My family loves this ginger chicken stir fry recipe, which is loaded with vegetables and uses our easy homemade stir fry sauce. The ginger, garlic, and basil make it so flavorful!
I love stir fries, especially when I’m short on time. We’ve found ourselves returning to this ginger chicken stir lately. The sauce is simple and made from scratch with honey, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Then, the stir fry brings together juicy chicken and lots of veggies for texture and color.
This stir fry can be on the table in about 30 minutes, and if you want to, you can make the sauce well in advance so that it’s out of the way (it lasts in the fridge for a week). I’ve even doubled the recipe and stored it for another stir fry later in the week. If you love this stir fry, look at our chicken and broccoli stir fry, which has an authentic Chinese stir fry sauce.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this stir fry recipe, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, or if you have chicken breasts, slice them against the grain into 1/4-inch slices.
- Veggies: Use what you love, but when I make this recipe, I reach for broccoli, onion, bell pepper, and snow peas. The combination is hearty, flavorful, and colorful. Take note of the recipe directions, where I give the heartier veggies (like broccoli) a head start before adding the other vegetables to the skillet/wok.
- Ginger and Garlic: I love fresh ginger and garlic, and use a tablespoon of each in this stir fry. If you don’t want to buy fresh ginger, look for the fresh ginger paste (sold in squeeze bottles).
- Basil: One of my favorite Thai restaurants sells a stir-fried dish with lots of fresh basil and I love it, so I add fresh basil here. Use Italian basil or Thai basil. Mint is also an option.
- Stir Fry Sauce: This homemade sauce is really easy and so flavorful. I combine honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, water (or broth), and cornstarch. The cornstarch thickens the sauce a bit, so it sticks to the chicken and vegetables in the stir fry. I also love this more traditional brown stir fry sauce.
How to Make Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
This chicken stir fry is quick and simple. First, cook the chicken, then transfer it to a plate when it’s pretty much cooked through. Then, toss your broccoli into the pan. Since broccoli is heartier than the other veggies, I like giving it a head start so that by the time everything else is ready, it’s bright green and crisp-tender.
After tossing the remaining veggies, I stir the garlic and ginger. Adding these later like this guarantees they stay super fragrant and don’t burn. Finally, you’ll add the chicken and sauce, then reheat everything.
If you have some on hand, toss in some fresh herbs and lime juice. I love basil, but mint is great, too. Then serve! It’s great with plain rice, homemade coconut rice, or this cilantro lime rice.
Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
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PREP
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COOK
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TOTAL
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.
Makes 4 servings
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
1You 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.
2Heat 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.
3Reduce 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.
4Throw in the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to sweat, about 2 minutes.
5Add 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.
6Stir 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.
7Finish 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 1/4 cups
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Calories
308
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Protein
37 g
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Carbohydrate
16 g
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Dietary Fiber
3 g
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Total Sugars
9 g
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Total Fat
10 g
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Saturated Fat
2 g
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Cholesterol
142 mg
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