30-Minute Garlic Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

A 30-minute meal that requires few ingredients and hardly any effort! This garlic ginger easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is marvelous to whip up any night of the week.

What if we could make a wholesome meal in less than an hour?

Less than 45 minutes? 

Right around 30 minutes? 

Now we’re talking.

In honor of saving time while still fueling with lean protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, I present to you: one of my all time favorite stir fry recipes for busy weeknights.

If I had to pick a type of meal I could eat for dinner for the rest of eternity, it would be the stir fry. There’s no arguing with a well-rounded filling meal that comes together in a flash.

The reasons I love stir fry include, but are not limited to:

• Most hearty vegetables and animal proteins can be incorporated.
• There are endless options for getting frisky with spices and sauces,
• Short prep and cook time (so long as you find ways to cut corners) 
• Makes amazing leftovers
• Affordable to prepare.

This super simple chicken stir fry is all dolled up with ginger and garlic. 

Instead of using all sorts of sugary sauces, you’re getting your flavor from fresh ingredients and a little sriracha kick. We end up with a savory sauce with a slight sweetness.

You can also make this recipe using shrimp, beef, or pork. Choose your proteins, mates!

Let’s discuss the ingredients for this simple chicken stir fry.

Ingredients for Chicken Stir Fry:

Oil: I use avocado oil because it is great for cooking at high temperatures. Avocado oil has neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it ideal for stir fries.

If you have sesame oil on hand, feel free to use 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Olive oil works too if it’s what you have on hand.

Vegetables: Onion, carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, garlic and ginger. These fresh vegetables add fresh flavor, marvelous crunchy texture and vibrant color. Use any vegetables you like here.

If you aren’t a fan of any of the vegetables on the ingredient list, feel free to substitute them with your favorite vegetables.

Green beans, snap peas,  fennel, cauliflower, green onions, snow peas, sweet potato, green or yellow bell peppers, bok choy, chard, kale, or spinach are all great options.

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts get sliced up and cooked to perfection in this easy meal. Use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.

Seasonings: Coconut aminos (or soy sauce), sriracha (for a little kick of spice), and sea salt. If you have fish sauce on hand and enjoy cooking with it, add a couple teaspoons.

For extra kick, add some red pepper flakes and for tangy sour flavor, add 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. If you have oyster sauce on hand, add one tablespoon.

The reason I like to use coconut aminos over soy sauce is it adds a natural sweetness in addition to the umami flavor. 

Soy sauce contains a great deal of flavor, but this soy-free alternative has a rich sweetness to back it up. In this way, we don’t need to add brown sugar to the stir fry yet we still get that lovely sticky sweet sauce.

You can also use my Easy Stir Fry Sauce, Paleo Teriyaki Sauce or store-bought teriyaki sauce (add as much as you would like) for even bigger flavor for the delicious sauce.

Now that we’re familiar with the simple ingredients, let’s make it!

How to Make 30-Minute Garlic Ginger Chicken Stir Fry:

When making stir fry, I like to chop all of the vegetables ahead of time, and chop the chicken breast while the vegetables are cooking.

Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet (I use a 12-inch skillet that has deep sides and comes with a lid) over medium-high heat. If you have a large wok or sauté pan, feel free to use it.

Add the onion, bell pepper, broccoli, and carrots. Sprinkle with sea salt and cook veggies, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the grated fresh ginger and minced garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Move the vegetables off to one side of the skillet and place the cut raw chicken on the open surface. Allow the chicken to brown for 2 to 3 minutes before stirring it into the vegetables.

Add in the coconut aminos, sriracha, and fish sauce (if adding) and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium heat, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables have reached your desired level of doneness. Taste the stir fry for flavor and add more salt to your personal taste.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, you’re ready to serve your stir fry; however, if you’d like the sauce to be thicker, you can increase the heat to high and continue cooking until much of the liquid has evaporated. I don’t do this step because I like pouring the juices over the rice.

Serve chicken stir fry with steamed brown rice or white rice and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and enjoy! Serve with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.

You can also make one of my fried rice recipes to go along with your stir fry. My Pineapple Fried Rice and my Kimchi Fried Rice are my top recommendations. 

Store leftover stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The best part is the chicken and vegetable stir fry will be even more flavorful the next day!

And that’s it! The easiest weeknight healthy dinner recipe!

Make it for meal prep in big batches and enjoy it for lunches and dinners throughout the week!

The next time you’re craving take out, make this new recipe instead. The whole family will love the flavorful sauce with the juicy chicken and fresh veggies.

If you love stir fry recipes or skillet meals like this one, also try these healthy recipes.

More Stir Fry Recipes and Skillet Meals:

• Butternut Squash Ginger Chicken Stir Fry 
• 30-Minute Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
• Salmon Stir Fry with Vegetables
• One-Skillet Ground Turkey Curry with Rice
• 30-Minute Vegetable and Ground Beef Skillet
• Thai Zucchini and Chicken Skillet 
• 30-Minute Cabbage and Sausage Skillet 

30 minutes ’till heaven!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

I originally shared this recipe on September 28, 2015. I updated the photographs, added more information to the post, and changed the recipe slightly to make it even better.