This chicken and vegetable stir fry with snap peas and carrots is sautéed with ginger, lime, and soy sauce. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal, ready in one pan in 30 minutes or less.
Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
What’s better than throwing chicken and veggies into a wok and having dinner ready in minutes? This chicken and vegetable stir-fry is an excellent way to satisfy a takeout craving while keeping the meal light, homemade, and just as quick. The crunch of the sugar snap peas and carrots with the chicken is so good, and my daughter enjoys munching on the raw veggies while I’m cooking. Serve this easy stir-fry with a side of Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, low-carb Cauliflower Rice, or Spring Rolls.
Reasons to Love This Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry
There’s nothing quicker or easier on a weeknight than a homemade stir-fry. Recipes like my Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry, 10-Minute Soba Noodle Stir-Fry, and this popular Orange Chicken are all ready in 30 minutes or less.
- Clean out the fridge: I love making stir-fry recipes for dinner and usually use whatever vegetables I have on hand. It’s easy to make this stir-fry gluten-free, low-carb, Whole30, etc.
- Fresh and easy: This recipe combines juicy chicken, crunchy snap peas, and carrots with fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a squeeze of lime. It’s light, delicious, and so satisfying.
- One Pan: Cook all of the ingredients in the same wok or skillet, then combine them with the homemade stir-fry sauce and serve!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients needed for this chicken and vegetable stir-fry recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Chicken Breast: I slice skinless, boneless chicken breasts into thin pieces. To make it easier to cut thin slices, freeze the chicken for about one hour before slicing. It will thaw quickly once you slice it. Cut against the grain, as this makes the bites very tender to chew, especially when reheating.
- Salt seasons the chicken.
- Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point, like canola or avocado oil.
- Garlic infuses the stir-fry with its aromatic, complex flavor.
- Ginger: Peel the skin off the fresh ginger with a spoon, and grate a teaspoon of fresh ginger.
- Vegetables: I used sugar snap peas and carrots in this chicken stir-fry, but you can use whatever you have in your fridge. Snow peas are a good substitute for snap peas if needed.
- Scallions: Slice scallions and sprinkle over the stir-fry.
- Soy Sauce: When it comes to the soy sauce you use for the stir-fry sauce, you have options! I like the low-sodium kind; for gluten-free, choose tamari; and for Whole30, coconut aminos are great.
- Lime Juice gives the sauce a burst of bright citrus.
- Water helps combine and balance the other flavors in the sauce.
- Cornstarch or arrowroot thickens the stir-fry sauce.
How to Make Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Here’s a step-by-step on how to make this easy weeknight vegetable and chicken stir-fry. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Make the stir-fry sauce. Start by whisking together the soy sauce, lime juice, water, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken. Next, season the chicken with salt. Set the wok on high heat. When very hot, add half the oil, followed by the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides until cooked through, and then move it to a plate to set aside.
- Add garlic and ginger. Now, reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining oil, and sauté the garlic and ginger for 20 seconds.
- Stir-fry the vegetables. Toss in the carrots and sugar snap peas and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the sauce. Lastly, return the chicken to the wok. Pour in the stir-fry sauce, mix well, and cook for another minute. Top with scallions when serving.
Recipe Tips
- Get the pan nice and hot. When you are ready to cook your chicken (or whichever protein you’re using), make sure the wok is already very hot. This is essential for a good sear. Use a large skillet if you don’t have a wok.
- Slice thinly. When making an authentic Chinese stir-fry, one of the most important things is how you slice your chicken. The thinner the chicken, the more tender it becomes and the better it is for reheating.
- Cut evenly. Uniformly cut your vegetables to ensure they cook in the same amount of time.
- Have your ingredients ready. Before you start cooking, have all your ingredients prepped and cut. In French, they call this mise-en-place, or “everything in its place”. It’s super helpful in quick-cooking recipes like this stir-fry!
Variations
- Snap Peas: Substitute snow peas.
- Vegetables: Swap the veggies with bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, or broccoli. You can also add diced pineapple, like in this Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry.
- Protein: Replace chicken with shrimp, steak, or sliced pork chops.
- Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and add tofu to make a vegetarian Tofu Stir-Fry with Vegetables.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or cilantro.
What to Serve with This Stir-Fry
You can eat this quick chicken and vegetable stir-fry as-is, or add a noodle or grain to soak up the sauce for a more filling meal. Here are some ideas for what to serve with your stir-fry chicken.
Rice and Noodles
Stir-fries and rice or noodles (like udon, soba, or rice noodles) are the perfect takeout-inspired pairing. Try zoodles, Quinoa, or Cauliflower Fried Rice if you’d prefer a low-carb option.
Appetizers
Round out the meal with any of these Asian-inspired starters.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator: Leftover chicken and vegetable stir-fry will last in the refrigerator for 4 days. Store it in an airtight container.
- Reheat: This stir-fry can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or soy sauce to help loosen it up if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since stir-fries are cooked on high heat, you need an oil with a high smoke point. Refined coconut, avocado oil, or canola oil would all work. Avoid olive oil.
When cooking a stir-fry, add the sauce at the end. This way, everything is coated, and the sauce won’t overcook and become dry or sticky.
More Takeout-Style Recipes
Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Equipment
- large wok or skillet
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or GF tamari, or Coconut Aminos for W30
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot
For the Stir Fry:
- 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp canola or coconut oil
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally
- scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, lime juice, water and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together and set aside.
- Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat a large wok over high heat.
- When the wok is very hot, add half of the oil, then add the chicken. Stir fry, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the remaining oil to the wok; add the garlic and ginger, stir for 20 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and carrots, stirring over medium high heat until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the wok, add the soy sauce-lime mixture, mix well and cook another 30 seconds to one minute.
- Serve immediately and top with fresh scallions.
