This chicken and vegetable stir fry is an easy 30-minute meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s loaded with fresh veggies and coated in a delicious stir fry sauce. Serve over rice or noodles for the ultimate take-out style dish!
A stir fry is one of my go-to weeknight dinners. Not only does everything cook together in just one skillet, but it’s super quick too. It’s an easy 30-minute meal that’s perfect to make when you want to clean out your fridge. My kind of meal. :)
This chicken vegetable stir fry is super easy and is actually pretty healthy! I love how you can easily make swaps and customize based on preference or what you have on hand. Just add in your favorite veggies and serve over rice or noodles. You could even skip the rice/noodles to keep it low carb and serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. So many ways to make this chicken stir fry recipe perfect for you!
How to make chicken stir fry
- VEGGIES. Cook the vegetables in an oiled skillet (or wok pan) until tender. You want them to be tender enough to eat, but still have a crunch (if you overcook them, they’ll be soggy). This usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Once cooked, transfer to a plate.
- CHICKEN. Add in the diced chicken and cook until the center is no longer pink (about 5 to 6 minutes). Make sure to flip the meat over about halfway through so that both sides get lightly golden.
- SAUCE. Add the cooked vegetables back into the pan with the chicken, then pour in the stir fry sauce. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens up. Then serve over rice and enjoy!
Cooking tips
- Dice evenly. Make sure to cut the chicken and vegetables into similar sized pieces so that they cook evenly in the skillet.
- Cook veggies first. If you’re adding in lots of vegetables (like I have above), I think it’s best to cook the veggies first. Then set them aside on a plate while the chicken cooks. This way the pan won’t be overcrowded and everything will cook evenly. Then once the chicken is done, you can toss the vegetables back in with the sauce.
- Don’t overcook. You want to cook the vegetables until they’re tender, but still have a crunch. If you cook them too long, they’ll become mushy when simmering in the sauce and won’t have a nice bite.
- Rice. If you’re making rice on the stove, make sure to cook it prior to cooking the chicken. It takes about 20 minutes to make, so you want it to be done around the same time as the stir fry is done. Alternatively, you can always use microwave rice for a quicker option.
Variations + modifications
- Veggies. I like to use a mix of carrots, bell peppers and broccoli, however feel free to add any extra veggies like mushrooms, onions, squash and snap peas. You can even use a bag of frozen chopped veggies to make it easier.
- Meat. Feel free to swap the chicken with beef or shrimp (the cooking time may vary depending what type of meat you use).
- Sauce. I love to use Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce. It has great flavor and tastes amazing mixed in with the chicken and veggies. You can also make your own homemade teriyaki sauce if preferred.
- Extras. Sometimes I’ll add in a handful of raw cashews for an added crunch or some diced pineapple for a hint of sweetness.
- Spicy. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes or a dash of sriracha into the sauce for a little heat.
- Serving. This dish tastes delicious served over white or brown rice, fried rice, noodles, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
More dinner recipes you’ll love:
- Teriyaki chicken bowls
- Slow cooker honey garlic chicken
- Veggie beef ramen
- PF Chang’s lettuce wraps
- Crockpot beef and broccoli
Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (more if needed)
- 1 cup carrots (chopped)
- 3 bell peppers (chopped, I used 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow)
- 1 head broccoli (chopped)
- 1 pound chicken (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1/3 cup Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce (more as needed)
Optional: Sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, snap peas or any extra veggies you want to throw in
For serving: Rice
Instructions
- If serving with rice, start cooking it prior to beginning the chicken since it will take the longest to cook.
- Place the olive oil in a large skillet or wok pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables to the pan and cook until tender (5-10 minutes). Place the veggies on a plate.
- Add more olive oil if needed. Then add the chicken to the pan, flipping once the bottom is lightly browned. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the center is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the vegetables and sauce into the pan. Let simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
Stir fry is such a great weeknight meal option! So quick and easy to put toghether!
This is indeed a wonder-filling dish that kids love to eat their fresh vegetables, or frozen vegetables with great flavor.
We made this same recipe for our family back in the Early 90s after a neighbor turned us on to Yoshida’s. We love it!
In Kansas it has gotten hard to find, however. It is liquid gold at our house. Fast, easy and healthy dinner after a hard day at work. ENJOY ! The Pitzer Family
Fast, easy, and heathy meals are the best! Thanks for stopping by Susan!
this looks delish and the pictures is fantastic!!
kisses
love your blog! thanks for stopping by mine last week… this meal looks so yummy and healthy. love your pictures and can’t wait to come back for more.
Hello Dear ,you just gave me a good idea for diner tonight, even though I do like chinese food I´m a bit picky too I don´t like everything about it,and living in a country like spain where they do love sea food I manage to have some but not everything!!!!!!!!!!Have a nice day.
That looks yummy, healthy and simple! A must try!
I absolutely LOVE Mr. Yoshida’s! We buy it at Sam’s Club. My grandma is Japanese and I know an authentic recipe for teriyaki sauce, but when I’m feeling lazy and craving some Americanized asian food, I use Mr. Yoshida’s. It’s quick and too easy!
OH I bet that teriyaki sauce is good! My dad served a mission in Japan and always talks about the food there. But yes I’m pretty lazy when it comes to sauces. If I have one that already tastes good.. why not use that one?! lol
It’s odd, I love stir fry and it’s very easy to make, but I never make it. In fact i made it about a week ago for the first time in years. Kikkoman makes a really good stir fry sauce too.
Thanks for posting!
haha I know that was the same with me. The first 2 years I was married I NEVER made it! Now I make it about once a month. YUMMY!
That looks so good! I have never seen that sauce before, wonder where I can find it here in AZ…..
Here is a chinese recipe I made at home that you might like too… http://onecraftyme.blogspot.com/2011/04/friday-fix-homemade-takeout.html
ohh that looks yummy! I’ve found the sauce at Fry’s, Wallmart and Costco! It’s good stuff!
Yum!