Chinese Garlic Stir Fried Chicken (Print Page)

Wok-tossed chicken with garlic, fresh vegetables, and savory Chinese sauce. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into thin strips

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
04 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
05 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
07 - 1 small carrot, julienned
08 - 2 spring onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

→ Aromatics

09 - 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

→ Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar
15 - 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
16 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for slurry)

→ Cooking Oil

17 - 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken strips with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Toss to coat evenly and let rest for 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sugar. Dissolve the cornstarch in the chicken broth or water, then stir it into the sauce mixture. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Toss in the chopped garlic and minced ginger, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add the sliced bell pepper, julienned carrot, and spring onion pieces to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
06 - Return the chicken to the wok and pour in the prepared sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and vegetables.
07 - Garnish with extra spring onion if desired and serve immediately over steamed rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade with cornstarch and sesame oil creates that elusive silky texture you get from restaurant Chinese cooking, and it takes barely ten minutes to work its magic.
  • Everything cooks in one wok so cleanup is almost nothing, which matters deeply on a Tuesday night when you already regretted your life choices.
  • The sauce hits sweet, salty, and savory all at once without being heavy or cloying.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake is cooking everything at once in a crowded wok, which steams instead of fries and leaves you with soggy chicken and pale vegetables.
  • Have every single ingredient prepped and measured before you turn on the stove because once the wok is hot things move fast and there is no pausing to mince garlic.
  • If you are sensitive to gluten, tamari works in place of soy sauce and there are gluten free oyster sauce options available now.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel before adding the marinade because excess moisture prevents the cornstarch from forming that velvety coating properly.
  • Warm your serving plates in a low oven while you cook because a cold plate sucks the heat out of stir fry almost instantly and lukewarm garlic chicken is a sad thing.

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