But do you stir fry your chicken with just soy sauce or teriyaki? Well, try my easy chicken stir fry recipe, which has a little more Chinese staple sauces in the mix, and is loaded with veggies. The result? An absolutely delicious stir fry loaded with umami flavors and perfect crunch in every single bite… I love wok time big time here at GypsyPlate. From Thai Cashew Chicken to Hunan Shrimp to General Tso’s Chicken, and so many more. It’s one cracker meal after another for your busy weeknights. One of the simplest of all is this chicken stir fry, where the chicken is juicy and tender, as I choose chicken thighs rather than breast. It comes with lots of flavors in every single bite, with lots of veggies and a perfect stir fry sauce, which is the most important factor for the best tasting stir fry.
Stir Fry Sauce: The Secret for the BEST Stir Fry
I feel if you want to have a great stir fry, then there is no way around adding more flavors into that sauce. Just regular soy or teriyaki is not going to get your there. Stir Fry Sauce is the main essence of any stir fry dish, and rounds up the whole meal to another level. Really, it’s just a combination of these different ingredients, which may already exist in your pantry. If not, it’s worth grabbing those sauce bottles the next time you are grocery shopping.
Soy sauce – The main ingredient for any stir fry. Can you think of any stir fry without soy? Dark Soy Sauce – Totally optional, but if you have it, DO use it for great color. All you need is a tiny dash to brighten the dish. Oyster sauce – This one is an UMAMI bomb. Gives a great depth of flavor to Asian dishes. Hoisin sauce – I love this extra added flavor. But if you don’t have it, you can sub it with extra oyster sauce. Rice vinegar – Gives a tiny bit of tang to the recipe. You can sub it with plain white vinegar. Honey – Just a little sweetness completes the perfect savory, sweet and tangy profile of that awesome stir fry. Red chili flakes – Optional, but I add it every single time.
Other Ingredients
This chicken and vegetable stir fry is basically combining chicken with any vegetables available in your refrigerator. Today I used the following:
Chicken – I love boneless skinless chicken thighs for this stir fry, as it yields juicy, tender morsels. But feel free to use chicken breast or chicken tenders if that’s what you prefer. Veggies – I usually use carrots, bell peppers (use multi-colored for a colorful stir fry), red onion, mushrooms, broccoli and snow peas. Aromatics – Ginger and garlic. Oil – Your preferred neutral cooking oil Salt – Just a little when sautéing the chicken, as most of the saltiness comes from the sauce.
Easy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Once you cut your veggies, aromatics and protein, this stir fry happens super fast. Here is how to wok it…
- Make the stir-fry sauce: I start by whisking all the stir fry sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Stir fry the chicken: I heat some oil in a big skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, I add the chicken and cook it for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, I add salt, ginger, and garlic. I keep stirring until most of the liquid disappears.
- Stir fry the vegetables: I toss in all the veggies except the snow peas and cook them until they’re just tender but still have a nice crunch to them.
- Add in the stir fry sauce: I pour in the stir fry sauce and mix it in, making sure everything gets coated nicely. Then, I cook everything together for a minute or two until it’s all well coated with the sauce. Finally, I add the snow peas and cook for another minute or two.
Alpana’s Tips
When I’m prepping the veggies, I make sure to cut them into similar-sized pieces. This helps them cook evenly. For carrots, I slice them thin or cube them, so they cook quickly with the other veggies. I like to cut the chicken into thin strips instead of cubes, as they are more tender and delicious this way, especially if you are using chicken breast. I always cut against the grain. I try to choose veggies with similar cooking times to avoid any under or overcooking. Crisp-tender is the goal – not mushy! When cooking the stir fry, I use a large wok to prevent overcrowding. I spread the chicken evenly to get a good sear on all pieces. And I always cook in a sizzling hot wok on high heat for that perfect stir fry texture.
Variations
Once you have a great sauce base, this is a very versatile recipe…
When I want to change things up, I swap out the chicken for something different like shrimp, steak, pork, or tofu. Some days I have even tried ground chicken, turkey, or pork. I like to play around with veggies too! Bok choy, baby corn, zucchini, green beans, asparagus, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, or cabbage all work well. And on lazy days, frozen veggies are fine. I absolutely love cashews or peanuts in my stir fries. Some days I get creative with the sauce, adding things like sriracha, sesame oil, or peanut butter for extra flavor. To finish, I sprinkle on sesame seeds, scallions, cilantro, or crushed peanuts. It makes my stir fry look and taste amazing!.
Serving Suggestions
Rice. My first choice for any stir fry is, of course, on a bed or warm white rice. It’s also great with brown rice and even cauliflower rice. Noodles. Any Asian noodles are great with this chicken stir fry. If you like some kick, try our Spicy Noodles. It’s not common, though I’ve tried it in lettuce wraps. It’s yum. The next time you feel like woking, give my version of chicken stir fry a try. It’s more flavorful, more colorful, and more nutritious. Stir fries are a great way to feed veggie power to all those picky eaters. No one complains when a big bowl of colorful, tasty chicken stir fry comes to the table… Chopstick time is ON!! Be sure to check our other cracking Asian Recipes on GypsyPlate, and come back again for all the new flavors coming to you.
Chicken Stir Fry, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great stir fry recipes!Ground Turkey Stir FryMongolian BeefOrange ChickenThai Basil ChickenBo Luc LacPork Stir FryBeijing BeefKung Pao Chicken
