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. 
Oh my gosh! This recipe is to die for! It’s so delicious. My boyfriend loves it so much, as do I and I’m a picky eater. I usually use this recipe and by the end of the week find all of my veggies that are almost expired. I chop up what I got and usually use 2 plus pounds of chicken, meaning I double the sauce ratio. It seems a bit healthy so I also serve it with white rice.
I’ve cooked up this recipe a few times now and it’s a topped many recipes!!!
Hi Michelle! That’s wonderful. I’m so glad it was enjoyed. Thank you.
We made this tonight, and oh my goodness, it was so good!! The only modification we made was to double the corn starch as recommended by several other reviewers. Delicious!!
Hi Tracie! I’m glad you loved the recipe, thank you for the feedback.
Chicken stir fry has been a staple in my house for eva & this by far is the best stir fry recipe I’ve tried yet, I make it a least once every two weeks!! Thanks Natasha ‼️❤️
I’m so glad you love it! Thank you.
Have tried various other chicken stir fry recipes and this one is the best!!!
Aaaw, thank you so much!
Great, delicious meal! Used what I had in fridge: zucchini, bell peppers, bok choy, carrots, mushrooms, and canned corn.
Always have red onion and ginger on hand.
Took another reviewer’s suggestion to coat the chicken in the corn starch prior to cooking. It did make a difference in the thickness of the sauce. Actually used more corn starch than suggested, just eye balled it. Also used sesame oil throughout the stages of cooking. Had it with white rice. My teenage daughter loved it!
Thank you, will be using this recipe over and over again…!
Hi Renee, thanks so much for sharing your experience trying this recipe. We’re glad that you were able to use the ingredients that you have on hand and liked the result!
Delicious recipe! However – my sauce didn’t thicken, how long do we need to simmer for it to thicken? And what heat tempature?
Hi Gigi, 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.
Thanks Natasha!! And in terms of heat, do you have it on a low heat until it thickens?
Yes, you could turn it up a bit also, but keep a very close eye on it.
I made this recipe and added button mushrooms whole and 2 table spoons of apple cider vinegar for the sweet and sour
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I hope you loved it!
I threw together a version of this recipe and then looked up yours to see how it compared. I cooked it almost exactly like you did. I used a bag of frozen chicken tenderloins and a bag of frozen stir fry veggies, and it came out really well. Next time, I’m going to try adding the garlic and ginger that you suggested. I gave you five stars because all of your recipes are DELICIOUS, and I know this one will be too!
Thank you. Deanna! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes.
I thought this was good! I followed the recipe exactly, except added more corn starch (2 tablespoons instead of 1), I added my vegetables in increments of hardness ie celery first, zucchini last, and used peanuts instead of cashews. I also added a bit of chili flake to the sauce, as we like it hot. I asked my husband if he thought it was bland, and he shrugged and added a bit more soy sauce. All in all, I’ll make it again.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Lois!
All your recipes are amazing and this one was no exception! I made this chicken stir fry tonight and both my husband and I loved it! We’re both very glad to have some left over for tomorrow night or maybe for lunch.
Thanks for all your delicious recipes
You’re very welcome, Luisa! Leftovers are the BEST! 🙂
Recipe looks delicious. Going to try it. We are a large family. Would it be okay just to double everything?
Hi Bernadette, yes, this recipe doubles well!
Quick and easy, added some red pepper flakes and subbed sesame oil for the regular oil. Family was mad about the lack of leftovers.
Yum! That sounds great, Alex! Thank you for the review.
I made this according to the recipe but I used frozen stir fry veggies. I thawed them out first but did use the mushrooms fresh. We found it a tad bland. Next time I’m matching soy to broth ratio and not add water.
Hi Dave, if using frozen veggies, it will release more liquid to the stir fry which can make it seem bland.
Great recipe! Made this again and again!! I do like sesame oil also.. Everyone like it! And I give you the credit.. yum 😋
That’s so great, Helen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Quick, simple and yummy! A great go-to recipe for weekday dinners! Love your practical, easy to make recipes that taste so yummy 😋
Thank you, Michelle! So glad you enjoy my recipes.
Hi Natasha!
I was wondering when you do a Stir-Fry recipe can you please make a Pork Stir-Fry recipe please?! I know I can easily find one on the web but want to know your way of doing it! Pork Stir-Fry if you had uncooked pork chops in the fridge wanted to use & make it stretch like dice in bite size pieces & veg. Etc.. Hope you create this pork stir-fry recipe soon & please!? Love your recipes!! Hope you & your family have a wonderful week!
Hi Angela, thank you so much for that suggestion! You can also try substituting chicken for pork in this recipe, I haven’t tested that myself, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
So yummy! For veggies I used broccoli, snow peas, carrots, water chestnuts & baby corn!! I added less honey and no cashews. I can’t wait for your cook book💖
Thank you so much for your great comments and feedback. I cannot wait to finish and share the cookbook too!
This was really good! I’ve made other stir fry’s and this was a great different taste compared to the others. I’ll definitely be making again.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Aly!
Yet another keeper. My whole family loved it! There is a lot of sauce which I don’t always like in my stir fry so I was skeptical, but it really works in this recipe. Thank you!
That is great! Thank you for sharing Stefanie, and thank you for the excellent review.
Your recipes are so easy and Delicious. Do you have a Cook Book?
Thank you for your good comments, Ann. I don’t have a cookbook yet but I am already working on it. Stay tuned!
We loved it! Changed nothing first time. May throw in additional veggies to change it up from time to time but it was fabulous exactly as written. Thanks Natasha 😁
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jan!
The sauce is delicious and really makes the dish! I only had chicken breasts and I added veggies from the fridge that I needed to use up…celery, sugar snap peas and water chestnuts. Very easy, versatile and so good! Thanks!
Versatile recipes are the best! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Cindy!
Yum! So easy and sooo yummy! I never have success with stir fry but this one I did! 🙂
That’s great to hear! I hope you’ll love all the other recipes that you will try.