Easy Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
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This easy Chinese chicken stir fry combines chicken breast with snow peas and either water chestnuts or carrots in a hoisin-based sauce. The chicken is cut into small pieces for quick cooking, and the vegetables add crunch.
I like a sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce and oyster sauce. You can choose that combination or one of the other sauce options in the card notes, depending on whether you want a sweeter, saltier or spicier finish.
Chinese Chicken Stir Fry at a Glance
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: About 10 minutes
Total: About 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Main ingredients: Chicken, snow peas, hoisin sauce and water chestnuts or carrots
Method: Stir-fry
Chinese Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients
The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breast: Cut into even bite-size pieces. Similar sizes help the chicken cook at the same rate.
- Snow peas: Trim the ends and remove tough strings.
- Water chestnuts or carrots: Slice water chestnuts or cut carrots into thin matchsticks. Thick carrot chunks won’t cook as quickly.
- Cornstarch: Toss with the chicken before cooking for a light covering.
- Hoisin sauce: This is the simplest sauce choice. The notes give three alternatives using hoisin with oyster, soy or chili sauce.
- Cashews: These are optional. Leave them out if you want a nut-free dish and check all sauce labels for allergens.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick cooking: Small pieces of chicken and thinly cut vegetables cook quickly.
- Choice of sauces: Use hoisin on its own or one of three combinations.
- Crunchy vegetables: Snow peas and water chestnuts contrast with the chicken.
- Easy to adapt: Swap the vegetables while allowing for different cooking times.
How to Make Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Prepare: Cut the chicken and vegetables, then measure one sauce option.
- Cook the chicken: Toss with cornstarch and salt, then stir-fry in hot oil.
- Add vegetables: Stir-fry briefly before adding the sauce.
- Finish: Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and serve promptly.
Equipment
- Large skillet: A wok also works; use enough space to avoid crowding.
- Chef’s knife: Cut the chicken and vegetables evenly.
- Cutting board: Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.
- Mixing bowl: Toss the chicken with cornstarch.
- Measuring cups and spoons: Measure one sauce combination.
Tips for the Best Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
- Have everything ready: Stir-frying moves quickly once the pan is hot.
- Don’t crowd the pan: Cook chicken in batches if necessary so it fries instead of steaming.
- Match the heat to the pan: Heat the oil until shimmering. Don’t heat a nonstick pan until smoking.
- Check the chicken: Use a food thermometer in a large piece; it should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Add sauce near the end: Sweet hoisin can catch on a very hot pan. Add a little water if it starts sticking.
Substitutions and Variations
- Different vegetables: Try thinly sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli or bamboo shoots. Add firmer vegetables earlier.
- Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thigh meat can replace breast; check that it’s fully cooked.
- Lower-sugar sauce: A soy-based sauce with sesame oil and a little five-spice has a different flavor from hoisin. Check the label rather than assuming any sauce is keto.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free hoisin and suitable alternatives for soy and oyster sauce.
- Dairy-free: No dairy ingredients are needed; check the packaged sauces.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with rice or noodles, or try a cold soba noodle salad as a separate side. If you want more chicken dinner ideas, browse my chicken recipes.
How to Store Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate promptly, covered; eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. The vegetables may lose some crunch.
- Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet or microwave to 165°F (74°C), adding a little water if needed.
Chinese Chicken Stir Fry FAQs
No. Choose one combination. Each option makes about 4 tablespoons of sauce; combining all four would make the dish much too heavily sauced.
You can, but the chicken will have a different surface texture and the sauce may be a little thinner.
A crowded pan or wet vegetables can release too much moisture. Dry the ingredients and cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
Yes. Use the plain hoisin option and check the ingredient label if you need to avoid shellfish.
Easy Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast (450g, cut into even bite-size pieces)
- 4 ounces snow peas (115g, trimmed and de-stringed)
- 2 ounces water chestnuts or carrots (60g; slice the water chestnuts or cut carrots into fine matchsticks)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce (or choose one alternative in the notes; don’t combine all the options)
- 16 cashews
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon white sugar (or to taste)
Method
- Toss the chicken in the cornstarch and salt.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high to high heat until shimmering. If using nonstick cookware, follow its heat guidance and don’t heat it until smoking.
- Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, separating the pieces. Work in batches if the pan is crowded.
- Add the snow peas and water chestnuts or fine carrot matchsticks. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the hoisin sauce or ONE alternative sauce mixture from the notes. Add the cashews, extra soy sauce or sugar if using.
- Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the largest chicken pieces reach 165°F (74°C) and the vegetables are cooked to your liking. Add a small splash of water if the sauce sticks before the chicken is done.
- Serve with rice or noodles, if liked.
Notes
More Recipes to Try
- Nasi goreng is another idea for an Asian-inspired dinner.
With one sauce mixed and the vegetables cut, this chicken stir-fry is straightforward to cook. Serve it as soon as the chicken is done so the vegetables still have some crunch.
