Simple and Quick Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Name: Simple and Quick Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the Chicken & Marinade:; 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 teaspoon sesame oil (or any oil); For the Stir Fry Sauce:; 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth; 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp ground); 2 cloves garlic, minced; For the Vegetable Stir Fry:; 2 tablespoons high-heat oil (like avocado or vegetable), divided; 4 cups of your favorite mixed vegetables (broccoli florets, bell pepper strips, snap peas, sliced carrots); 1 small onion, sliced; Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

[email protected]Posted on February 8, 2026

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I published this recipe for a Simple and Quick Chicken Stir Fry a few years ago after a particularly frantic Tuesday night. I had spent all afternoon testing a complicated layer cake, and when dinner time rolled around, I was completely spent. My fridge was a collection of random veggies and a lonely chicken breast. I needed something fast, healthy, and satisfying—a perfect set-and-forget dinner for another night, but for now, I needed speed.

I needed something fast, healthy, and satisfying. Something that wouldn’t dirty every bowl in my kitchen. That night, this stir fry was born. It became my go-to “I have no plan” dinner. It’s the savory, quick-fix counterpart to my sweet baking projects.

My secret for this recipe isn’t a fancy ingredient. It’s a simple technique I borrowed from my baking: mise en place. It’s just a fancy way of saying “get everything ready before you start.” In baking, you measure your flour and sugar first. For a stir fry, you chop all your veggies and mix your sauce before the wok even gets hot. It makes the cooking process feel like magic.

Recipe Overview

Cuisine: Asian Food
Category: Healthy Dinner
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Why This Recipe is So Special

What makes this stir fry special is the sauce. It’s not a bottled sauce. It’s a simple, balanced blend you whisk together in one minute.

It has the perfect mix of salty, sweet, and tangy. It coats every piece of chicken and vegetable in a glossy, flavorful hug. This homemade stir fry sauce is the heart of the dish.

It’s also incredibly flexible. Don’t have broccoli? Use green beans. No chicken? Try shrimp or tofu. This recipe is a framework for a fantastic, healthy dinner you can make your own, much like the adaptable nature of a good slow cooker jambalaya.

The Full Ingredient List

Here’s everything you’ll need. I promise, most of it is probably already in your pantry. That’s the beauty of wok recipes like this one.

For the Chicken & Marinade:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil (or any oil)
For the Stir Fry Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp ground)
2 cloves garlic, minced
For the Vegetable Stir Fry:
2 tablespoons high-heat oil (like avocado or vegetable), divided
4 cups of your favorite mixed vegetables (broccoli florets, bell pepper strips, snap peas, sliced carrots)
1 small onion, sliced
Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

My Step-by-Step Method

This is where our “mise en place” pays off. If everything is prepped, the cooking is a fast, fun, and sizzling experience. Have your serving plate ready!

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1 tsp oil. Let it sit while you prep everything else. This little marinade makes the chicken super tender.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together all the ingredients for the stir fry sauce. Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set this sauce aside.
Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, add the marinated chicken in a single layer.
Let the chicken cook without moving it for 1-2 minutes to get a good sear. Then stir and cook until it’s no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes total. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot wok. Toss in all your prepared vegetables and the onion. Stir-fry them for 3-4 minutes. You want them to be crisp-tender and bright in color.
Give the sauce you set aside another quick whisk (the cornstarch can settle). Push the veggies to the sides of the wok, creating a well in the center.
Pour the sauce into the center. It will immediately start to bubble and thicken. Let it cook for about 30 seconds until it looks glossy.
Add the cooked chicken back into the wok. Toss everything together until the chicken and vegetables are beautifully coated in the thickened sauce. This should only take another minute.
Take the wok off the heat immediately. Serve your stir fry over rice or noodles, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if you like.

My Top Tips for Success

Cut Everything Evenly: Try to cut your chicken and vegetables into similar-sized pieces. This helps everything cook at the same rate so nothing is over or undercooked.
High Heat is Key: A stir fry cooks fast. You need that high heat to sear the meat and keep the veggies crisp. Don’t be afraid of the sizzle!
Don’t Crowd the Pan: If you add too much at once, the pan temperature drops. You end up steaming the food instead of frying it. Cook in batches if your pan is small.
Prep Your Rice First: Since the stir fry cooks so fast, make sure your rice or noodles are ready to go before you start cooking the chicken.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve made these mistakes so you don’t have to. Learning from them is how we grow our kitchen skills!

Adding the Sauce Too Early: If you add the sauce with the raw vegetables, they will steam and get soggy. Cook the veggies first, then add the sauce at the very end to coat everything.

Using a Bottled Sauce Straight from the Fridge: A cold sauce will cool down your super-hot wok instantly. If you do use a pre-made sauce, let it come to room temperature first.

Stirring Constantly: It’s called a stir fry, but you don’t need to stir non-stop. Let the chicken sit for a minute to get a nice sear. Let the sauce bubble in the center to thicken properly.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: ~280
Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 28g
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Sodium: ~900mg (will be lower if using low-sodium soy sauce)
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 8g

*This is an estimate for one serving (about 1.5 cups of stir fry), without rice. Values can change based on your specific ingredients.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I make this stir fry ahead of time?

You can prep all the components ahead! Chop the veggies and chicken, and mix the sauce. Store them separately in the fridge for up to a day. When you’re ready, the cooking will take just 10 minutes.

What’s the best substitute for cornstarch?

If you need a cornstarch substitute, you can use an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. They will thicken the sauce in a similar way. All-purpose flour can work, but you’ll need to use a bit more and cook it longer.

My sauce didn’t thicken. What happened?

This usually means the cornstarch wasn’t fully dissolved in the cold liquid before hitting the heat, or the wok wasn’t hot enough. Next time, whisk your sauce vigorously. Also, make sure you let the sauce bubble in the center of the hot wok for a full 30 seconds.