Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken and crisp cabbage in a savory, umami-rich sauce. Quick weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage (approximately 1.3 lbs), cored and thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 3 green onions, sliced

→ Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
07 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
11 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons water
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Aromatics and Cooking

14 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

# Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, water, and sugar. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through and golden. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Sauté garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Pour in the prepared sauce and toss everything together. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and vegetables.
06 - Stir in green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, optionally with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one pan, so cleanup is almost as fast as cooking.
  • The sauce clings to every bite, giving you that restaurant-quality flavor without leaving the house.
  • Cabbage is ridiculously affordable and stays crisp even after stir-frying, adding great texture.
  • You can prep the sauce ahead and have dinner ready in fifteen minutes flat.
02 -
  • Slice the chicken as thin as possible so it cooks fast and stays tender, thick pieces will take longer and can dry out.
  • Don't skip whisking the cornstarch into the sauce before adding it, or you'll end up with clumps instead of a smooth glaze.
  • Keep the heat high during stir-frying so the vegetables stay crisp and don't steam in their own moisture.
03 -
  • Use a wok if you have one, the high sides make tossing everything together so much easier without losing half your dinner on the stovetop.
  • Let the pan get really hot before adding the chicken so it sears instead of steams, giving you those golden, flavorful edges.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust the balance, it's much easier to tweak at that stage than after everything is mixed.
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