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. 
Aloha,
I made this for dinner last night and the family enjoyed it! I have a very similar sauce (white sugar instead of honey and no cashews) so I used that and followed your instructions. I topped off the final dish with 4 Thai chilies so whoever wanted could take one. I normally incorporate the chilies into the dish but because I used red, orange and green bell peppers I didn’t want anyone (hubby!) to mistake it for the red bell peppers! I will definitely be checking out your other recipes. Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful day!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Gale!! Thank you for sharing that with u!
Delicious! Thank you!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Liliya!
you can buy the mixed vegies in a bag and the stir-fry sauce in a bottle at the store .
Great idea, Alan!
Wow!! So yummy!! Tastes better than the take away!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made this tonite for dinner it was so delicious, my husband just loved it . Your recipe was so easy to follow , you make everything seem so easy. Thank you
5 stars
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Had to make it again it was so good Followed recipe and again we all loved it. thanks Natasha.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Awesome recipe!! I substituted the vegetables with what I had on hand, string beans, pumpkin, scallions. I also skipped the cornstarch… it was delish… my husband’s comment was “this was just what I needed.”
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I dont usually leave comments but today i made this for dinner. The whole house loved it and i have a very picky family, from vegetarians to 3 year olds. Everyone ate happily!! Thank you so much for this. You’re awesome!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me!
My family LOVES this meal and is a staple for our mid week meals! I have my vegetarian sister visiting and wondering if I can substitute the chicken for Fried tofu squares? and use Veg. stock? With maybe white wine (as per another comment). Would that be ok?
Hi Mummy, I think that could work with tofu (although I have zero experience with tofu) – from how I’ve seen it being used, that should work. I think vegetable stock should work fine.
Hi Natasha! Is there something you would suggest substituting the honey for in the recipe? We have a 10 month old and I want to give him some of what we’re eating but they can’t have honey under 1 year. Thanks!
Hi Beth, because the sauce (including the honey), comes to a boil, according to this source, if there are any dangerous bacteria, boiling kills it off. You could also try brown sugar added to taste. Keep in mind honey is sweeter than brown sugar Tablespoon for Tablespoon.
This was so good. Wonderful flavour and very easy to prepare. Family loved this dish. Thank you Natasha.
Hi Paulette, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi, if I don’t have the chicken broth. what should I do?
Hi Boloroo, I haven’t tested that without chicken broth but you may try it with veggie broth. That will change the flavor profile however I hope that helps
This recipe was lovely. The taste was delicate. Next time I might try adding some chillies for that little extra spice and taste.
I’m so happy to hear you have enjoyed this recipe, Amanda! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Just got through making this. I changed just a few things for convenience. I used ground chicken and shiitake mushrooms cause that’s what I had. Then I added sesame oil and white wine vinegar to the sauce for a different flavor. My entire family loved it.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hey Natasha! I just love your blog and recipes, and the joy you have for what your are doing is infectious. You make cooking feel very “user friendly”!! It makes me feel that I can be a better cook and provide delicious tasting food for my family and friends.
Thank you!
For this recipes I notice it is very high in sodium. I guess that is from the Soy Sauce. Would using Low Sodium Soy Sauce bring down the sodium count a lot?
Have an incredible day and thank you for all you do and give!
Hi Robin! I hope you love this recipe! That may help it a bit! I look forward to your feedback.
I made this tonght. It was delicious! I didn’t have cashews.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
Making this for my family,for dinner tonight,looks great and guess will taste great,thankyou
We look forward to your feedback!
Awesome recipe! Best stir fry I’ve ever made. Everyone had second servings 😋
Wow! That’s so great! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Erica!
man this turned out good. I was a little skeptical because it just seemed…..so simple. I did add a tablespoon of rice wine and a tablespoon of sesame oil to the sauce. It was really delicious. my go to stir fry from here on out.
That’s so great! It sounds like you found a new favorite, Lonnie!
This recipe has become a staple in our dinner meal plans. Everyone loves it so much, it’s easy to make and it tasts fantastic! Even our picky eater in the house goes back for seconds with this dish!
I’m so happy you found a family favorite on our blog, Juston! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!