Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
- PREP 10min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 30min
My family loves this simple ginger chicken stir fry with veggies. I use chicken thighs, but chicken breast, tofu, pork, or simply replacing the chicken with more vegetables are all options. The key to the best stir fry is to cook the heartiest ingredients first—like the chicken or broccoli, then add less hearty and more delicate ingredients towards the end of cooking. This way, none of the vegetables overcook. Use a nice wide skillet or wok for this recipe. The bigger, the better.
You Will Need
Chicken Stir Fry
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon avocado oil, peanut oil, or canola oil
2 cups broccoli florets (1 medium bunch)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, core removed and thinly sliced
1 ½ cups snow peas (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (1-inch piece)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges for serving
Stir Fry Sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup water or chicken broth
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
Directions
You can make the stir fry sauce up to one week in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. Whisk honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, water, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to whisk as it heats up and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. When thick and shiny, remove from the heat and stir in Sriracha hot sauce.
Heat a large, wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl it in the pan until the bottom is well coated. Scatter the chicken pieces in one layer. Cook, without moving, until starting to brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until cooked through about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, then place the skillet back on the burner. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns bright green, about 2 minutes.
Throw in the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to sweat, about 2 minutes.
Add the snow peas, ginger, and garlic, then cook, tossing frequently until the ginger and garlic are fragrant and the snow peas turn a brighter green, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the cooked chicken. When all of the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is reheated, take the skillet off the heat and stir in the stir-fry sauce. As you stir, use tongs or a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to lift any bits stuck to the pan and mix them into the sauce.
Finish by tossing with fresh basil leaves and the juice of one lime. Serve with extra lime wedges.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Chicken breasts: If you substitute chicken breasts in this recipe, slice them against the grain into 1/4-inch slices before cooking them so that they are super tender.
- Buying fish sauce: We always keep a bottle of fish sauce in our kitchen. It’s truly a magical ingredient. You can use it here and in other Asian-inspired dishes, and it is also excellent for adding to soups, stews, and pasta sauces. We have Red Boat in our kitchen. It has a clean flavor and no water or sugar added. If you cannot find it, go for a mid to high-priced fish sauce sold in a glass bottle instead of in plastic, and look for a light amber or reddish color rather than a very dark color.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.