20-Minute Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

Healthy and delicious chicken vegetable stir-fry in less than 30 minutes! The simple and unique stir fry sauce makes this dish amazing.

Give me stir fry for dinner every night of my life, and I’ll be a happy girl.

In fact, stir fry (usually the thrown together, clean out the fridge kind) is our go-to dinner when the original menu plan hasn’t worked out, wasn’t planned (gasp!), or someone who shall not be named ate a key ingredient out of the fridge for the dinner that was supposed to be made.

I swear, I’m going to start labeling ingredients with a sharpie. RISK OF VERY BAD KARMA, POTENTIAL FOOD POISONING, AND A VERY GRUMPY WIFE/MOM IF YOU EAT THIS!

Not only is stir fry generally quite healthy, it’s also super quick to make, especially if you multi-task and cook the rice/quinoa/whatever goes underneath while the stir fry sizzles away. Plus, it’s just so colorful and pretty. I love everything about stir fry.

This particular chicken vegetable stir-fry is probably one of my very favorites.

I snagged the recipe from the executive chef, Vincent, at the Conestoga Ranch I stayed at this summer in Bear Lake. I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit surprised at the unique stir fry sauce, but trust me when I say, it works.

And works very, very well.

The flavor of this simple stir fry is so delicious, and because it takes less than 30 minutes to make, it’s a serious family favorite.

We often serve it over hot, cooked rice (white or brown because the Instant Pot makes rice so ridiculously easy) or quinoa (also easy in the Instant Pot; three minutes and you’re done).

Just like any stir fry, the vegetables and meat (or go meatless!) can be changed up to whatever your preference is…or perhaps whatever your fridge holds (assuming fridge bandits don’t live in your house like they do mine).

The main key is not to overcook the chicken in the first step. Your skillet should be piping hot so the chicken sizzles and cooks really quickly.

Same with the veggies, actually. I like a bit of crunch left to my vegetables – so they cook fairly quickly in this recipe, but you can cook them longer if you want them softer.

Just don’t let them get mushy. Ok? Cause that’s just gross.

Not only is this chicken vegetable stir-fry super tasty, it’s simple enough to come through for you big time on those crazy weeknights.

One Year Ago: Cheesy Bacon and Garlic Butter Smashed Red Potatoes
Two Years Ago: Cookie Dough and Funfetti Greek Yogurt Dips
Three Years Ago: Coconut Oil: What Is It {And How I Use It!}

20-Minute Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

4.87 stars (36 ratings)

Print Pin Rate Save Saved!

Ingredients

Chicken + Veggies:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed or cut into thin strips
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces (227 g) baby bella or white button mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
• 1 to 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into strips or bite-size pieces
• 1 medium yellow or red onion, halved and cut into thin half moon slices
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (see note)

Sauce:

• ½ cup BBQ sauce (see note)
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup chicken broth, veggie broth or water
• Hot cooked rice or quinoa, for serving

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Add it to the skillet in a single layer, and let it cook without stirring for 30 seconds so it browns nicely. Flip the chicken pieces, and stir until cooked through, 4-5 minutes (less if the chicken is in really thin strips or small cubes).
• Remove the chicken to a plate, keeping any excess oil or juices in the skillet.
• Add the mushrooms, peppers, onions, and broccoli to the hot skillet; add another teaspoon or so of oil if the skillet is dry. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes (longer if you like the vegetables softer).
• Add the chicken back into the skillet.
• Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken/veggies. Cook, stirring, until well coated, hot and bubbly. Serve over hot, cooked white or brown rice.

Notes

BBQ Sauce: here is my favorite homemade version. 

Ginger: for the ginger, my favorite tip is to cut large knobs of fresh ginger into 1-inch pieces, toss them in a freezer ziploc bag and pop them in the freezer. When you need fresh ginger for a recipe, take out a piece of ginger and grate it, frozen, on the small holes of a box grater or on a rasp grater. Works like a dream! Also, ginger paste, if you can find it, works great in this recipe, too.

Soy Sauce: I highly recommend low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe; regular soy sauce might make the overall dish too salty, especially with certain brands of BBQ sauce.

Sauce: if you want your sauce a little thicker, try stirring in a couple teaspoons of cornstarch before adding it to the stir fry.

Vegetables: also, it goes without saying that this recipe is easily adaptable to vegetables of your preference or what you have on hand.

Meat: you could also change up the chicken for beef, shrimp, or leave it meatless.

Author: Mel

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 949mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g

Recommended Products

12-Inch Nonstick Skillet

Wooden Spoon

Wire Whisk

Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe shared by the executive chef, Vincent, at Conestoga Ranch

Other Recipes Like This:

Chicken and Mango {Or Pineapple} Basil Stir Fry

Orange Beef and Veggie Stir Fry

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Brown Rice {Meat Optional}

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry {30-Minute Meal}