🥡 Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 carrots
- Soy sauce (pantry staple)
- 1 cup rice
- Fresh ginger & garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil (pantry staple)
Instructions
- Cook rice. Slice chicken thin; stir-fry in a hot oiled pan 4–5 min, remove.
- Stir-fry peppers, broccoli, and carrots 4 min; add garlic and ginger for 30 sec.
- Return chicken with soy sauce and a splash of water; toss and serve over rice.
Tips
- Get the pan hotter than feels sensible before anything goes in. A lukewarm pan stews the chicken in its own juices instead of searing it.
- Cook the chicken and the vegetables separately, then combine. Everything at once drops the temperature and the whole thing steams.
- Slice the chicken thin and against the grain. Thick chunks need longer than the vegetables can survive.
Substitutions
- Chicken breast
- Thighs are more forgiving and stay juicier. Pressed firm tofu or prawns both work — prawns need only 2 minutes.
- Soy sauce
- Tamari for gluten-free, or coconut aminos for soy-free (sweeter, so use a little less).
- The vegetables
- Almost anything firm: snap peas, green beans, bok choy, mushrooms, baby corn. Add softer ones later so everything finishes together.
- Rice
- Noodles, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb version.
Storage & reheating
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. The vegetables soften on reheating — use a hot pan rather than the microwave to keep some bite. Don't freeze; the vegetables turn watery.
Common questions
Why is my stir-fry watery?
Too much in the pan at once, or wet vegetables. Cook in batches, and dry the vegetables properly after washing.
Do I need a wok?
No. A large heavy skillet is fine — what matters is high heat and not overcrowding. A wok just makes tossing easier.
Can I prep this ahead?
Slice everything up to a day ahead and refrigerate in separate containers. The cooking is under 10 minutes, so the prep is the whole job.