken stir fry, add this easy chicken stir fry to your list — dare I say, it’s even better. Make it with me!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken stir fry recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs work, too. If you want to try another protein, I’ve got separate recipes for beef stir fry and shrimp stir fry.
Sauce & Marinade Base – I use a combination of chicken broth (for rich umami flavor), coconut aminos (my go-to soy sauce alternative, found in the Asian food grocery section), and Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey (which sweetens and thickens the sauce naturally). Feel free to substitute bone broth for extra richness, regular soy sauce or tamari if you prefer those, or regular honey.
Aromatics – I highly recommend freshly grated ginger and freshly minced garlic for the best flavor. You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger if you have to, though.
Vegetables – My usual blend is broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, and snap peas. You can definitely use other stir fry vegetables, like onions, carrots, cauliflower, bean sprouts, bok choy, snow peas, baby corn, or zucchini.
Oil – I prefer olive oil for stir fry chicken, but feel free to use sesame oil for a more traditional option. Avoid toasted sesame oil, which isn’t safe for high heat, but it’s okay to stir in a teaspoon for flavor at the end.
Optional Garnishes – Crushed red pepper flakes, sliced green onions, cashews, peanuts, or sesame seeds all look and taste great sprinkled over this chicken stir fry.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

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Labeled recipe ingredients: Chicken breasts, broccoli, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, garlic, honey, ginger, coconut aminos, olive oil, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

How To Make Chicken Stir Fry

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Season the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels, cut into bite-size pieces, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Marinate the chicken. Whisk together chicken broth, coconut aminos, and honey, then combine with the chicken and let it marinate.
Stir fry the vegetables, in the right order. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom wok, until very hot. Stir fry the mushrooms first. Add the broccoli, snap peas, and bell peppers, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking until tender.

Stir fried vegetables in a wok with a wooden spatula.

Add the aromatics. Push the vegetables to the sides, and add the minced garlic and ginger in the center. Saute until fragrant, then mix in. Transfer the veggies to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
Stir fry chicken. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer, reserving any marinade left in the bowl for later. Sear until cooked through, turning occasionally.
Bring it all together. Return the vegetables to the pan. Drizzle the chicken stir fry with more of the remaining marinade. Simmer until the stir fry sauce reduces and thickens.

Chicken being cooked in a wok with tongs.

Finished chicken stir fry recipe in the wok with sauce.

My Recipe Tips

Honey thickens this sauce without cornstarch, but you can add some if you want it extra thick. Just whisk a tablespoon of corn starch (or one of my cornstarch substitutes) into the marinade before pouring into the pan at the end. Without this, the sauce still thickens but isn’t glossy-thick.
If you like it extra saucy, you can double the marinade ingredients. This makes the sauce take much longer to reduce, so I’d recommend simmering it without the chicken and veggies first (to avoid overcooking them), or using my cornstarch option above.
Choose a wok or large skillet with a heavy bottom. These retain and distribute heat better than lighter ones. I used an older one for my pictures, but lately use and love this wok for my chicken stir fry.
The larger your pan, the faster your sauce will reduce. It’s all about surface area!
Preheat the wok well before cooking. To test this, add a drop of water — it’s ready when the water sizzles away immediately.
Cook your vegetables in the right order. Ones that cook for longer, like mushrooms and onions, are best cooked separately upfront before adding the faster-cooking veggies.
Make sure each piece of chicken touches the pan. You may need to cook in batches if it doesn’t all fit. If you crowd the pan, the chicken won’t brown as nicely and can cook unevenly.
Be careful not to overcook. Cooking too long will make your chicken dry and your vegetables mushy. I use this meat thermometer to check the chicken, and remove it from the pan around 160 degrees F. Then, just make sure it reaches at least 165 when simmering with the sauce. If you choose to make this chicken stir fry with chicken thighs, I recommend an internal temperature of 170 degrees F instead, as that’s when dark meat gets juicy.

Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

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Chicken stir fry in a bowl over a bed of rice.

Serving Ideas

This dish makes a perfect one-pan meal! Serve it over brown rice, fried rice, or even cauliflower fried rice or cauliflower rice (shown above). You could also use Asian-style noodles as a base — I like it with lighter shirataki noodles.

More Chicken Stir Fry Recipes

If you enjoyed this dish, try one of my other chicken stir fry recipes next:

Hibachi chicken on a plate with rice and vegetables.

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15 Comments

patrickfloyd09
1 Apr 8, 2025Reply

As a novice cook, I appreciate well-written recipes such as this. Your advice about preparation, substitutions and variations are so helpful. This recipe is delicious and will definitely be prepared many times in the future.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 Apr 10, 2025Reply
  
  I’m so glad it’s helpful, Patrick! Thank you. I hope you make this dish again soon.
LS
0 Jul 28, 2026Reply

This should get 10 stars. I rarely post, but Wholesome Yum’s keto recipes have been a huge part of sustaining me in my keto lifestyle for the past six years, and this one is no exception. The marinade takes this stir-fry to the next level, the combination of the chicken and vegetables used is perfect, and it’s very low carb to boot. As with all of Maya’s recipes, I follow her instructions to a T and I have literally not had one that wasn’t excellent. Thank you for your thoughtful, detailed recipes (and yes, I’m one who wants to be told how much salt and pepper to use :)), and for doing all the hard work for us 🙂
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 Jul 29, 2026Reply
  
  This truly means so much to me! I’m honored that my recipes have been part of your keto journey for the past six years, and I love hearing how much you enjoyed the marinade and combination of chicken and vegetables in this stir-fry. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!
Jeanne Decoteau
0 Mar 10, 2026Reply

Very easy to make, and absolutely delicious. I used aleady cooked chicken (ready made at the grocery store) and added almonds which both worked well. The sauce is scrumptious – both sweet and savoury together. I could see adding water chestnuts that would absorb the sauce and add some extra crunch. Fabulous!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 Mar 11, 2026Reply
  
  So glad it turned out so well for you, Jeanne! Using pre-cooked chicken is such a smart shortcut, and the almonds sound perfect with that sweet-savory sauce. Water chestnuts would be an amazing crunchy addition next time!
Amy
0 Sep 3, 2025Reply

I agree with a previous reviewer in that I appreciate all the great details you add for your recipes. I am a novice Cook as well. As far as this recipe goes, could I use a heavy large cast-iron skillet instead of a wok? Also, my family will not want all of those vegetables. How much will it change the taste if I have only broccoli in it? I would still use all the other seasonings. Thanks a bunch
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 Sep 11, 2025Reply
  
  I’m so glad the details are helpful, thank you Amy! Yes, you can definitely use a cast iron skillet and use just broccoli if that’s your family’s preference. Please let me know how it turns out!
Eric Kemper
0 Feb 15, 2024Reply

This is an easy recipe to follow. Its very delicious. I will make this for a lot of my friends. This is a keeper.
Patricia Carlton
0 May 16, 2023Reply

This recipe was so good and had so much flavor. I loved the wholesome yum honey. I will surely be making this again. Thanks Maya
Angela
0 Mar 24, 2023Reply

This is my new favorite stir fry recipe! So good and feel good eating it! I served it with brown rice soo good!
Gina
0 Mar 24, 2023Reply

Loved the stir fry sauce in this recipe. Great quick and easy weeknight meal with so much flavor.
Elizabeth S
0 Mar 24, 2023Reply

So delicious! I added red pepper flakes to give mine a little kick of spice. Will make again!
Lisa
0 Mar 24, 2023Reply

The flavor of this quick and easy stir fry was so delicious. I’ll be making it again.
Addison
0 Mar 23, 2023Reply

This stir fry was so savory and flavorful! Such a great way to eat more veggies too. Yum!