This quick and healthy chicken stir-fry is packed with vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers with a simple and delicious sauce that's garlic and ginger-forward. A perfect weeknight meal!
This healthy chicken stir-fry is a go-to on busy weeknights.
It's packed with veggies, protein and healthy carbs - a darn perfect meal!😄
Here's what you'll need to make this easy stir fry:
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Soy sauce (gluten-free)
- Cornstarch
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Fish sauce
- Canola oil
- Chicken breasts
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Bell Peppers
- Snow peas or "sugar snap peas"
- Sesame seeds, toasted
See recipe card for quantities and instructions.
How to make this chicken stir-fry:
- Mix broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, cornstarch, garlic and ginger in small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken in several batches; stir fry 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding additional oil if needed.
- Add vegetables to skillet; stir fry 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and stir constantly, bring to boil on medium heat and boil for about 3 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve with cooked brown rice or gluten-free noodles.
See recipe card for quantities and detailed instructions.
Is chicken stir fry good for you?
Yes! What makes a chicken stir fry such a healthy meal is what you put in the stir-fry (the ingredients) and the cooking method.
Ingredients: what to put in a stir fry
There are so many options with the types of vegetables (and fruit!) that you can put into a stir-fry.
Like soups, stir frys can be a great way to get in a load of vegetables, some healthy carbohydrates and protein.
It's likely endless but here are some of my favourite vegetables to put in stir-frys:
- Bell peppers
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Red onion
- Snow peas
- Zucchini
Low on fresh vegetables? No problem!
Frozen vegetables can fill in for fresh.
Even fruit can work in a stir-fry! Especially ones that hold their shape like mango chunks and pineapple cubes.
Check out this delicious sounding Mango Chicken Stir-Fry from Dinner at the Zoo.
You'll also need something to serve the stir fry on.
Here are my favourite healthy options for what to serve with your stir-fry:
- Rice - basmati or brown rice
- Rice noodles
- Quinoa
How to cook a stir-fry
Well, this may seem obvious but the term "stir-fry" actually doesn't involve any "frying", like deep frying.
Stir-frying actually involves the cooking of small pieces of fresh ingredients (like chicken, vegetables, garlic, ginger, etc) over high heat and moving things around fairly quickly.
Top Tips for cooking the chicken
When you're ready to cook the chicken for the stir-fry, make sure to:
- Cut the chicken pieces into bite-sized pieces
- Use a small small amount of oil
- Use a non-stick pan or wok if you have one
- Heat the oil over medium heat and work move the chicken around frequently (that's the "stirring" part of stir-frys😄
Can you freeze chicken stir-fry?
This recipe does freeze well for up to 3 months.
After cooking, divide into air tight containers and let cool.
Once cooled, pop into the freezer.
How to reheat this recipe:
When you're ready to eat, take the chicken stir fry out the night before and let thaw in the fridge.
Then re-heat it in the microwave to the desired temperature.
What to do with leftover chicken
Bought a ginormous flat of chicken breasts like I sometimes do?
You can always wrap it up and freeze some of it.
And check out these chicken-forward recipes to use it up:
- Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Meal Prep - good for lunches for the week
- Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast - my most popular recipe for cooking chicken in a skillet
- Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Chicken and Broccoli Bake - a weeknight winner
- One Pan Chicken Breast with Zucchini and Peaches - a summertime favourite
Hope you love this stir fry like we do.
If you try it and love it, please rate and comment below!
~April
This recipe was originally published on September 10, 2017. Updated copy, pictures and recipe and re-posted on March 23rd, 2022.
Healthy Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cloves Fresh garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon Fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon Canola oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 medium breasts; cut into small chunks
- 2 cus broccoli florets about 1 small head of broccoli
- 3 large carrots thinly sliced; about 2 cups
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into thin strips; about 2 cups
- 2 cups sugar snap peas cut in half
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, garlic and ginger in small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add about ½ cup of chicken to the pan and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Season with a little salt as you cook it. Remove from skillet.
- Repeat with remaining chicken, adding additional oil if needed.
- Add vegetables to skillet; stir fry 3-5 minutes then return chicken to skillet.
- Whisk up the soy sauce mixture in the bowl again. Add to skillet; stirring constantly, bring to boil on medium heat and boil for about 3-4 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve with cooked rice.
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