This easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is my go-to ”what’s for dinner tonight” meal. Why? It’s full of tender chicken, tons of vibrant veggies, and the most delicious homemade sweet and tangy stir fry sauce (dare I say even better than takeout?!). This is one of my favorite dinners for using up whatever veggies I already have on hand, and everything comes together in about 30 minutes. And because this recipe makes a lot, I already know what’s for lunch tomorrow! #winning
I know how easy it can be to fall into the takeout trap, especially when life gets busy. But trust me, with just a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking skills, you can make a chicken stir fry to rival your favorite restaurant!! It’s quick, easy to make, budget-friendly, and super versatile. I use chicken, a mix of vegetables, and pantry staples like brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha to create the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
You can also easily swap out the chicken for another meat or omit it altogether for a vegetable stir fry. I’m all about making recipes work for you, and this one is IT!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy chicken stir fry recipe:
- Chicken Breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but if your budget is tight, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
- Vegetables: This is where you can really be flexible. I used broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, and onion today, but I’m always switching things up depending on what I have in my fridge/freezer. I’ve also shared some of my favorite options below, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Cooking Oil: For cooking the chicken and vegetables. You can use any neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable or canola oil.
- Stir Fry Sauce: The sauce is my favorite part of this recipe (and judging by many of the reviews below, it’s yours, too)! It’s a simple mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, cornstarch, water, and sriracha for a little kick. Easy and delicious.
What Kind of Vegetables to Use
This homemade stir fry chicken recipe will benefit from almost any veggie, so don’t stress if you don’t have exactly what I used. Stick with vegetables that are in season, and shop the sales to keep it budget-friendly! You can also use fresh or frozen veggies. I’d add any frozen veggies toward the end and cook until heated through to stop them from getting too mushy.
Some of my favorite vegetables to use in this recipe for chicken stir fry are:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Bell peppers (any color)
- Onion
- Snow peas
- Mushrooms
- Sliced cabbage
- Kale
- Water chestnuts
- Bamboo shoots
- A pre-mixed bag of stir fry vegetables—I usually find these in the produce section
Tips for Making This Recipe for the First Time!
I know how it feels to make a new recipe for the first time. But don’t worry! This recipe is super easy and the perfect dish for beginners to try. Here are some tips to help you along the way:
- Make the stir fry sauce first. Believe me when I say stir-fries cook fast. I highly recommend prepping the sauce so it’s ready to go before cooking the chicken and vegetables.
- Use a big wok or very large skillet. You don’t want to overcrowd your wok/skillet, as this will stop the chicken and vegetables from cooking evenly. Cook in batches if you have to! I always use a 12-inch skillet for this recipe.
- Avoid overcooking the vegetables. In my opinion, the best chicken stir fries have tender-crisp, still vibrant veggies. They should have a slight crunch and not be mushy. You can always cook them a little longer once the sauce is added. But hey, if they do overcook slightly, the super yummy sauce will make up for it!
- Adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes. If you know you don’t love spice or want a less sweet sauce, feel free to adjust the ingredients to make it just right for you. That’s the beauty of cooking at home!
How to Serve
I always top my chicken stir fry with green onions and sesame seeds and serve it with brown rice, white rice, or noodles! I also tried it with our homemade coconut rice the other day and that was really delicious. But if you want the full takeout experience, whip up some of our vegetable fried rice to serve on the side!
Meal prep it!
My chicken stir fry recipe stores very well in the fridge and works great for meal prep. You can make it on Sunday, divide it into equal portions, then store it in meal prep containers along with your rice. This dish will stay good in the refrigerator for about four days. I’d reheat it on the stove until the chicken is 165F throughout. The microwave also works in a pinch! You might need to add a splash of water to loosen up the sauce if it gets too thick.
Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Servings 6 (about 1 cup each)Ingredients
Stir Fry Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce ($0.44)
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.12)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.20)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.20)
- 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- ⅓ cup water ($0.00)
- 1 tsp sriracha ($0.05)
Stir Fry
- ¾ lb. broccoli (1.75)
- 2 carrots ($0.50)
- 1 red bell pepper ($1.39)
- 1 small onion ($0.39)
- 2 green onions ($0.22)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb. total) ($6.25)
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil, divided ($0.12)
Instructions
- Start by making the stir fry sauce. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sriracha, cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
- Chop the broccoli into small florets. Slice the red bell pepper, onion, and carrots into similar sized pieces. Slice the green onions. Set all the vegetables aside.
- Next, cut the chicken breasts into small ½ inch sized pieces.
- Heat a very large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot add 2 Tbsp of cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the skillet onto a separate plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 Tbsp of cooking oil along with the carrots and broccoli. Cook and stir for one minute, or just until the broccoli begins to turn bright green.
- Next, add the red bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir for 1-2 more minutes.
- Give the stir fry sauce another brief stir. Now add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, then pour the stir fry sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Give everything a stir and allow the sauce to come up to a simmer, at which point it will start to thicken and turn glossy. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes or until it has reached your desired doneness.
- Remove it from the heat, top with green onions and sesame seeds (optional) and serve!
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Equipment
Nutrition
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How to Make Chicken Stir Fry – Step by Step Photos
Start by making the stir fry sauce. Combine the ⅓ cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp sriracha, 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch and ⅓ cup water in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
Chop ¾ lb. of broccoli into small florets. Slice 1 red bell pepper, 1 small yellow onion, and 2 carrots into similar sized pieces. Slice 2 green onions. Set the vegetables aside.
Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small 1/2 inch sized pieces.
Heat a very large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot add 2 Tbsp of cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Once chicken is browned, remove it from the skillet onto a separate plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 Tbsp of cooking oil along with the carrots and broccoli. Cook and stir for one minute, or just until the broccoli begins to turn bright green.
Next, add the red bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir for 1-2 more minutes.
Give the stir fry sauce another brief stir. Now add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, then pour the stir fry sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Give everything a stir and allow the sauce to come up to a simmer, at which point it will start to thicken and turn glossy. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes or until it has reached your desired doneness.
Remove it from the heat, top with green onions and sesame seeds (optional) and serve!
Make this easy chicken stir fry recipe the next time your family asks for takeout, and see just how much they love it!
Used bag of Asian stir-fry vegetables, half head of cabbage, 2 stalks celery 1 red onion, 1 green pepper and 2 chicken thighs……great, had to stop my hubby from over eating
Excellent recipe that can be customized with whatever you vegetables you have on hand and like. I added snow peas and water chestnuts to mine. The snow peas went in at the same time as the onions & peppers. I used a bag of frozen broccoli instead of fresh so it went in next. At the end stirred in sliced water chestnuts. Mushroom would be a good addition to.
Loved this! I used thinly sliced chicken breasts because they were on sale. I would lessen the sugar a little, as it was a little too sweet for me, but my husband loved it as is. So if you’re more into savory, maybe cut the sugar a little. I served it with plain, long grain rice and topped with more Sriracha. Definitely going onto our make again list, and so affordable !