Chicken Stir Fry

This easy chicken stir fry has been a weeknight lifesaver more times than I can count. I first started making it when I was trying to increase protein at meals without spending hours in the kitchen, and it quickly became a new recipe in my regular dinner rotation. It’s one of those dinners that checks all the boxes: fast, healthy, and full of flavor. The savory garlic and ginger sauce makes it taste like takeout, but better (and more budget-friendly). I usually serve it over rice or noodles for a family-friendly weeknight dinner, and there are never any leftovers!

Featured Ingredients 

This isn’t the full list of ingredients, just a few notes about some of the key components of this best stir fry.

• Chicken breasts – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but chicken thighs also work. When shopping, I always look at poultry labels to find chicken that is free range and antibiotic-free. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, roughly 1-inch thick, to promote fast, even cooking. 
• Coconut aminos – This condiment has a similar savory taste to soy sauce but it’s slightly milder and sweeter, plus it contains 70 percent less sodium than traditional soy sauce and is gluten-free; can sub in half the amount of regular soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, shoyu, or tamari and mix with the same amount of water (for example, to replace ½ cup coconut aminos, mix ¼ cup soy sauce with ¼ cup water).
• Mixed veggies – I like to use fresh red bell peppers, snap peas or snow peas, and green onions. However, I’ve tested this chicken stir fry with various veggie combinations, including onions, mushrooms, zucchini, baby corn, broccoli florets, bok choy, green beans, and water chestnuts. Use the veggies you have on hand – they all make tasty add-ins.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – Add more for extra spice, or omit completely, if less heat is preferred.

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Garnish And Serve

I serve this chicken stir fry recipe over cooked jasmine white rice, Instant Pot brown rice, or cauliflower fried rice, topped with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a few drops of Sriracha. My kids prefer it over noodles or chow mein with chopped cashews on top.

I typically find this stir-fry more than filling enough to serve on its own. However, if I know my family is especially hungry, I add sides like spring rolls, egg rolls, or a simple salad with this tasty fresh ginger sesame vinaigrette dressing.

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. I go the freezer storage route when I meal plan this recipe for a meal prep session. 

To reheat leftovers, I put the frozen stir fry in a skillet over medium heat or warm individual portions of the dish in a small bowl in the microwave. If I am reheating frozen leftovers, I’ll follow the same process, but just let the stir-fry thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

More Stir-Fry Favorites

The Best Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Our Healthy, One-Pan Orange Pork Stir-Fry

Egg Roll In A Bowl (Healthy and Easy)

Stir Fry Noodles with Chicken (Gluten Free Option and Veggie-Filled)

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Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Sweet, savory, and tangy, this chicken stir fry is an easy recipe with a quick cook time. It’s faster and more budget friendly than takeout. A family-favorite, it’s a naturally gluten-free chicken recipe that’s high in protein, easy to customize, and great for meal prep.

Prep: 10 minsCook: 20 minsTotal: 30 mins

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Servings: Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, divided
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips (I use 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper)
• 1 cup snap peas or snow peas
• 3 green onions, ends trimmed and sliced, white and green parts separated
• Optional for serving: cooked rice, sesame seeds

For the Stir-Fry Sauce: 

• ½ cup coconut aminos*
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon pure honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (may sub ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

1. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the sliced chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned on one side, 5-6 minutes, then stir and flip the chicken. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet. Then, add the peppers, peas, and white parts of green onion. Cook the vegetables until tender, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. While the veggies are cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, tomato paste, honey, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Set aside.
4. Once the vegetables are crisp-tender, return the chicken to the skillet and toss together. Pour the sauce over the top and mix well, making sure everything is coated, and bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened up slightly, about 2 minutes.
5. If desired, serve stir fry over rice and garnish with sliced green onion tops and sesame seeds. 
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Notes

*May sub soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu for the coconut aminos. If using one of those, use half the amount of coconut aminos plus an equal amount of water. For example, to replace ½ cup coconut aminos, use ¼ cup soy sauce + ¼ cup water. 

Add more red pepper flakes for a spicier taste, or omit them for less heat.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/4 of the stir-fry
• Calories: 345
• Fat: 16 g
• (Sat Fat: 2 g)
• Sodium: 779 mg
• Carbohydrate: 18 g
• (Fiber: 3 g
• Sugar: 15 g)
• Protein: 28 g
• Cholesterol: 65 mg

Dietary

Dairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-freeGrain-FreeNut-freePaleo

© The Real Food Dietitians

Recipe By: Jessica Beacom

Recipe Changelog

May 2025: We previously published a version of chicken stir fry that was made with orange juice, orange zest, broccoli, carrots, onion, and bell pepper. Download the previous version here.

The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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