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GET IT NOWThis 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
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.
- 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.
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 (Easy 30-Min Recipe)
My chicken stir fry recipe has juicy chicken and tender veggies in the easiest sauce & marinade! Make this one-pan meal in just 30 minutes.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Chicken And Sauce:
Vegetables:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch pieces with a knife. Season with salt and pepper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, coconut aminos, and honey. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
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Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottom wok over medium-high heat, until very hot. To test this, add a drop of water – it’s ready when the water sizzles away immediately.
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Add the mushrooms. Stir fry for 4-6 minutes, until mushrooms are soft.
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Add the broccoli, peas, and bell peppers. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir fry for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
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Push the vegetables to the sides, making a well in the center. (Add a little more oil if the pan is dry.) Add the minced garlic and ginger, if using. Saute without moving for about 1 minute, until fragrant, then stir into the rest of the vegetables.
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Transfer the vegetables to a plate or bowl, and cover to keep warm.
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Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat, until very hot. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, reserving any marinade left in the bowl for later. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through. (You may need to cook in batches – don’t crowd the pan.)
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Add the vegetables back to the pan with the chicken. Pour 3 tablespoons of the remaining marinade over the chicken and veggies. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a thicker sauce, choose the best pan, and get juicy, golden chicken.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Meal prep: You can mix the sauce ingredients, chop the vegetables, and season the chicken ahead of time, or even marinate the chicken up to 24 hours before cooking. I’ve also prepared this entire dish for the week — it’s perfect portioned for lunch!
- Reheat: Stir fry chicken again to reheat, just until warm. Be careful not to overheat, or it’ll dry out.
- Freeze: Feel free to freeze the cooked chicken stir fry for up to 3 months, or even freeze the chicken in the marinade. That in the refrigerator overnight.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
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:
13 Comments
patrickfloyd09
1As 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
0I’m so glad it’s helpful, Patrick! Thank you. I hope you make this dish again soon.
Jeanne Decoteau
0Very 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
0So 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
0I 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
0I’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
0This 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
0This 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
0This is my new favorite stir fry recipe! So good and feel good eating it! I served it with brown rice soo good!
Gina
0Loved the stir fry sauce in this recipe. Great quick and easy weeknight meal with so much flavor.
Elizabeth S
0So delicious! I added red pepper flakes to give mine a little kick of spice. Will make again!
Lisa
0The flavor of this quick and easy stir fry was so delicious. I’ll be making it again.
Addison
0This stir fry was so savory and flavorful! Such a great way to eat more veggies too. Yum!