Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe tastes savory, lightly sweet, and garlicky with crisp-tender veggies and juicy chicken. Busy cooks, meal preppers, and families who want takeout flavor at home in about 25 minutes will love it. I make this on repeat when soccer practice runs long and everyone strolls into the kitchen hungry.
Why Choose This Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe delivers bold flavor, quick cook time, and weeknight reliability. You get saucy bites that coat fluffy rice or noodles without sogginess. The method keeps veggies vibrant and chicken tender, so dinner feels fresh, not heavy.
This tasted better than our takeout and took less time to hit the table. ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
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Chicken
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced across the grain
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (San-J works great)
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
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Vegetables
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup snap peas
- 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Optional: 1 cup mushrooms or baby corn
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Stir fry sauce
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free swap: tamari or coconut aminos)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee gives deep flavor)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 1/3 cup chicken stock or water (Better Than Bouillon works in a pinch)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced (tubed ginger works as a shortcut)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes
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Cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons high-heat oil like avocado, canola, or peanut oil
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Pantry shortcuts and swaps
- Use a 12 to 16 ounce bag of pre-cut stir fry mix to save time.
- Sub frozen broccoli for fresh; thaw and pat dry before cooking.
- Swap chicken with firm tofu or shrimp if you prefer.
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Equipment
- Wok or large 12-inch skillet, chef’s knife, cutting board
- Small bowl and whisk, tongs or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Paper towels
How to Make Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Prep the chicken and veggies (8 minutes)
- Slice chicken thin so it cooks fast and stays tender. Pat it dry.
- Cut broccoli into bite-size florets. Slice peppers, onion, and carrot. Trim snap peas.
Mix the stir fry sauce (2 minutes)
- Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, stock, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chili-garlic sauce in a bowl. Keep it near the stove.
Coat the chicken (1 minute)
- Toss chicken with 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon neutral oil. This light coating helps the meat brown and stay juicy.
Sear the chicken (4 to 5 minutes)
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a hot wok or skillet over medium-high until it shimmers.
- Spread chicken in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 1 minute, then stir and cook until the pieces turn golden and nearly cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
Stir fry the vegetables (3 to 4 minutes)
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add broccoli, carrot, and onion. Stir often for 2 minutes.
- Add bell pepper and snap peas. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more until crisp-tender.
Sauce and finish (2 to 3 minutes)
- Return chicken and any juices to the pan. Give the sauce a quick whisk and pour it in.
- Stir as the sauce bubbles and thickens. Cook until chicken reaches 165°F and veggies still have some bite.
Taste and serve (1 minute)
- Taste and adjust salt, heat, or sweetness. Sprinkle scallions.
- Serve over hot rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Heat the pan until oil shimmers to get good sear and avoid steaming.
- Slice chicken thin and even so it cooks at the same rate.
- Dry veggies well so the sauce clings and stays glossy.
- Keep the sauce pre-mixed; cornstarch settles fast if you wait.
- Do not crowd the pan; work in batches if the skillet feels full.
- Add tender veggies later to keep them crisp.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce so you control salt with final seasoning.
- Stop cooking as soon as the sauce thickens; overcooking makes it sticky.
- Cut across the grain on chicken breast to keep it tender.
Variations I've Tried
- Orange-ginger: Swap the stock with 1/3 cup orange juice and add extra zest.
- Cashew or almond: Stir in 1/2 cup toasted nuts at the end for crunch.
- Spicy sesame: Add 1 tablespoon chili crisp and a drizzle of extra sesame oil.
- Teriyaki style: Replace oyster sauce with 1.5 tablespoons teriyaki and cut the sugar.
- Tofu veggie: Press firm tofu, cube it, coat with cornstarch, then sear until crisp before vegetables.
- Mushroom medley: Use shiitake and cremini with bok choy for a rich, savory twist.
- Low-carb: Serve over cauliflower rice and halve the sweetener in the sauce.
How to Serve
Spoon the stir fry over jasmine rice, brown rice, or saucy noodles like lo mein or udon. Add a wedge of lime and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for a bright finish. Pair with a crisp cucumber salad or miso soup for contrast. A cold seltzer with lime or a light lager matches the savory-sweet sauce nicely.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Meal prep: Slice veggies and chicken, and mix the sauce up to 2 days ahead. Keep the cornstarch out of the chicken until just before cooking.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best texture.
- Reheat: Use a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Stir until hot. The microwave works in short bursts at 60 percent power, stirring between rounds.
Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe is a fast, savory, garlicky stir fry with crisp-tender vegetables and juicy chicken that brings takeout flavor home in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the chicken and vegetables: Pat the chicken dry and slice it thinly across the grain. Cut broccoli into bite-size florets, slice the bell pepper, onion, and carrot, and trim the snap peas.
- Mix the stir fry sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar or honey, chicken stock or water, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chili-garlic sauce or red pepper flakes. Set near the stove.
- Coat the chicken: In a bowl, toss the sliced chicken with 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon neutral oil until evenly coated.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of the high-heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for about 1 minute without stirring, then cook, stirring, until golden and nearly cooked through. Transfer the chicken and any juices to a plate.
- Stir fry the vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan. Add the broccoli, carrot, and onion and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and snap peas and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Sauce and finish: Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Give the sauce a quick whisk, then pour it into the pan. Stir as it bubbles and thickens, cooking just until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are still slightly crisp.
- Taste and serve: Taste and adjust for salt, heat, or sweetness as desired. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve hot over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Approximate per serving (4 servings): 310 calories; fat 13 g; saturated fat 2 g; carbohydrates 23 g; fiber 4 g; sugars 10 g; protein 27 g; sodium 830 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and portion size.
Approximate per serving (4 servings): 310 calories; fat 13 g; saturated fat 2 g; carbohydrates 23 g; fiber 4 g; sugars 10 g; protein 27 g; sodium 830 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and portion size.