Chinese
Chicken Stir-Fry
Sliced chicken breast is cooked to 165°F, then tossed with broccoli, bell pepper, and snap peas in a soy-ginger sauce. The whole skillet comes together on one burner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total
- 31 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Sliced chicken hits 165°F quickly if it is not piled in a cold pan.
- Vegetables cooked after the chicken stay crisp instead of stewing under the meat.
- Cornstarch and chicken broth make a thin glaze that coats everything in about a minute.
- Sesame oil at the end adds aroma without extra cook time.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry. Do not rinse the raw chicken. Season it with the kosher salt.
- 2
Stir the soy sauce, chicken broth, cornstarch, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes together.
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer until the thickest slice reaches 165°F and no pink remains, about 5 to 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- 4
Add the remaining oil. Stir-fry the broccoli, red bell pepper, and snap peas until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds.
- 6
Pour in the sauce and simmer until glossy, about 1 minute.
- 7
Return the chicken and toss until it is coated and still at least 165°F. Serve.
Pro tips
- If the chicken is crowded, cook it in two batches so it browns and hits 165°F instead of steaming.
- Have the sauce mixed before the pan is hot. Stir-fry moves too fast to measure mid-cook.
- Snap peas only need a couple of minutes. Add them a minute after the broccoli if they are very thin.
Easy substitutions
- Chicken breast
- Boneless chicken thighs, sliced, still cooked to 165°F
- Soy sauce
- Tamari
- Snap peas
- Sliced zucchini
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over medium heat until the chicken is hot, 165°F. Add a splash of water if the sauce is tight.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 308
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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