When life gets busy, you need a dinner that comes together in minutes but still feels satisfying. This Quick Chicken Stir Fry is your solution for fresher, healthier, and more delicious weeknights. It’s a vibrant, engaging dish with tender chicken, a savory-sweet sauce, and crisp veggies in perfect harmony.
Looking for Quick Chicken Stir Fry inspiration? You'll love what we have! Explore more Dinner Ideas recipes or discover our Christmas Cookie favorites.
Why You’ll Love This Quick Chicken Stir Fry
- Genuinely fast: Ready in about 20 minutes for frantic evenings.
- Dynamic flavor: Savory umami, sweet honey, and warm ginger-garlic notes.
- Veggie flexibility: A perfect canvas for using up fridge leftovers.
- Feels like a treat: Restaurant-quality results you master at home.
Ingredients & Tools
- 450 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil, divided
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
- 150 g sugar snap peas or snow peas, trimmed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 spring onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 60 ml soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Tools: A large wok or a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, a set of measuring spoons, and a good sharp knife.
Notes: The cornflour slurry creates a glossy, restaurant-style sauce. Don’t skip the sesame oil—it’s a flavor bomb.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 320 kcal |
| Protein: | 28 g |
| Fat: | 10 g |
| Carbs: | 28 g |
| Fiber: | 4 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Get your mise en place. Stir frying is a fast process with no time to stop and measure. Have all your ingredients chopped, your sauce mixed, and your cornflour slurry ready to go before you even turn on the heat.
- Cut everything uniformly. Try to cut your chicken and vegetables into similar-sized pieces. This ensures everything cooks at the same rate, so you don’t end up with rubbery chicken and raw carrots.
- What’s the best pan to use? A wok is ideal because its shape distributes heat incredibly well, but a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet will work perfectly too. The key is having a large surface area for quick, high-heat cooking.
- Can I use a different protein? Absolutely! Thinly sliced beef, prawns, or even firm tofu are fantastic substitutes. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly—prawns will cook in just a minute or two.
How to Make Quick Chicken Stir Fry
Step 1: Start by prepping all your components. This is the most important step for a smooth process. Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the bell pepper and carrot, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. In another tiny bowl, mix the cornflour with the two tablespoons of water to create your slurry. Set everything within arm’s reach of your stove.
Step 2: Place your wok or large skillet over high heat and let it get seriously hot—you should see a faint wisp of smoke when you add the first tablespoon of oil. Swirl the oil to coat the surface, then add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed for about 60-90 seconds to get a nice color, then stir and cook until they’re just cooked through and no longer pink, which should take about 3-4 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a clean plate.
Step 3: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Toss in the carrots first, as they take a little longer to cook. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the bell pepper and the white parts of your spring onions. Keep everything moving for another minute until the veggies are just starting to soften but are still wonderfully crisp. Now, add the garlic, ginger, and sugar snap peas. The aroma at this point will be absolutely incredible—fragrant and savory. Cook for just 30 more seconds, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Step 4: It’s sauce time! Return the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pan. Give your pre-mixed sauce a quick stir and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Everything will sizzle and steam gloriously. Bring the sauce to a simmer, which should happen almost instantly in the hot pan.
Step 5: Here’s the magic trick for a thick, glossy sauce. Give your cornflour slurry another stir (the cornflour settles quickly) and then drizzle it into the center of the pan while stirring. You’ll notice the sauce transform from thin and watery to thick and luxurious within 30-60 seconds. Keep stirring to coat everything evenly.
Step 6: Take the pan off the heat immediately. Stir in the green parts of your spring onions. Do a quick taste test—you might want an extra splash of soy sauce for saltiness or a tiny bit more rice vinegar for brightness. Serve your stir fry immediately over a bed of fluffy rice or noodles, and finish with a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for that final nutty touch.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended; veggies become mushy and chicken texture suffers.
- Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet, but expect softer vegetables.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Steamed Jasmine Rice — The classic, fluffy base that soaks up the delicious sauce perfectly.
- Cauliflower Rice — A fantastic low-carb option that still provides a great textural base for the stir fry.
- Simple Egg Drop Soup — A light, comforting starter that prepares the palate without overwhelming it.
Drinks
- Iced Green Tea — Its slight bitterness and clean finish cut through the richness of the sauce beautifully.
- A Crisp Lager — The carbonation and mild hop character are a perfect pairing for the savory, umami-forward flavors.
- Gewürztraminer — A slightly off-dry white wine with lychee notes that complements the ginger and sweetness in the dish.
Something Sweet
- Fortune Cookies & Lychees — A playful, light ending with a burst of floral sweetness from the lychees.
- Mango Sorbet — Bright, fruity, and refreshing, it cleanses the palate after the savory meal.
- Dark Chocolate Ginger Truffles — A more decadent option where the spice of the ginger echoes the flavors in the stir fry.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan. If you add too much at once, the pan temperature plummets and you’ll end up steaming the food instead of searing it. Cook in batches if your pan isn’t large enough.
- Using low heat. Stir-frying is a high-heat cooking technique. You want that intense heat to cook things quickly, locking in moisture and creating a slight char for flavor.
- Adding the sauce too early. If you add the sauce before the vegetables are nearly done, they’ll stew and become soggy. The veggies should be crisp-tender before the liquid hits the pan.
- Forgetting to stir the cornflour slurry. Cornflour settles at the bottom of the bowl. If you don’t give it a final stir right before adding, you’ll just pour in water and your sauce won’t thicken.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Velvet your chicken for a restaurant-quality texture. Marinate your raw chicken pieces in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of cornflour, and 1 teaspoon of oil for 15 minutes before cooking. This creates a protective layer that keeps the chicken incredibly tender and juicy.
- Tip: Add a flavor boost with aromatics. Try tossing in a star anise pod or a small piece of orange zest with the garlic and ginger. Remove them before serving—they’ll add a subtle, complex depth to the entire dish.
- Tip: Create a flavor base by infusing the oil. Before you add the chicken, toss a couple of dried red chilies or a teaspoon of Szechuan peppercorns into the hot oil for 30 seconds. Strain them out for a wonderfully fragrant, tingling heat.
- Tip: Finish with fresh herbs. A big handful of fresh coriander or Thai basil stirred in right at the end, after the heat is off, adds a vibrant, aromatic lift that makes the dish taste even fresher.
FAQs
Can I make this stir fry ahead of time?
You can prep all the components ahead of time, which is a huge time-saver. Chop the veggies and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Mix the sauce and keep it separate. The actual cooking is best done just before serving, as the vegetables will lose their crispness upon reheating. If you do have leftovers, they’ll keep for 2-3 days in the fridge and reheat reasonably well in a microwave or skillet, though the veggies will be softer.
My sauce didn’t thicken. What happened?
This almost always comes down to the cornflour slurry. Either it wasn’t mixed thoroughly enough before adding, or the sauce wasn’t at a strong enough simmer when the slurry was introduced. The sauce needs to be bubbling to activate the cornflour’s thickening power. If it’s still thin, just mix another half-tablespoon of cornflour with a tablespoon of water and stir it in, letting it bubble for another minute.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
It can be very easily! Just ensure you use tamari instead of standard soy sauce, as tamari is typically wheat-free. Also, double-check that your other sauces, like rice vinegar, don’t contain any hidden gluten. All the other core ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
What other vegetables can I use?
The possibilities are endless! Broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, baby corn, water chestnuts, or bok choy are all excellent choices. Just remember to add harder vegetables (like broccoli and carrots) first, and more delicate ones (like spinach or the leafy part of bok choy) at the very end, just to wilt them.
Can I freeze the cooked stir fry?
I don’t recommend it, honestly. The high water content in the vegetables means they’ll become very mushy and watery upon thawing. The texture of the chicken can also become a bit grainy. This is truly a “cook and eat” dish for the best possible experience.
Quick Chicken Stir Fry
Make a delicious Quick Chicken Stir Fry in just 20 minutes! Tender chicken, crisp veggies, and a savory sauce. Get the easy recipe and cook tonight!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
-
450 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces)
-
2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil (divided)
-
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
-
1 medium carrot (julienned or thinly sliced)
-
150 g sugar snap peas or snow peas (trimmed)
-
3 cloves garlic (minced)
-
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
-
3 spring onions (sliced (white and green parts separated))
-
60 ml soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
-
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
-
1 tbsp rice vinegar
-
1 tsp sesame oil
-
1 tbsp cornflour (mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry))
-
Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
-
Start by prepping all your components. This is the most important step for a smooth process. Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the bell pepper and carrot, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. In another tiny bowl, mix the cornflour with the two tablespoons of water to create your slurry. Set everything within arm's reach of your stove.01
-
Place your wok or large skillet over high heat and let it get seriously hot—you should see a faint wisp of smoke when you add the first tablespoon of oil. Swirl the oil to coat the surface, then add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed for about 60-90 seconds to get a nice color, then stir and cook until they’re just cooked through and no longer pink, which should take about 3-4 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a clean plate.02
-
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Toss in the carrots first, as they take a little longer to cook. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the bell pepper and the white parts of your spring onions. Keep everything moving for another minute until the veggies are just starting to soften but are still wonderfully crisp. Now, add the garlic, ginger, and sugar snap peas. The aroma at this point will be absolutely incredible—fragrant and savory. Cook for just 30 more seconds, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.03
-
It’s sauce time! Return the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pan. Give your pre-mixed sauce a quick stir and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Everything will sizzle and steam gloriously. Bring the sauce to a simmer, which should happen almost instantly in the hot pan.04
-
Here’s the magic trick for a thick, glossy sauce. Give your cornflour slurry another stir (the cornflour settles quickly) and then drizzle it into the center of the pan while stirring. You’ll notice the sauce transform from thin and watery to thick and luxurious within 30-60 seconds. Keep stirring to coat everything evenly.05
-
Take the pan off the heat immediately. Stir in the green parts of your spring onions. Do a quick taste test—you might want an extra splash of soy sauce for saltiness or a tiny bit more rice vinegar for brightness. Serve your stir fry immediately over a bed of fluffy rice or noodles, and finish with a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for that final nutty touch.06
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