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.
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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.
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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. 
Your chicken stir-fry is absolutely delicious, I made it tonight, thank you.
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight and it turned out fabulous.at the end I separated into two pans so I could add spicy chili oil to one. That way we can please everyone! This is also great for the Keto dieters in the family.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Judy! Thank you for your good comments and feedback.
I decided to make stir fry for dinner somewhat spur of the moment, and found this recipe. It’s amazing! It’s very tasty and easy. I had a bag of stir fry veggies in the freezer, so I used those along with fresh carrot and onion. I also seasoned the chicken with salt + pepper before frying, and added some shrimp. Love it! Definitely saving this one
Sounds wonderful and I am so glad you enjoyed it, Anna! Thank you for the review.
This recipe will get me out of my cooking rut. It looks amazing. Happy that I have all the ingredients on hand…a miracle! Cannot wait to leave work and cook. 🙂
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha! I’ve made this stir several times and we love it! All your recipes are sooo good! Thank you!
Great to hear that, Sandra. Thank you for this review!
Tried this it was absolutely delicious thanks for sharing the recipe chicken stir fry 😋
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Shirley!
Thank you for a great recipe Natasha…added a bit of chilli as i love a touch of spice…worked out perfectly ..will serve it with some egg fried rice…
Used rice flour as i ran out of cornstarch , turned out great!
Thanks again!
Sounds perfect, I’m glad that the substitutions that you used worked great too!
This was very good. I make stir fry all the time, but I have to say this flavor was perfect. Served with wheat pasta. My husband had seconds. So yummy. I love your recipes.
Thanks for your good comments and review, Karen!
I wasn’t happy with the results following the directions. The vegetables became soggy trying to thicken the sauce. For the amount of liquid, I questioned only 1 tablespoon of corn starch. The sauce never really thickened. Also the chicken is cooked without any seasoning. At the end I thought the whole thing bland and all the sesame seeds in the world wasn’t going to fix it.
Hi Chris, sometimes if you are using a smaller skillet and ingredients are crowded, the sauce may not thicken properly. Also, changing veggies, or adjusting amounts in the recipe can affect how much moisture is in the recipe. I hope that helps.
I was excited to try this looks amazing. Overall it was good I added shrimp to mine. The only problem with mine was the sauce didn’t thicken any suggestions for next time
Hi Teresa, you may simmer more until the sauce thickens. Also, sometimes if you are using a smaller skillet and ingredients are crowded, the sauce may not thicken properly. Also, changing veggies, or adjusting amounts in the recipe can affect how much moisture is in the recipe. I hope that helps.
I made this last night for dinner. I was so good. Not salty like some other stir fry recipes. I made it with sugar snap peas, peppers and garlic from our garden. It was very good. And yes, your sauce is the best !!!
Yay, so glad you all enjoyed it, and thank you for the great review!
I love this recipe, my husband and I make it pretty often but omit the chicken for a meatless option during the week. We are actually about to have our first baby and would love to stockpile a serving or two in our freezer. Would you recommend freezing it and/or have any tips to do so and reheat?
Hi Kathleen, I haven’t tried freezing this so I can’t speak to that.
This recipe was delicious, easy and allowed for easy substitutions!
Hi Ann, thanks for your good feedback. Appreciate it!
It was the first time I’ve tried to make a true Chicken stir fry. It was amazing!!
Hi Tim, nice one! Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review.
I am not sure if I missed it but, are the cashews raw or roasted? Looking forward to trying this as I really like your other Asian dishes.
Hi Tony, either will work fine in this recipe, but toasted will always taste better.
My favorite stir fry recipe. I have made it for friends and family and is always a hit!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Rhonda!
OR…………..I USE CHICKEN TENDERS AND FROZEN CHINESE OR ITALIAN VEGGIES………….AT THE END I DRIZZLE ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING FOR THAT SLIGHT TARTNESS
Thank you so much for sharing that suggestion with us, Bill!
Was looking for new inspirations, in cuisine, and as we are back in full lock-down, wanted to use what I had on-hand.
This recipe is a top addition to my dinner table. It has after just one sitting, become my basis for future stir fries.
Thanks for sharing.
Hello John, so happy to know that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your review!
I really love this recipe, but I have been looking on YouTube for the video, because I like to watch video of how food is prepared, but I couldn’t find it, but this was an amazing recipe.
Loved it
Hi Benorita, good to hear that you love this recipe. However, I don’t have a video for this yet, I only have the written recipe. Thanks for the suggestion!
This turned out delicious. Replaced the cashews with peanuts and soy sauce with coconut aminos. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I use chicken breasts and throw in whatever is fresh in the garden, beans, yellow squash, etc. This is HANDS-DOWN better than take-out. THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for your awesome feedback and review, Tina!