This easy chicken stir fry recipe is loaded with vegetables and a moreish sauce that you probably already have. If you're new to stir fries, this is a great place to start - you can easily customise this chicken stir fry with different vegetables like mushrooms, capsicum, baby corn, or green beans.
Stir fries come together quickly, making them the perfect weeknight meal - and this easy chicken stir fry makes great leftovers or a bulk amount for meal prep.
Easy chicken stir fry ingredients
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive ingredients and quantities.
- Peanut oil is the best and most authentic oil to stir fry with. Use another high smoke point oil if you can't use peanut oil, but avoid low temp oils like olive oil and sesame oil. See oils for more info.
- Chicken breast - cut into strips, or you can purchase stir fry chicken strips to save time. Use thigh if you'd prefer.
- Carrots, onion and broccoli for the vegetables. Substitute with whatever you have on hand, or see the stir fry vegetable section to help you choose alternatives.
- Garlic. I didn't use ginger in this recipe, but feel free to add a little if you'd like as they are commonly used together.
- MSG - one of the hallmark flavours of takeaway food, you can find this at some supermarkets in the US under the name Accent, or from Asian grocers.
- Sesame seeds - a sprinkle of sesame seeds to finish the stir fry, or you can substitute with toasted peanuts or cashews.
The sauce is made from:
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Sugar
- Sesame oil
- White pepper
- Shaoxing wine
- Cornflour - optional for thickening the sauce.
How to make an easy chicken stir fry
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive instructions.
- Make the sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients.
- Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for a minute.
- Cook the chicken. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the carrot and onion. Add broccoli once the onion is translucent.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Add garlic and then the sauce. Season to taste.
- Serve with rice and top with sesame seeds.
Tips
- Two things give the takeaway flavour people love with stir fries - MSG, and wok hei "breath of the wok". You can get MSG from Asian stores and some supermarkets - it's sold in the US as Accent. Wok hei is the smoky and charred flavour that you get from the intense heat of wok cooking - it's difficult to reproduce at home. You can buy high output burners if you're really into wok cooking - look for around 50mj (47000+ BTU) at a minimum.
- Water is the enemy of a good stir fry because it pulls down the temperature of your wok. Cook in small batches to sear ingredients quickly - see batch cooking tips later in the post.
- In line with the above, don't overcrowd the pan.
- Prep everything before you start - once you start cooking, it cooks quickly, so have everything ready to go.
What to serve with chicken stir fry
This stir fry is already a complete meal. If you wanted to bulk it out a bit more, here's some ideas for you:
- Add some kimchi to the side.
- Place a fried egg on top.
- A cucumber salad as a side.
- Pickled vegetables for crunch and contrast.
Time saving hacks
- Supermarkets and butchers usually sell sliced chicken breast that you can put straight into the wok. Saves the time of slicing the chicken breast and the clean up from doing so.
- You can buy frozen stir fried vegetables from supermarkets. You can use these and save the time from preparing the vegetables yourself.
- Many supermarkets also sell freshly prepared stir fry vegetables - you can use these as well!
Do I need a wok?
A wok isn’t necessary for a great stir fry - you can make in a large, heavy skillet or frying pan. However, the shape of a wok is designed for high heat and fast movement, allowing you to sear food quickly and toss it effortlessly. The sloped sides create natural hot and cool zones.
If you're looking to buy, here are some tips. For a standard residential range, a flat-bottomed wok is usually the best bet because it sits flat on the cook top. If you’ve got a high-output burner or a wok burner ring, I'd suggest a traditional round-bottom wok - the shape is better for stir frying and the flames can travel up the sides for a more intense sear.
Don't use a wok/pan/skillet with chemical non-stick coating for stir frying. They're not suitable for high heat cooking. A carbon steel wok is the go-to recommendation because it's light, holds a non-stick seasoning well and is thin, which gives it excellent temperature control.
Stir frying technique
Stir frying is all about fast movements with very high temperature cooking. This is done by stirring and tossing. The goal is to keep the food moving enough to prevent burning while still allowing it to sear.
Stirring is typically done with a spatula or wok chuan: - scoop under the food, push it up the far side of the wok, and fold it back down in a rhythmic motion. Tossing, on the other hand, involves using the wrist to rock the wok forward and then snap it back toward you, which flips the food up and over in the air.
If you're cooking at home with a flat bottomed wok or skillet you'll likely use a spatula to move food around. On a high-output burner or using a round-bottom wok, you can easily toss the food, or you can combine both motions - tossing the wok with one hand while guiding or flipping food with the spatula in the other.
Wok hei at home
Wok hei (鑊氣) translates as the "breath of the wok"- it's the smoky flavour you get from a blistering hot wok and great technique. It's the result of the combination of intense heat, quick caramelization, oil combustion, and a slight charring of the ingredients.
It is difficult to achieve at home without a high output wok burner, however you can get close if you're cooking with gas.
To get close, start with a carbon steel wok - it heats fast and responds quickly to temperature changes. Use a small amount of oil and avoid overcrowding. Preheat until the wok is nearly smoking, then stir fry in small batches. Toss food constantly or stir vigorously to expose it to as much hot surface area as possible. Moving the wok back and forth through the flame will cause small particles of the cooking oil to ignite which is a contributing part of the flavour.
If you're chasing more wok hei, consider purchasing a portable outdoor wok burner - they deliver the heat you need and keep smoke outside where it belongs. I use a 50mj (47000 BTU) burner which delivers great wok hei.
Batch cooking for stir fries
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they're new to stir frying is overcrowding the wok. Adding too many ingredients at once drops the heat too quickly and causes the food to steam or boil rather than fry and brown, which results in a soft, soggy stir fry.
Consider that restaurants typically stir-fry one or two portions at a time using high heat, while at home, multiple servings are often cooked at a lower temperature. As such, cooking in batches is key to maintaining good flavour and texture at home - divide your ingredients into smaller portions and cook them in batches. For example, stir fry half the chicken, remove it, then do the second half. Do the same with veggies: denser ones like carrots and broccoli first, leafy greens last. Once everything is cooked and lightly caramelized, combine it all at the end with your sauce and stir well to combine.
Stir fry vegetables and flavourings
The vegetables used in this can be substituted for whatever you have on hand. Stir fries are extremely versatile and can make use of any vegetable. Here's some vegetables you can use, along with preparation tips.
| Vegetable | Characteristic | Preparation | Cooking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli Cauliflower | Firm | Cut into bite sized florets. | Blanch them in boiling water for a minute to soften them and allow to steam dry. |
| Carrots | Firm | Slice thinly or julienne. | |
| Gai lan/Chinese broccoli | Firm | Cut into bite sized pieces. | Blanch them in boiling water for a minute to soften them and allow to steam dry. |
| Bok choy | Firm | Separate leaves from stems. Add leaves during last 30 seconds of cooking. | |
| Celery | Firm | Slice, or slice on a bias. | |
| Asparagus | Firm | Cut into bite sized pieces. | |
| Zucchini | Medium | Thin - if thick it will be mushy. | |
| Green beans | Medium | Cut into bite sized pieces. | |
| Snow peas Sugar snap peas |
Medium | Cut into bite sized pieces or leave whole. | |
| Baby corn | Medium | Cut into bite sized pieces. | |
| Capsicum/bell peppers | Medium | Cut into bite sized pieces. | |
| Spinach | Leafy | Generally added once removed from the heat - wilts quickly. | |
| Cabbage | Leafy | Thinly sliced. | |
| Bean sprouts Pea shoots |
Leafy | Add once remove from heat. | |
| Kale | Leafy | Stems removed. | Tougher than other greens, you may want to blanch or stir fry for longer. |
| Onion | Aromatic | Sliced. | |
| Scallions | Aromatic | Sliced. | Greens and whites generally cooked differently; whites with other aromatics, greens added once cooking finished or used to garnish. |
| Herbs | Aromatic | Generally finely sliced. Sometimes whole. | Generally added once removed from the heat - wilts quickly. |
| Garlic | Aromatic | Finely sliced or minced. | |
| Ginger | Aromatic | Minced. | |
| Chilli | Aromatic | Finely sliced. Seeds removed if hot. |
Oil
The best and most authentic oil for stir frying is peanut oil. If you don't have it, or can't cook with it due to allergies, try using avocado or sunflower oil. Failing that, canola oil will work.
Don't use olive oil or sesame oil, because the smoke point is too low. The oil will burn and impart a foul taste, and there are health concerns about consuming oil that has got that hot.
Make ahead, reheating and freezing easy chicken stir fry
Cooking the stir fry doesn't take that much time. You can prepare the vegetables and meat, and cook the rice a day in advance.
Reheat leftovers in a wok or skillet over low heat, adding a little water if necessary to prevent it sticking. Alternatively, use the microwave.
The stir fry freezes well with rice, and is a good way to meal prep.
Add your own touch
- Experiment with different nuts, such as cashews or peanuts in place of the sesame seeds.
- Add some grated ginger in at the same time as the garlic.
- Change the vegetables around to whatever you have on hand or you fancy.
Easy chicken stir fry with vegetables
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mins | 10 mins | 25 mins |
- 2 tbsp peanut oil, divided or other high temperature stir frying oil, see note 1
- 500g (1.1 lb) chicken breast, sliced into strips
- 150g (5 oz) carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips 'julienned', around 2 carrots
- 1 brown onion, sliced around 120g or 4 oz, or use scallions - see note 2
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets around 450g/1 lbs of florets
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- MSG, to taste optional, see note 3. Around 1/8 tsp or a large pinch
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce preferably Chinese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- White pepper, to taste around 1/2 - 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine Chinese cooking wine, see note 4
- 1 tbsp cornflour/starch optional, see note 5
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water if using cornflour/starch
- Cooked white rice, to serve I prefer Jasmine
- Sesame seeds optional
- Sauce - make the sauce by combining all ingredients together in a mug, small bowl or container and stirring well to incorporate.
- Blanch broccoli - bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 1 minute. Strain and allow to steam dry.
- Cook chicken - heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken and spread it out for even searing. Let it cook undisturbed until mostly done, then toss to finish cooking on the other side. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Cook carrot and onion - wipe the wok if needed. Add the remaining oil and carrots, stir-frying for 1 minute until the carrot is softened. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and carrot is tender.
- Add broccoli and continue to stir while cooking until softened - around 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to the pan and add garlic. Stir or toss well to combine. Cook for a further 30 seconds, continuing to toss and stir.
- Add sauce and stir well to combine. Remove from the heat.
- MSG - if you're using MSG, add a pinch to taste and stir to combine.
- Serve - serve the stir fry on top of cooked white rice. Top with some sesame seeds, if using.
- Oil choices - peanut oil is the best and most authentic oil to use when stir-frying. If you don't have it, or can't cook with it due to allergies, try using avocado or sunflower oil. Failing that, canola oil will work.
- Scallions - great substitute for brown onions. Slice and keep the whites separate from the greens. Add the whites in place of the onion, and stir in the greens after cooking.
- MSG - a pinch of MSG is one of the hallmark stir fry flavours. You can buy MSG from some supermarkets - it's marketed under the Accent brand in the US - or from Asian grocers.
- Shaoxing wine - also known as Chinese cooking wine, it's made from rice and is quite salty. Substitute with sherry or sake. Readily available in supermarkets - look for it in the Asian aisle.
- Cornflour - using cornflour/starch to thicken the sauce is optional and depends on whether you want a thin sauce, or a thick sauce that clings to the ingredients.
- Vegetables - Swap the vegetables for whatever you have on hand as needed - mushrooms, baby corn, capsicum/bell pepper, cauliflower, green beans, etc all work well in a stir fry.
- Non-stick cookware - where possible, don't cook stir fries in non-stick pans. They're not suitable for high heat and can leach chemicals into your food. If you must use one, don't cook on high heat and cook in smaller batches and combine together at the end.
- Cooking temperature - this recipe is written for use on a normal residential range. If you are using a high power wok burner (50mj+) you will need to be tossing/stirring nearly constantly.
- Adding sauce at high temperature - if you're using a high heat wok burner, for the best results, don't add the sauce on top of the ingredients. Pour it in a circle around the edge of the wok, which will caramelise the sugars and add to the characteristic wok taste.
- Nuts - if you'd like to add nuts, before you start cooking the stir fry, toast some cashews or peanuts in a skillet until golden. Set aside and then add just before pouring in the stir fry sauce.
