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This Spicy Chicken Stir Fry is healthier than your typical takeout that your whole family will love. Made with chunks of chicken, broccoli, cashews, and a savory and spicy sauce.
You may also love my Kung Pao Shrimp or my Kung Pao Chicken recipe. Try them next.
My kids love Asian food and try to get me to order takeout but I am always on a mission to make these popular fast-food take outs at home instead! This one was a winner though! They absolutely loved this spicy chicken stir-fry recipe.
First, you will need to cook the onions and broccoli in the pan along with the other veggies then set aside for later. Then cook the chicken in the same pan until they are browned and cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, you will prepare the sauce. Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly add the veggies back into the pan and mix. Pour the sauce that your prepared and mix. Finally, top with the cashews and fresh onions!
I love serving this chicken stir fry with plain basmati rice. I love the flavor of basmati but most often I use brown rice or quinoa with this stir-fry recipe.
Ingredients you will need
- Oil: You vegetable or olive oil, divided use
- Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 🥦 Broccoli florets
- Red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces, you may also use green
- 🧅 Yellow onion, finely chopped
- 🫚 Fresh ginger
- Soy sauce
- 🍯 honey
- Chili garlic sauce, or more to taste (available in the Asian food aisle)
- Cornstarch
- Sliced green onions
- Toasted cashews or almonds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: cooked brown rice for serving
How to make spicy chicken stir fry
- Cook the onion 🧅: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
- Toss in broccoli 🥦: Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the peppers and cook: toss in the bell pepper and ginger and cook for 2 minutes more, or until the peppers are just softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
- Cook the chicken: Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Add the vegetables back to the pan.
- Make the sauce: While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, honey, and chili garlic sauce. In another small bowl, add the cornstarch along with 2 teaspoons of cold water, and whisk to combine.
- Add sauce into the pan: Add the cornstarch mixture to the soy sauce mixture and stir until thoroughly combined Pour the sauce into the pan with the chicken and vegetables and turn up the heat to high.
- Cook the rest off: Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 30 seconds or until just thickened. Sprinkle the cashews and green onions over the top and serve, with brown rice if desired.
Common Questions
Yes. You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast to make chicken stir fry. Keep in mind that the calories will vary.
You can store your leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.
First, you need to choose your protein: beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Then the other common ingredients used in making stir fries are ginger, garlic, soy sauce, green onions, veggies, and shallots or green onions.
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Chicken recipes you may also like
- Chicken Fajitas
- Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
- Mediterranean Chicken Skillet
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Asian Chopped Chicken Salad
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Spicy Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil, divided use
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups of broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, or more to taste (available in the Asian food aisle)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- 1/3 cup toasted cashews or almonds
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: cooked brown rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
- Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and ginger and cook for 2 minutes more, or until peppers are just softened.
- Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
- Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Add the vegetables back to the pan.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.
- In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, honey, and chili garlic sauce. In another small bowl, add the cornstarch along with 2 teaspoons of cold water, whisk to combine.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the soy sauce mixture and stir until thoroughly combined
- Pour the sauce into the pan with the chicken and vegetables and turn up the heat to high. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 30 seconds or until just thickened.
- Sprinkle the cashews and green onions over the top and serve, with brown rice if desired.
Video
Notes
- You may use boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I do prefer chicken breasts because they are much leaner and the quality of protein is better in my opinion.
- Add in more veggies like zucchini. Be creative.
- You do not have to make it spicy.
- Serve with rice, quinoa, or just veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Spot On ,I did spice it up a bit with chili pepper oil but over all great recipe .
It looks fantastic. I plan to cook it next week. Thank you for sharing this healthy and tasty recipe.
Thank you
Holy crap. This is an amazing amazing amazing spicy stir fry. It’s absolutely delicious. Also, being on WW, it’s not even a lot of points! The only thing that gives this recipe point value is the oil and the cashews (which could be left off if need be.)
Thank you so much’
Love the great feedback. Thank you, Joseph.
Have made this recipe twice – once with chicken; once with shrimp. Both were amazing. I did make 1.5 times the sauce & cornstarch mixtures the second time, as I added in zucchini and like a little more sauce than I had the first time I made it. Definitely a “keeper” – and I think this is as good as takeout!!
So glad you liked it.
This is an excellent stir-fry! We increased the amount of chicken, veggies, and sauce so we would have lots of leftovers. I’m so glad we did! The spiciness is just the right amount, the sauce flavorful, and the toasted cashews added the perfect touch. We served ours over Trader Joe’s organic brown rice. Thank you!
Hi Kathy. Glad you liked it!
Looks really different and delicious. I have made this but i think i couldn’t do it properly. I hope next time it will taste better.