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This quick and easy 15-minute chicken stir-fry is one of those weeknight dinners that never lets you down. Tender chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and a simple savory sauce come together fast. It’s flexible, forgiving, and perfect for using whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Whether you’re cooking for a busy family or just need something fast and reliable, this stir-fry is a favorite.
Creating This Quick Dinner Recipe
I used to think I had quick dinner recipes down, but with three kids needing to be in three different places by 4:30 PM, I’ve had to up my game. On one of those crazy days, Cade called from the store asking if I needed anything, and I quickly told him I needed a super-fast dinner idea before the girls had dance. He came home with Yakisoba noodles and a variety of stir-fry veggies.
He chopped up the broccolini and peppers while I opened bags of matchstick carrots, pre-sliced mushrooms, and baby bok choy. In just two minutes, we were ready to cook. You could even grab a pre-packaged stir-fry veggie mix to save even more time.
To top it off, we mixed together a simple sauce and grabbed a package of pre-cubed chicken from the meat department. It costs a bit more, but on a night like that, convenience was key.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this quick and easy dinner recipe, you’ll need:
- Cooking Oil: High-heat oil (like canola or peanut oil) for quickly searing the chicken and vegetables without burning.
- Chicken Breasts: A lean protein that cooks quickly and soaks up all the delicious stir-fry flavors.
- Salt and Pepper: Basic seasoning that enhances the natural flavor of the chicken.
- Broccolini Florets: Adds crunch, color, and a mild bitterness that balances the savory sauce.
- Matchstick Carrots: Bring natural sweetness and texture while cooking quickly in the pan.
- Red Bell Peppers: Add bright color, subtle sweetness, and crisp-tender bite.
- Cremini Mushrooms: Contribute savory, umami flavor and soak up the sauce.
- Baby Bok Choy: Adds freshness and light crunch, with tender leaves that wilt perfectly.
- Yakisoba Noodles: Hearty, chewy noodles that make the stir-fry filling and cook in minutes.
We opted to make a quick homemade stir-fry sauce as well, which uses:
- Soy Sauce: The salty, umami base of the sauce that flavors the entire dish.
- Vegetable Broth (or Chicken Broth): Adds depth and keeps the sauce from being too salty.
- Honey or Brown Sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance the salt and spice.
- Ground Ginger: Warm, slightly spicy flavor that brightens the sauce.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh, aromatic, and a must for any stir-fry.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it clings beautifully to the noodles and chicken.
Variations
In the spirit of super-easy recipes, feel free to adjust the sauce and chicken stir-fry ingredients as needed. We constantly change up our stir-fry vegetables depending on what’s in the fridge — you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do when the kids need to be out the door soon!
Some other options could be baby corn, green beans, water chestnuts, snap peas, asparagus, etc. You can also dial up the heat by adding a squeeze of sriracha to the sauce.
How to Make Chicken Stir-Fry Fast
This easy stir-fry recipe is the definition of a quick and easy recipe.
- Heat: Warm a large skillet, cast iron pan, or wok over medium-high heat with a little oil.
- Cook: Add bite-sized chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté: Add a bit more oil to the pan and toss in your vegetables. Sauté until they’re crisp-tender.
- Prep: While the veggies cook, run your noodles under hot water to separate them.
- Whisk: In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the homemade stir-fry sauce.
- Combine: Return the cooked chicken to the pan, then add the noodles and stir-fry sauce.
- Toss: Stir everything together until evenly coated in sauce and heated through.
- Garnish: Finish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds, or enjoy it as-is!
Chicken Stir-Fry FAQs
If you can’t find yakisoba noodles at your grocery store, don’t worry! Any thin noodle will do. Angel hair or spaghetti works well in this chicken stir-fry. While not traditional, they cook quickly, which is what matters here! You could also use ramen noodles, rice noodles, or even swap in white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a tasty twist on this easy dinner.
Not all soy sauce brands are created equal, and some can be overwhelmingly salty. For the best balance of flavor, I recommend using a low-sodium soy sauce. If you’re especially sensitive to salt, consider using a salt-free broth or bouillon base! You can always add more salt later if needed! And if you’re avoiding gluten, swap in gluten-free noodles and use coconut aminos instead of your traditional soy sauce!
Use a cast-iron pan so that the juices and food can caramelize at the bottom of the pan for the best flavor. If you haven’t bought one yet, do so now, this pan is our FAVORITE! A wok would also be a great option if you have one.
Okay, the truth is, this dish actually took us less than 15 minutes because we didn’t even have to chop the chicken, but in case you do, 15 minutes from the start of cook time to finish!
Of course! The great thing about quick dinners like this easy stir-fry recipe is that you can tailor them to suit whatever ingredients you have in your fridge. You’re welcome to use any protein you want, like chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts or skip the chicken altogether and instead use ground meat (any kind), steak, pulled chicken, and more. And if you’re vegetarian, you can add cubed tofu to this simple dinner idea.
That’s a great idea! If you have pre-cooked chicken breasts you need to use up, throw them into this easy stir-fry. You’ll want to cube the chicken and add it into the stir-fry at the very end, just to heat it through.
Tips for Making Chicken Stir-Fry
- We used broccolini in this easy stir-fry recipe, but you can also use broccoli florets. Again, whatever you have in your fridge will work!
- There’s one more thing I’ll note about the veggies, though. I say ditch the boring button mushrooms and buy some sliced cremini mushrooms instead. Cremini are a little more meaty in flavor, and I find they’re not as rubbery as button mushrooms once they’re cooked.
- I also recommend whisking together the stir-fry sauce before adding it to the veggie mixture, otherwise, the sauce ingredients might not all dissolve (i.e., you’ll wind up with bits of partially dissolved cornstarch or brown sugar in the stir-fry).
- If you want to add a little heat to your stir fry, add a dash or two of red pepper flakes, or you can add sriracha sauce.
Storing and Reheating Chicken Stir-Fry
If you wind up with leftovers of this quick dinner idea, they should be stored in the fridge. They will keep for up to 4-5 days.
I recommend reheating it in a skillet with a little oil and a splash of stock or water. Avoid the microwave for leftovers, as the stir-fry noodles become rubbery when reheated that way.
This is the best chicken stir fry if you want a quick and easy meal that the whole family will love. It is loaded with fresh vegetables, chunks of juicy chicken, and noodles all tossed in simple stir-fry sauce.
More Asian Recipes:
- Asian Steak Marinade
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Korean Asian Braised Short Ribs
- Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Thai Peanut Steak Salad
- Quick and Easy Cashew Chicken
- Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles with Chicken
Watch How to Make 15-Minute Chicken Stir Fry
Easy Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Oil, canola or peanut
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cubed in 1″ pieces
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 1 Bundle Broccolini Florets, stalks removed, or broccoli florets
- 1 Cup Matchstick Carrots
- 1 Cup Red Bell Peppers, chopped
- 1 Cup Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Baby Bok Choy, end removed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 Package Yakisoba Noodles, found in the produce department and are precooked
For the Sauce
- ½ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce, or Tamari
- ¼ Cup Vegetable or Chicken Stock, (We prefer to use Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base)
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced, about 1 clove
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 Green Onions, minced for garnish
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat. We prefer cast iron for the great flavor it lends to meals unlike nonstick which doesn't allow the juices to caramelize at the bottom of the pan.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of the oil and heat until shimmering.3 Tablespoons Oil
- Add the chicken and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.2 Chicken Breasts, Salt and Pepper
- Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the broccolini, carrots and peppers.3 Tablespoons Oil, 1 Bundle Broccolini Florets, 1 Cup Matchstick Carrots, 1 Cup Red Bell Peppers
- Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and bok choy and cook an additional 3 minutes.1 Cup Cremini Mushrooms, 2 Baby Bok Choy
- Meanwhile, run the precooked noodles through hot water to separate the noodles. Drain and set aside.1 Package Yakisoba Noodles
- Whisk together the soy sauce, stock, honey, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cornstarch.½ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce, ¼ Cup Vegetable or Chicken Stock, 1 Tablespoon Honey, 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger, 1 teaspoon Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- As soon as the veggies are tender, add the chicken and noodles to the pan and pour in the sauce, toss for a minute or two and serve hot with a garnish of green onions and sesame seeds.2 Green Onions, 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We made this tonight with rotisserie chicken, noodles, and a few extra veggies. It was such a good suggestion for a quick, healthy, and tasty meal! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Yay! Thank you so much Angela! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this tonight, and honestly, I want to eat it every day now! So flavorful!
Right?! It’s soooooo yummy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for taking time to leave a comment!
This took a lot longer to prep than 2 minutes. I think you should update that part of this recipe – very misleading
Hi Danielle! I bumped the prep time up to 5 minutes. It’s really only the cube the chicken. The rest of the chopping and prep can be done while the chicken is cooking. I hope this helps!
Really?!?!? You’re cooking dinner, not launching a spaceship!
Made this tonight with butternut squash but didn’t have feta or the herbs for the dressing. Still, was a nice combination of flavors. I added shitake mushrooms with the kale.rluy
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Love this recipe it was so simple!! I used my stand mixer and the recipe worked great I made this recipe for my daughters headstart class.rluy
I’m so glad!!! Yay!!
This has become a family favorite! Quick weeknight meal! Thank you!
Thank you so much Tracy! I’m so glad your family enjoys this as much as we do!
This may be a silly question…. do i make the bouillon as it says on the box.. and then just use 1/4 of that broth??? Also i accidently bought huge bok choy should i just chop it up or go back and get baby??
I would chop up the bok choy a little bit, but it should be fine. Yes, make the broth like it says on the package, but I would half or fourth it so you don’t have a bunch extra.
This recipe was great! The prep time was much longer than 2 minutes. All together, it took me about 45 minutes to complete this but it came out great. I added stir fry beef and some Cajun seasoning to the dish. Would definitely cook this again!
It was very awesome. Thank you very much
Thanks for the feedback, Joseph!
I personally found it waay too salty (with that amount of soy sauce). Also it would have been helpful to know the package weight for the noodles. Thanks for the recipe though!
Did you use low sodium soy sauce? That helps a ton! Or you can always decrease the soy sauce next time.