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Chinese Chicken Stir Fry

Chinese chicken stir fry with tender chicken strips and vibrant vegetables coated in a glossy soy-ginger sauce. Cooked hot in a smoking wok for bright, crisp-tender veggies and a thick, shiny finish over fluffy white rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Thinly sliced.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch For coating the chicken.
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 white pepper To taste.
Stir-fry base
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil For high-heat cooking.
  • 3 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 1 red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 green bell pepper Sliced.
  • 2 cup broccoli florets Cut into bite-size pieces.
  • 1 carrot Julienned.
Stir fry sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch For thickening the sauce.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
To serve
  • 1 sesame seeds Sprinkle over the finished stir fry.
  • 1 green onions Sliced, for topping.
  • 1 white rice Serve under the stir fry.

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Toss the thinly sliced chicken with cornstarch, salt, and white pepper until evenly coated, with no dry spots left on the strips.
Make the stir-fry sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and chicken broth until the cornstarch fully dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
Cook the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking.
  2. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden and cooked through; remove to a plate when done.
Stir-fry the vegetables
  1. Stir-fry the bell peppers, broccoli, and carrot for 3-4 minutes over high heat until bright and just tender-crisp.
  2. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, keeping the pan hot so the aromatics are fragrant.
Thicken and finish
  1. Pour in the sauce and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened and glossy, with a visible dark coating on the vegetables.
  2. Return the chicken to the pan and toss until the strips are coated in the sauce and everything is evenly combined.
Serve
  1. Serve the stir fry over white rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions, letting the sauce glisten over the hot grains.

Notes

For best texture, slice chicken thinly so it cooks through in the first 4-5 minutes without drying out. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet or wok until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because the vegetables can soften. If you want a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar to 2 tsp without changing the cornstarch or liquids.