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Chinese Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

Chinese Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

This Chicken Stir Fry recipe is a throwback to some of the flavors we grew to love when we lived in Taiwan for 2 years! It’s definitely “Americanized” in the fact that you can buy all of these ingredients at any local grocery store, but it still reminds my husband and me of some of our favorite traditional dishes from Taiwan.

This “recipe” can be customized according to what vegetables your family likes (which unfortunately rules out mushrooms and onions at our house — both of which are amazing in this stir fry if you ask me!), and you can make more or less of the sauce, depending on your taste preferences. I love that this is such a healthy way to get a large amount of vegetables into one meal without even feeling like you’re eating healthily!

It does take some prep work — washing and chopping vegetables — but once you’ve done that, the recipe practically makes itself. And the leftovers are possibly even better the next day! By the way, if you want to save time, just substitute a couple of bags of frozen vegetables for all of the fresh vegetables in this recipe.

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Finished chicken stir fry in a black skillet beside a pot of cooked white rice, with chicken, broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, and water chestnuts coated in brown sauce.

Chinese Chicken Stir Fry Menu:

Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry
Steamed Rice

Ingredients for homemade chicken stir fry arranged on a table, including raw chicken breasts, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, green onions, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, corn starch, soy sauce, oil, water chestnuts, and rice.

Ingredients for Chicken Stir Fry with Veggies:

1-lb boneless chicken tenderloins or breasts, diced into small pieces (Aldi – $2.19/lb) — $2.19
4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
3/4 lb broccoli, chopped into bite-size florets (Aldi – $2.09/lb) — $1.57
Approximately 3 cups additional fresh vegetables, chopped (I used peppers and carrots) — $1
2 green onions, diced (Aldi – $0.99/bag) — $0.15
1 can water chestnuts (optional — I use because we love them!) (Publix) — $0.99

Ingredients for Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce (Aldi – $1.50 for 10oz) — $0.60
4 Tablespoons brown sugar (Aldi – $1.85 for 2 lbs) — $0.09
Garlic cloves, minced, to taste (I used 5, divided)
Fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced, to taste (I used 2 Tablespoons of fresh ginger, divided) — $0.50
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil (Walmart – $3.48 for 5 oz) — $0.34
2 Tablespoons cornstarch (Aldi – $2.09 for 16 oz) — $0.07

Total for Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry: $8.38 (serves 6)

Ingredients for Steamed Rice:

3 cups dry rice (Aldi – $6.75 for 5 lbs) — $1.69
Water
Salt

Total for Rice: $1.69 (serves 6)

Total Cost for Dinner: $10.07 (makes 6 servings)

Chicken stir fry cooking in a skillet with broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, water chestnuts, chicken, and green onions coated in brown sauce.

How to Make Chinese Chicken Stir Fry:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, adding only half of the minced garlic and finely diced ginger. Set aside.

Brown stir fry sauce being mixed with a metal whisk in a bright green bowl before being added to the chicken and vegetables.

2. Cook the 3 cups of rice according to the directions on the package (or using your prefered method to cook rice).

3. Heat a wok or electric skillet to medium-high. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Stir in the diced chicken and cook until done and starting to brown, stirring often (don’t overcook!). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Bite sized pieces of chicken cooking in a black skillet before the vegetables and sauce are added to the chicken stir fry.

4. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the chopped carrots and broccoli pieces. Cook and stir until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to cook and stir an additional 1-2 minutes.

Finished chicken stir fry in a black skillet, with pieces of chicken, broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, and water chestnuts coated in a savory brown sauce.

5. Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens.

Homemade chicken stir fry in a black skillet served alongside a pot of fluffy white rice, with colorful broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, chicken, and water chestnuts.

6. Serve the stir fry over rice.

Chicken stir fry with broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, chicken, and water chestnuts in a brown sauce, with a pot of cooked white rice ready for serving.

Note: You can garnish the stir fry with additional chopped green onions, sesame seeds and/or peanuts or cashews if desired.

Chinese Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables and Rice ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

This recipe is a throwback to some of the flavors we grew to love when we lived in Taiwan for 2 years! It’s definitely “Americanized” in the fact that you can buy all of these ingredients at any local grocery store, but it still reminds my husband and me of some of our favorite traditional dishes from Taiwan. I also love that this is such a healthy way to get a large amount of vegetables into one meal without even feeling like you’re eating healthily!

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Keyword chicken, easy dinner, family favorite, high protein, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 664kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $10.07

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry:

1- lb boneless chicken tenderloins or breasts diced into small pieces (Aldi – $2.19/lb) — $2.19
4 Tablespoons olive oil divided (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
3/4 lb broccoli chopped into bite-size florets (Aldi – $2.09/lb) — $1.57
3 cups additional fresh vegetables chopped (I used peppers and carrots) — $1
2 green onions diced (Aldi – $0.99/bag) — $0.15
1 can water chestnuts optional — I use because we love them! (Publix) — $0.99

Ingredients for Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce Aldi – $1.50 for 10oz — $0.60
4 Tablespoons brown sugar Aldi – $1.85 for 2 lbs — $0.09
5 cloves garlic cloves minced, to taste, and divided
2 Tbsp Fresh ginger peeled and finely diced, to taste, and divided— $0.50
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil Walmart – $3.48 for 5 oz — $0.34
2 Tablespoons cornstarch Aldi – $2.09 for 16 oz — $0.07

Ingredients for Steamed Rice:

3 cups dry rice Aldi – $6.75 for 5 lbs — $1.69
Water
Salt

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, adding only half of the minced garlic and finely diced ginger. Set aside.
Cook the 3 cups of rice according to the directions on the package (or using your prefered method to cook rice).
Heat a wok or electric skillet to medium-high. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Stir in the diced chicken and cook until done and starting to brown, stirring often (don’t overcook!). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the chopped carrots and broccoli pieces. Cook and stir until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to cook and stir an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens.
Serve the stir fry over rice.

Notes

You can garnish the stir fry with additional chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and/or peanuts or cashews, if desired.

Nutrition

Close up of chicken stir fry showing tender chicken pieces, broccoli florets, sliced carrots, red and green bell peppers, and water chestnuts coated in brown stir fry sauce.

FAQs about Chinese Chicken Stir Fry:

What to put in Chinese Chicken Stir Fry?

I love putting chicken, aromatics like garlic and ginger, sauce, and assorted vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, and pepper, and serve it over rice.

What is the best sauce to use for Chicken Stir Fry?

To achieve the best flavor and be able to access all ingredients at an American grocery store, I make my favorite sauce with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic cloves and fresh ginger, water, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch.

What are the best vegetables to put in a Chicken Stir Fry?

I add broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, green onions, and water chestnuts, but you could also include snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, and bok choy.