Best Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

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Best Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry you’ll ever have! Perfectly seared chicken breast with a sweet and tangy sauce. The sauce has a splash of fresh orange and the orange zest brightens the flavor even more. An equally delicious combination of your favorite veggies, that gives crunch in every bite.

3 different types of stir-fry sauces for a quick and delicious dinner

When it comes to stir-frying chicken and vegetables, you can’t go wrong with making too much sauce. The sauce for stir-frying is very versatile. You can use it with different types of meat, and veggies, or even use it when you’re grilling or baking. I like using them for my fish and shrimp dishes too. 

Stir-frying is a great option for busy families because it is quick and easy to prepare and can be filled with a variety of delicious ingredients. It’s a fast cooking technique that can be used to cook a variety of veggies and proteins in a short amount of time. Additionally, stir fry can be made with a variety of flavorful sauces and seasonings, so you can customize the flavor to suit everyone’s taste. 

1. SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE GINGER SAUCE:

You need to combine these ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (3 tablespoons if using light soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (you can also use vegetarian oyster sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (1 teaspoon if minced)
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or coconut palm sugar or omit the sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (or 1 teaspoon tapioca flour)

2. SPICY KOREAN STIR FRY SAUCE: 

• 2 tablespoons Gochujang Korean chili paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup apple sauce (or grated pear)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

3. EVERY DAY STIR FRY SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

NOTE:

Store the sauces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. Make sure to stir the sauce before adding it to your dish. Each sauce is one serving per dish. Assuming you’re making a pound of meat or fish and about 2-3 cups of mixed vegetables. Adjust the measurements of the ingredients to your taste. 

Here’s the Chicken and Pepper Stir Fry recipe that my family also loves to have for dinner. 

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

THE SAUCE:

• Orange – Zest one orange, then use a citrus squeezer and juice the orange. You’ll need about 1/4 a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.
• Soy sauce – I used low-sodium soy sauce. If you use regular soy sauce then you’ll use less. 
• Oyster sauce – Another option is to use a vegetarian oyster sauce. 
• Rice vinegar – Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar are great options too. 
• Honey and Brown Sugar – Add sweetness to the sauce and balances the flavor.
• Garlic and Ginger – Perfect combination of aromatics for your sauce. Use a Microplane or a box grater and use the side with small holes. Grate about 1/2 teaspoon of ginger or 1 teaspoon minced. And grate 1 clove of garlic.
• Cornstarch and water – Cornstarch is a thickening agent and the water helps dilute it. Also helps thin the sauce a little bit. 

STIR FRY:

• Chicken breast – Cut the chicken into inch cubes or bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Onion – I used one yellow onion and chop it.
• Garlic – Finely mince the garlic
• Bell pepper – I have leftover bell pepper from last time, so I decided to combine 1/2 red and 1/2 green bell pepper. Cut it into medium diced about an inch size also.
• Carrot – Use medium size carrot, peel, and julienne cut. 
• Broccoli – Buy one crown of broccoli and cut it into florets or 2 cups of broccoli florets
• Sesame oil – Add nutty flavor and a nice finish to the dish.
• Red chili pepper flakes – This is optional, you can use regular ground pepper. 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• PROTEIN: You can choose between pork, beef, fish, or shrimp, and if you want it vegetarian you can add fried tofu. 
• VEGETABLES: Zucchini, mushrooms, snow peas, bok choy, or any green veggies. Honestly, you can stir-fry any colorful veggies you like. 
• SAUCE: If you think orange is not going to work for you, don’t add it. Add chicken broth instead or eliminate it. You can also substitute the sauce from the 3 different types of sauces for stir fry that I mentioned above.  

how to make the best chicken and veggie stir fry

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Best Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

Jen Paleracio

Delicious and quick dinner during a busy weeknight. Perfectly seared chicken with a sweet and tangy sauce. Stir-fried with fresh veggies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese, Filipino, Japanese

Servings 6

Equipment

• Wok or wide pan
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• knife
• Chopping board
• Spatula

Ingredients

  

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 medium size orange, juice and zest
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons if using regular soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce or use a vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

FOR THE STIR FRY

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled, julienne or thin strips
• 2 cup broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• option: sesame seeds

Instructions

 

MAKE THE SAUCE:

• In a measuring cup, use a Microplane and zest one orange. In the same cup, squeeze the juice of the same orange. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and water. Stir until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set it aside.

COOK THE CHICKEN:

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Then, use tongs to coat well. Heat a wok with oil. Add the chicken, and cook them in batches (see NOTE #1).
• Drain excess liquid (see NOTE #2), add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan, and continue searing the rest of the chicken for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Set them aside.

FINISH STIR FRYING:

• Use the same pan and add more oil if it starts drying. Add onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is tender and the garlic is aromatic about 2 minutes.
• Add bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, and water (see NOTE #3), and stir to combine. Cook until the broccoli turns bright green and tender but not overcooked.
• Pour the sauce over the veggies, and stir to combine. Add the cooked chicken, sesame oil, and red chili pepper flakes, stir, and simmer for a minute or until the sauce thickened. Serve warm with steamed rice.

Video

Notes

NOTE #1 – Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing your meat. Overcrowding the pan brings the temperature of the oil down and you will not get nice seared meat. 

NOTE #2 – It is best to season the meat before cooking, but the salt draws out moisture and the chicken releases a lot of liquid while cooking. In order to get a nice brown color while searing is to drain the liquid and add oil. Then continue cooking the chicken on both sides until golden brown. This particularly happens when cooking chicken breast without any coating (like flour or cornstarch). 

NOTE #3 – Commercial kitchen has an industrial stove that spits fire flames like dragons! Home kitchens normally don’t have an industrial stove. When the flame is super high, it’s able to cook everything at the same time, but at home, we have to cook with what we got. The best way to get nice crunchy veggies while stir-frying at home is to add a bit of water or oil to prevent them from sticking at the bottom of the pan. This technique will also steam the veggies and give them a nice texture.

 

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Keyword bell pepper, broccoli, brown sugar, chicken, cornstarch, easy stir fry, garlic, onion, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, stir fry veggies

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equipment

WOK

MEASURING CUP

RICE COOKER

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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.

I’m a mom and a wife, and just like you, cooking is something I love to do! Let’s make something delicious but let’s not make ourselves run around like a chicken without a head. The recipes I share are inspired by my grandma’s cooking. She also thought me how to save time and money, and eat better with fresh ingredients. I grew up in a household where home-cooked meals are part of our day-to-day life. Cooking is not a chore but a way of living and connecting with each other. I created these recipes to help everyday cooking simple and flavorful…

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