How to Make Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Stir-fried chicken with vegetables is a tasty and healthy dish that can be prepared quickly. You can make this dish in small portions for one person or in larger portions for the whole family. Additionally, you can always adjust the seasonings to suit any taste. Below is a simple recipe for stir-fried chicken with vegetables, along with some tips to make the dish even better.

0.5 kg skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips,1 tablespoon peanut oil,2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced,1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced,1 medium onion, diced,2 cups sliced carrots,1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips,2 cups green beans,Around 400g young corn,2 cups broccoli florets,2 teaspoons cornstarch,1 cup chicken broth,1/4 cup soy sauce

Heat the oil. Heat the peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When you see the oil start to bubble, it's ready.

Add garlic and ginger. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for about a minute.

Stir-fry the chicken. Arrange the chicken in a thin layer in the pan and wait until it turns golden brown. Do not stir the chicken too often while cooking. Only turn it once to ensure both sides are evenly cooked.

• The chicken is cooked when both sides are golden brown and the inside is white.
• Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.

Stir-fry the vegetables. If necessary, add 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter to the pan. Add the diced onion, carrots, and bell peppers to the pan and stir for about two minutes. Then, continue adding the green beans, corn, and broccoli.

• Use a wooden spoon to stir constantly until the vegetables are tender.

Prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, and chicken broth. Stir well to ensure the cornstarch is fully dissolved and not lumpy.

• An alternative option is to add a teaspoon of flavoring such as sake, rice wine, or a store-bought sauce.

Add the chicken to the pan. Once the chicken is in the pan, pour the sauce over it. Stir to mix the vegetables with the chicken and make sure all ingredients are evenly coated with the sauce. Lower the heat to medium and continue stirring until the sauce thickens slightly.

Prepare rice or noodles. Cook the rice, boil the noodles, or prepare any side dish that you typically serve with stir-fries. You can either add the cooked rice or noodles directly into the pan to stir-fry with the chicken, or serve the stir-fry on top of the side dish.

Garnish the stir-fry. Garnish the stir-fry with optional ingredients such as nuts (e.g., cashews), a few slices of scallops, microgreens, or freshly chopped herbs – all of which are great choices.

Preparing the chicken. To serve 4 portions, you will need approximately 0.5kg of skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs. Traditional stir-fry recipes focus more on vegetables than meat, but you can choose based on your preference.

• Start by washing the chicken with cold water, then dry it with a paper towel and place it on a clean cutting board.
• Remove any excess fat, then slice the chicken into pieces about 0.5cm thick.
• For extra flavor, marinate the chicken before cooking. Combine 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to make the marinade. Pour this marinade over the chicken and mix well. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least 5 minutes to one hour before cooking.

Selecting the right cookware. A deep cast-iron skillet is the ideal tool for stir-frying. You can use a regular frying pan, but it won't offer the same surface area for handling food as a deep skillet would. Additionally, when preparing a large quantity of stir-fried items, food is likely to spill from a shallow pan.

• Avoid non-stick pans. These often do not perform well at high heat and can be hazardous. The non-stick coating can’t withstand the high temperatures needed for stir-frying, which requires intense heat.
• Use a slotted spatula or a flexible spatula for stirring the food.

Choosing vegetables. Almost any type of vegetable can be used in a stir-fry, making it easy to adjust based on your taste and what you have on hand. Some chefs recommend using 2-3 types of vegetables to keep the dish simple and visually appealing, reducing preparation time. However, others prefer to use whatever ingredients they like. Pick vegetables that you enjoy or that are available in your kitchen.

• When preparing vegetables, chop them into uniform pieces. This ensures even cooking.
• Different vegetables have different cooking times, so group them accordingly. Start by adding the longer-cooking vegetables to the pan first, and add the faster-cooking ones later. If you’re unsure about cooking times, here’s a general guideline:
  • Mushrooms: 5-10 minutes, depending on size and variety.
  • Cabbage, spinach, or leafy greens: 4-6 minutes.
  • Other vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and green beans: 3-5 minutes.
  • Bell peppers, peas, zucchini, and pumpkin: 2-3 minutes.
  • Sprouts: less than a minute.

Choosing sauces. You can enhance the flavor of your stir-fried chicken with various sauces. These sauces can be spicy, sweet, salty, or rich, making the dish more flavorful and appealing. You can buy pre-made sauces from the store or prepare them at home. Here are a few suggestions:

• Lemon sauce:
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
• Sour-sweet sauce:
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• Satay sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons peanut butter with chunks
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce (Tamari)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 small piece of ginger (2.5cm), peeled and minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
  • 1/2 orange, juiced

Choosing side dishes for your stir-fry. Stir-fried chicken with vegetables is often served with carbohydrate-rich dishes to make the meal more complete. These dishes can either be mixed with the stir-fry or served on the side. There are many options for side dishes to accompany stir-fried food:

• Brown rice, the healthiest choice.
• White rice, made from fragrant jasmine or basmati rice.
• Egg noodles or rice noodles.
• Spaghetti.
• Nothing at all! The stir-fry is flavorful enough on its own. This option works well if you want to limit your carbohydrate intake.

Choosing decorative ingredients. The final step before completing the dish is decoration. Garnishing adds color, flavor, and texture to the meal, making it visually appealing.

• Roasted cashews or sesame seeds, sliced scallops or chilies, fresh sprouts, or chopped fresh herbs such as onions, cilantro, or basil are excellent choices for garnishing.

• Be cautious when preparing this dish for individuals with allergies, as soy sauce and teriyaki sauce contain wheat/gluten, and nut-based or satay sauces may be harmful to those allergic to nuts.
• Handle boiling water carefully.

• Measuring cup
• Frying pan
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Colander
• Vegetable peeler
• Spoon
• Plate