Many of you know that our son is a really great eater. We’ve never really had a problem getting him to try different foods. He loves veggies and in some cases, some of his favorite dishes that I make are packed with them! So, this recipe for Chicken Stir Fry is one of his absolute favorites. Let’s get started with how to make it!
Special Ingredients and Equipment Needed:
Kitchen Equipment Needed for Chicken Stir Fry:
For this delicious chicken stir fry, these are the kitchen essentials that I use:
- Sharp knife
- Large saute pan or cast iron wok (woks are always preferred for stir fries!)
- Garlic press
I think a sharp knife or knife set is absolutely crucial to this recipe. Stir fries consist of a ton of veggies. A sharp knife gives you more precision and allows you to chop your veggies faster! Plus, it’s safer. In terms of the pan you use, you’ll need something BIG. Believe me when I say that this is a big recipe. I typically use my large Cuisinart stainless steel saute pan linked above. That being said, a wok is 100% preferred for a stir fry over your standard pots and pans. If you want more info, this article from Cooks Illustrated makes some really great points about the advantages of using a wok. Lastly, I always tend to recommend my favorite OXO garlic press. It seriously comes in handy every single day.
Special Ingredients Needed for Chicken Stir Fry:
The following are some of the more “uncommon” ingredients that you’ll need, but may not already have on hand.
The first ingredient you’ll need are the water chestnuts. These are a staple in a lot of Asian dishes. They provide a lot of crunch in the dish. Surprisingly, they’re also high in nutrients too. The next ingredient you’ll need is ponzu sauce. You may not have heard of it, but it’s similar to soy sauce with a few key differences. I like it because it has more of a brighter, citrus flavor. Also, it’s a bit sweeter. The base for ponzu sauce is soy sauce though, so if you can’t find it, soy sauce is a suitable replacement. Lastly, I use fish sauce in my stir fry. Fish sauce, while it can be intimidating to use, adds what I feel to be more authenticity to the dish. There are many Asian dishes that call for fish sauce because of the rich flavor it adds. I definitely recommend trying it.
Pictures of Chicken Stir Fry:
While I wasn’t able to take a ton of pictures, the ones I did take show a few different things.
As you can see, the pan gets VERY full after adding all of the vegetables. I definitely recommend a large wok or a very deep sauté pan as I noted above. One thing I absolutely love about stir fries is how bright and vibrant they are. There are SO many veggies. You can also easily see just how much flavor is incorporated into this dish, especially if you take a look at the chicken. This is a meal I’m 100% proud to serve to my family!
Chicken Stir Fry
Equipment
- Wok or very deep saute pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken, cubed into bite sized pieces
- salt and pepper to taste Go easy on the salt as the ponzu and fish sauce both are salty.
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 4 carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed
- 1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained well
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 onion, sliced into strips
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp ponzu sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp flour (optional)
- crushed red peppers (optional)
- sliced green onions, to top
- cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large, deep saute pan or wok. I recommend the saute pan be at least 5 qts. While oil heats, season cubed chicken with salt, pepper, ground ginger, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and chili powder. Toss to coat chicken all over.
- Add seasoned chicken to the olive oil when the oil is hot enough to sizzle. Brown on all sides, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, snap peas, and water chestnuts to the pan. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add remaining veggies as well as minced garlic and ginger. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While veggies are sautéing, whisk together sesame oil, ponzu sauce, fish sauce and crushed red peppers (if using) in a medium sized bowl. (If you wish to have a thicker sauce, add 1 tbsp cold water and 2 tbsp flour to the bowl.) Whisk until well combined and then pour into the chicken and veggie mixture.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer chicken and veggie mixture for an additional 4-5 minutes or until all veggies are tender-crisp and sauce has reached your desired thickness.
- Serve vegetable mixture on top of a bed of rice with green onion on top.
This recipe is for sure one of our family favorites because of how flavorful and nutrient dense it is. It’s typically the meal I make for our toddler’s birthday each year because it’s one I know he digs into.
I hope you guys like this chicken stir fry as much as we do! If you have any feedback, I would love to hear it in the comments. If you try this recipe and want to see more, make sure you also follow me for weekly updates where I post yummy recipes every Friday to my recipes page. You can also feel free to check out any of the recipes below. Thanks everyone!
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats
Meatball Gyro Meal
Creamy Chorizo Cauli-Rice Casserole
