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. 
Could I use frozen vegetables for this stir fry??
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tested this with frozen veggies, but it may make the sauce a little looser. Some readers reported using part frozen and part fresh veggies for the stir fry with good results.
This was a huge hit with the family. Feeding a preteen and a teenage girl is often a real challenge. They loved this so much they were racing to get the last spoonful. I modified the sauce slightly, added a tsp of LA hot sauce and a tbsp of addl low sodium soy. Dinner is in the Bag!!
Thanks for the great feedback and review, Cassie. Glad this recipe was a hit!
First time leaving a recipe review! This was DELICIOUS, my fam really enjoyed it. And, “Thank You!” Natasha, I absolutely LUV how thorough you are in giving directions & helpful hints! 👏👏🧡
Aww! You’re welcome Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello! Quick question: Would you recommend using toasted sesame oil? And what are your thoughts on adding a bit of oyster sauce?
Hi John, either will work fine in this recipe, but toasted will always taste better.
Excellent, thank you!
You’re very welcome, Anita!
Absolutely love this recipe, I make it all the time. My son has an oral allergy to fresh fruits and veges, so I use frozen stir fry veges, which is just as good and cuts out the extra prep work. I add it at the same time as the sauce, which I double the sauce because I love it that much. I use chicken breast, low sodium soy sauce and replace chicken broth with water and better than bouillon. Over white rice and I’m a happy camper!
Hi Kristin, thank you for sharing that with us! Glad you loved this recipe.
Where can one take out this dish? What dish is this supposed to be? Is there a name for the dish that it’s supposed to be better than?
Hi Chris, this is an original recipe, but we mean that we enjoy it better than getting takeout.
Delicious! This is now a family favourite. Easy to make. I used chicken breast and coated in 1/4 cup corn starch before frying. The sauce is amazing. This is now my “go to” stir fry recipe.
Love it, Linda! I’m happy that your family loved this recipe, thank you for sharing.
We used mushrooms, broccoli, carrots and peas as the veggies, which was the only thing we changed about the recipe, and it was amazing that way too! Definitely something we’ll make again — especially perfect for a comfy, lazy day. 🙂
Yum! Now I’m craving this! Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Katharina.
We make this recipe often and serve with with rice or udon noodles. Its delish!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Ooh with (udon) noodles sounds like such a good idea!! Will definitely give that a try
Absolutely the best. My son and I love it so much. Thank you❤
Yay, fantastic! You are very welcome, I hope you and your family will love all the recipes that you will try.
What can I substitute cashews for? I have an allergy to cashews.
Hi Christine, you can omit them or substitute them for another favorite.
My husband is a chef and he always tells me the sauce isn’t thick enough so I add extra corn starch, I may just be winging the measurements though…don’t tell him 😆
Haha sounds good!
I made this last night and absolutely loved it. Easy and tasted great! I had most of the ingredients in my house! I dont know why i look at any other recipes as yours are the best! thank you
You’re welcome, Lesley!!
I did it yesterday.
The sauce is very blend.
Needs more spices and taste.
Can I substitute sugar/brown sugar for the honey? I don’t have any on hand. Looks delicious! Thank you.
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tried this, but You could try brown sugar added to taste. Keep in mind honey is sweeter than brown sugar Tablespoon for Tablespoon.
I am about to try out this recipe.
Question: I see that the pictures of the completed dish have sesame seeds.
At what point do you add these seeds? In the preparation instructions it doesn’t say.
Thanks.
Hi there, it’s in number 6 step in the recipe card. It says “Garnish with green onion and sesame seed before serving if desired.”
Love this. Changed it up a little. I velveted the chicken breast (put corn starch on it and let it sit for20 minutes). The only veggies I had were asparagus, red onion and chopped broccoli. Came out delish. Will make again. Oh we had it with fried rice
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My wife loves this recipe and she’s a pretty picky eater. I also love it! I’ve made it probably 10 times in the last 3 month. My only complaint/question is I can’t get the sauce to thicken at all. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Ben, great to hear that your wife loved this recipe. I would simmer it more to thicken the sauce, it should also thicken more as it gets cold.
Adding cornstarch to your sauce should help it thicken while it heats up! Adjust as you go or to your liking.
I have made this many times and it’s a huge hit and a great way to get everyone eating lots of vegetables and very happily.
I mix up the veggies but carrots and broccoli are good staples.
You can knock down the sodium by using low salt soy sauce.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us; I’m happy this recipe was a hit!