This Chicken Stir Fry Recipe is so much better than takeout! The chicken and vegetables are in a garlic ginger soy sauce with honey, the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and is so versatile.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
It’s not surprising that this Chicken Stir Fry recipe has been a reader favorite for years. Quick 30-minute meals like Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Chow Mein, and Fish Taco Bowls are some of my favorites for busy weeknights, and this easy dish is a great one to make on repeat.
Easy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Here’s why this chicken stir fry recipe will become a staple in your home as an easy go-to weeknight dinner. It’s so quick to make and you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand or whatever your family likes best. It tastes wonderful regardless of how you alter the vegetables and even the picky eaters will approve!
You’ll love the garlic-ginger stir-fry sauce since it has a touch of honey to give it the perfect blend of savory saltiness and sweetness. Serve over rice or noodles for a complete and satisfying meal.
Ingredients for Chicken Stir Fry
I love to use seasonal veggies in my chicken stir fry, but you can choose whatever you have on hand or a bag of stir-fried veggies from the grocery store. It’s so easy to make it truly yours!
- Chicken Thighs – cut into 1″ or bite-sized pieces. This is a fattier chicken cut, so it stays juicy on the inside. You can use chicken tenders or even chicken breast, but be careful not to overcook them.
- Oil and Butter – I recommend unsalted butter and a high smoke point cooking oil such as extra light olive oil or Canola.
- Veggies – I use zucchini, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, onions, and cashews to add a little crunch to this stir fry, but feel free to try my other favorites listed below. Just be sure everything is cut into uniform pieces.
- Flavorings/Spices – garlic cloves and ginger
- Stir Fry Sauce ingredients – chicken broth, water, soy sauce, honey and cornstarch. For gluten free, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.
Variations
You will love how versatile this stir fry is, and you can use just about any vegetables you have on hand for this chicken stir fry. Here are some great options:
- cauliflower
- sweet peas
- asparagus
- snap peas or green beans
- bean sprouts
- baby corn
- water chestnuts
How to Make Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken stir fry couldn’t be easier to make than this recipe. It takes 30 minutes and one pan!
- Cut the chicken thighs and all the veggies into bite-sized pieces
- Stir the stir-fry sauce ingredients together until no lumps remain. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan or wok on medium-high heat. Add oil once hot and cook the chicken pieces in a single layer, stirring to brown all sides and cook through. Remove from the pan.
- Add the rest of the oil and butter to the hot pan followed by the veggies. Stir and cook until crisp-tender.
- Return the chicken to the pan and add the garlic and ginger, stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the cashews and then pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, stirring to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the ingredients are well incorporated.
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry is easy to whip up and makes a complete meal quickly with little cleanup. Here are some of my tips for making the best stir fry:
- Equal-sized pieces – It helps to cut each ingredient into equal sizes so they all cook at an even rate
- Timing – determine which ingredients may need extra time to cook and add those first (think broccoli or mushrooms). Then add quicker-cooking veggies (like leafy greens or bean sprouts) at the end.
- Use a large skillet or wok to avoid overcrowding the pan which leads to steam cooking.
- Preheat the pan – the food should sizzle when it hits the pan.
Can I use Frozen Vegetables in Stir Fry?
You can use frozen vegetables in a chicken stir fry, but they take a few minutes to cook. Do not thaw and add veggies directly from the freezer, and stir frequently for even cooking. Also, frozen vegetables can release more liquid, so allow it to evaporate or pat dry with a paper towel to prevent a watered-down sauce.
What to Serve with Chicken Stir Fry
My chicken stir fry recipe is easy to serve by itself, but for a complete meal, serve it with your favorite starchy or carby side, like fried rice, brown rice, quinoa, white rice, or pasta.
My Chicken Stir Fry recipe comes together quickly with protein, veggies, and a savory-sweet ginger soy sauce. Cook up a pot of rice for a complete meal in under 30 minutes!
Make-Ahead
Stir fry leftovers keep well in the fridge for an easy lunch the next day. Try these storage ideas:
- To Refrigerate: Cool and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: We like freezing in serving sizes. Put your grain and the cooled stir fry into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw in the fridge and reheat in a saute pan or wok on the stove until heated through
More Easy Stir Fry Recipes
If you love takeout copycat recipes, you will surely find some treasured recipes in this list. Let me know if you have any recipe requests for your favorite takeout dishes.
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Chicken Vegetables and Pasta Stir Fry
- Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
- Shrimp Stir Fry
- Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry
- Honey Garlic Chicken
Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken thighs, *cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 zucchini, sliced or cubed
- 2 Tbsp oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 small carrot, julienned or cubed
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 red pepper, cubed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 onion, cubed
- ½ cup cashews
Best Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, or gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- Trim chicken thighs of excess fat and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Cut the vegetables into even-sized pieces (about the same size as the chicken pieces).
- Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Set aside.
- Add the remaining oil and the butter to the skillet with the broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, red peppers, onion, and carrots. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, mixing frequently.
- Add chicken back to the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the cashews then pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let stir fry simmer until the sauce thickens and is well incorporated with the remaining ingredients. Garnish with green onion and sesame seed before serving if desired.
Notes
- Vegetables: Feel Free to swap vegetables to fit your preferences or what you have on hand. Great options include: cauliflower, sweet peas, asparagus, green beans, snap peas, bean sprouts, baby corn, or water chestnuts.
- Chicken: You can use chicken tenders or even chicken breast, but be sure not to overcook.
-
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
I made this tonight and it was very good. I used 1 Tbs of honey and it was sweet enough for me. I would like to add a little fish sauce next time bc I love the Smokey flavor and I had leftover thighs which made it a quick meal. Thank you for the recipe.
The sauce was flavorful but the chicken was very bland, even when complete and warmed/sauted together.
What would you suggest?
Hi Patricia, bland is usually due to under-seasoning or under-salting. Soy sauce can have varying amounts of salt as well. If using low sodium soy sauce, make sure to add it to taste or add more salt.
Made this last night. Super good. There were no leftovers. My family loved it. Thanks again!
So happy to hear it was enjoyed!
Amazingly quick east stir fry
Made it before, can’t remember if I’ve ever left a comment, but it’s our favourite stir fry
Can’t imagine that some of the comments are negative, that’s why I posted!
This is always in my rotation. I can change and add different fresh veggies. I do baby corn for my kids and snow peas, so versatile. I usually add peanuts or cashews, whatever I have on hand with sesame seeds. It always comes out clean, fresh and enough flavor. I like spice and that is easy to add to just my dish. Love this dish.
Dear Natasha,
Thank you for such a great recipe. Stir fry turned out great. My family had it with white rice, it was a great combination. Instead of mushrooms, I used snap peas. Quick and easy to make recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Simple recipe, the sauce had a good consistency but lacked flavour for me as well. I didn’t have cashews on hand, that would have helped to add interest. Overall, it was fine but n9t great.
Excellent and easy. I didn’t have ginger and the sauce was still delicious. I used celery and it worked great. I seasoned the chicken a little while cooking.
Was amazing fed three people in this house, much love from Australia
I’m so glad it was enjoyed! Thank you for the feedback, Jayden!
Amazing recipe! Will make it again for sure.
This is as delicious! Followed the recipe exactly as written. Had leftovers for my lunch for work the next day !! Will be on my rotation for dinners, yummy !
Beyond amazing!
Very flavorless. Sauce was awful… we had to make so many modifications just to make it edible. Feels like we just wasted expensive meat and veggies on a watery stir fry.
Hi Maddie, a watery stir fry could be due to using frozen veggies or overcooking the veggies which can make them soggy. Also did you make sure to add the cornstarch – that is the ingredient that thickens the sauce as it simmers – without it the sauce would be watery.
Loved this recipe. Great flavor and nice variety of vegetables. The sauce was great and thickened perfectly. Served it with Wonton soup and egg rolls
This is an amazing recipe. We added shrimp to this and the whole meal was soooo tasty!
That’s a great add in!