Chicken and Bell Pepper Stir Fry
This quick chicken bell pepper stir fry is ready in under 30 minutes and tastes better than takeout. Tender chicken and crisp-tender peppers in a savory homemade sauce, perfect served over rice or stuffed in rolls for sandwiches.
Servings 4 people
Calories 300kcal
Equipment
- large skillet or wok
Ingredients
- ½ cup less-sodium soy sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger (or about 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 garlic clove, minced or grated (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 sweet bell peppers (any color), seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 ½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Optional garnish: additional soy sauce sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, cashews, chow mein noodles, or crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large mason jar or in a small bowl, shake or whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Place chicken in a large bowl. Add about ¼ cup of the soy sauce mixture to the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside, reserving the remaining sauce to use later.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe the pan clean, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and heat the oil over high heat. Once the skillet is very hot, add the chicken mixture, leaving most of the marinade in the bowl (discard this marinade). Spread out the chicken in the pan, and then let it sit undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes so that the chicken can get nice and brown. Flip the chicken and cook through, tossing occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes.
- Add water or chicken broth, reserved soy sauce mixture, and peppers to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook over high heat, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then turn off the heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
- Serve over rice and garnish with optional toppings.
Notes
- Chicken choice: Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts and are more forgiving with high-heat cooking. If using breasts, watch closely to avoid overcooking.
- Hot skillet is key: Make sure your pan is very hot before adding the chicken. This ensures a good sear and keeps the meat tender.
- Don't overcrowd: If your skillet isn't large enough to fit the chicken in a single layer, cook in two batches for the best results.
- Sauce thickness: The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of water or broth. For a thicker sauce, let it simmer an extra minute.
- Ginger tip: Fresh ginger can be stored in the freezer and grated directly from frozen. Ground ginger works as a substitute in a pinch.
- Serving ideas: Serve over rice, or stuff in hoagie rolls with melted cheese for Asian-inspired chicken cheesesteak sandwiches.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1350mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1914IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg