Sweet and spicy chicken stir fry is one of my favorite, easy weeknight meals. Sautéed chicken and veggies covered in a sweet, honey ginger soy sauce - delicious! Stir fry is one of the easiest meals and an incredibly tasty way to eat tons of vegetables. This simple recipe is ready in 30 minutes and uses only one pan. Pair your stir fry with cauliflower, brown or white jasmine rice (or mix regular and cauli rice)! Don't forget to pack up your leftovers for a tasty make ahead lunch.
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If you're in the mood for Asian-inspired cuisine and you've got some extra chicken to use up, be sure to check out this cozy chicken and sweetcorn soup or chicken hot and sour soup!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil: or substitute sesame oil.
- Chicken breasts: thinly sliced!
- Veggies: red or green bell pepper, jalapenos, shredded carrot, sugar snap peas or snow peas & broccoli florets. Water chestnuts, baby corn or green beans are also tasty options. Feel free to get creative and use up the produce you've got on hand!
- Cubed pineapple: I like to buy fresh, cubed pineapple in the produce section. You can also buy a whole pineapple and cut it up yourself (canned will do the trick as well).
- Fresh cilantro: often referred to as coriander in Asian cooking.
- Homemade stir fry sauce: gluten free soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, fresh ginger paste, salt, pepper & corn starch.
- Rice: white, brown or cauliflower.
- Optional toppings: chopped peanuts, additional cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes.
How To Make Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
Keep scrolling for complete recipe and measurements. We'll start here with a quick rundown!
- Measure olive oil into a large skillet or wok and place on medium-high heat.
- While oil heats, cut your chicken breasts into strips and sprinkle with salt/pepper.
- Sauté chicken strips in oil, avoid overcrowding and cook in shifts if necessary. Once golden brown, remove from pan and set aside.
- Cut up veggies and place them in your wok/frying pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While veggies cook, roughly chop cilantro and whisk all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add cooked chicken, pineapple, chopped cilantro and stir fry sauce to the pan. Mix until well combined.
- Allow everything to simmer together for 5-10 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken.
- Serve with white rice (brown rice and cauliflower rice are also good options). Add desired toppings and enjoy!
Handy Tips
- Reduce your prep time by purchasing fresh, cubed pineapple in your produce section. Can't find fresh? Canned pineapple works great! I also like to buy a bag of broccoli florets that have already been chopped up. These great little shortcuts will save you time in the kitchen!
- Most grocery stores sell chicken breasts that have already been cut into thin slices. Consider purchasing pre-sliced chicken to save yourself even more time and get to relaxing sooner.
- If you're sauce isn't thickening up as much as you'd like, mix an additional teaspoon of corn starch with 1 & ½ tablespoons cold water and stir this mixture into your stir fry.
Storage
Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days maximum.
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More Asian Inspired Cuisine:
- Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls
- Salmon Poke Sushi Bowls
- Homemade Ham Fried Rice
- Matcha Green Tea Mug Cake
- Strawberry Mango Boba Smoothies
Sweet And Spicy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Sweet & spicy chicken stir fry is one of my favorite weeknight meals. Sautéed chicken and veggies covered in a sweet, honey ginger soy sauce - delicious! Stir fry is one of the easiest meals and an incredibly tasty way to eat lots of vegetables. Best of all, it's ready in 30 minutes!
Servings: 5
Calories: 368kcal
Ingredients
Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil *divided
- 2 medium size chicken breasts *cut into thin strips *around 1 & ½ lbs. chicken
- pinch of salt & black pepper
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 2 large jalapenos *see note below
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup sugar snap peas *or snow peas
- 1 cup broccoli florets *see note below
- 1 & ½ cups cubed pineapple *see note below
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Stir-Fry Sauce
- ⅓ cup gluten free soy sauce *see note below
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger paste *see note below
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Optional Toppings
- Additional chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, chopped green onions or chives, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds!
Other
- 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown or cauliflower). Sub rice or udon noodles if desired.
Recipe notes:
Jalapenos: if you want to make your stir fry less spicy, remove seeds and veins from your jalapenos (or you can remove them all together)! If you like spicy food you can add more peppers to turn the heat up! Broccoli florets: I recommend buying a bag of broccoli florets that have already been chopped up. These are typically available in the fresh produce section. Frozen will also work fine. Cubed pineapple: cutting up a whole pineapple is quite the task! To keep prep time minimal I purchase fresh, cubed pineapple in the produce section. Canned pineapple also works great! Gluten free soy sauce: if you're gluten intolerant, be sure to buy soy sauce that is clearly marked as gluten free (many brands are not)! Chopped ginger paste: ginger paste can usually be found in the produce section of your local grocery store. I normally find it beside the fresh herbs. It’s typically in a small tube or jar. Thickening sauce: if your sauce isn't thickening as much as you'd like, dissolve an additional teaspoon of cornstarch into 1 & ½ teaspoons of cold water. Stir this mixture into the stir fry and it should thicken up some more!Instructions
- Measure 1 tablespoon of oil into a large wok or frying pan on the stovetop and turn heat to medium-high. (*Tip: you'll need a 3-5 quart pan/wok to fit all ingredients).
- While oil heats, cut each chicken breast into thin strips (cut lengthwise, across the grain of the meat). Sprinkle strips with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté. Avoid overcrowding the pan and cook in shifts if necessary.
- Once chicken pieces are golden brown, remove from pan and set aside.
- Cut red bell pepper and jalapenos into slices. Measure all veggies into your wok/sauté pan and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While veggies cook, make your stir fry sauce: measure gluten free soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, ginger paste, salt, pepper and corn starch into a small mixing bowl. Whisk well.
- Roughly chop cilantro.
- Add cooked chicken, pineapple, chopped cilantro and stir fry sauce to the pan. Increase heat to medium high and mix all ingredients together until well combined. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken. *see recipe note on thickening sauce
Storage:
- Place leftovers in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for 3-4 days maximum.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/5th of recipe (all values are approximate and do not include rice). | Sugar: 27g | Fiber: 3.5g | Calories: 368kcal | Fat: 7.5g | Protein: 42g | Carbohydrates: 34g
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Leslie Watkins says
Love this! Can’t wait to try this!! Your photos are stunning!!🥰
stacey_olson says
Awwwe. Thank you so much Leslie!! xo