A stir-fry is a beginner's superpower. High heat, fast cooking, one pan — and the result looks far more impressive than the effort involved. This chicken stir-fry uses a 3-ingredient sauce that you'll memorise after making it once, and it works with almost any vegetables you have.
Prep
10 min
Cook
10 min
Total
20 min
Serves
2
Level
Easy
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (about 400g), sliced into thin strips
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1 courgette, sliced into half-moons (or broccoli florets)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking)
- Salt and black pepper
- Cooked rice or noodles, to serve
The Sauce (mix these together first):
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (or extra vegetable oil)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil until the honey dissolves. Set aside — you'll need this at the end.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken strips dry with kitchen paper (dry chicken browns, wet chicken steams). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Get the pan smoking hot. Place a wok or large frying pan over the highest heat your cooker has. Add the vegetable oil. Wait until the oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke — about 60 seconds. This high heat is what gives stir-fries their characteristic flavour.
- Cook the chicken. Add the chicken strips in a single layer. Leave them untouched for 2 full minutes — this gives them a golden sear. Then stir and toss for another 2 minutes until cooked through (no pink inside). Remove chicken to a clean plate.
- Stir-fry the vegetables. In the same pan (don't wash it — the browned bits add flavour), add the onion and pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and courgette and cook for 2 more minutes. The veg should be tender but still have a little crunch.
- Combine and sauce. Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Pour the sauce over everything. Toss and stir vigorously for 60 seconds — the sauce will thicken slightly and coat everything in a glossy glaze.
- Serve immediately. Spoon over steamed rice or noodles. Serve at once — stir-fry waits for nobody.
Vegetable Swap Guide
The beauty of stir-fry is flexibility. Use whatever vegetables need using up:
- Quick-cooking (add last): baby spinach, spring onions, bean sprouts, mange tout
- Medium (add mid-cook): courgette, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, baby corn
- Slow (add first): broccoli florets, carrot strips, onion, pepper
How to Know Chicken Is Cooked
Cut the thickest strip in half — there should be no pink anywhere inside. Alternatively, the internal temperature should read 74°C (165°F) on a meat thermometer. Slicing chicken thinly (5–7mm strips) means it cooks fast and evenly without drying out.
Carbon Steel Wok (32cm) — Joyce Chen
A proper wok transforms stir-frying. Gets screaming hot, cooks fast, and gets better with use.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce (1 Litre)
The most versatile condiment in your kitchen. Use in stir-fries, marinades, and dipping sauces.