Easy & Flavorful Chicken Scallion Stir Fry: Your New Favorite Weeknight Meal
Are you constantly searching for new chicken recipes that are not only delicious but also incredibly easy to prepare? Look no further! As a devoted stir-fry enthusiast, my wok sees a lot of action, and I’m always on the hunt for recipes that can make it into my permanent collection. This particular Chicken Scallion Stir Fry has quickly ascended to the top of that list, joining esteemed company like my beloved Sesame Chicken.
What makes this chicken stir-fry recipe so special? It’s the perfect blend of simplicity and incredible flavor. With a minimal ingredient list, you can whip up a meal that tastes like it came from your favorite takeout restaurant but is made right in your own kitchen. The magic truly lies in the rich, savory “gravy” it creates – a delightful sauce that coats every piece of tender chicken and fresh scallion, making each bite utterly satisfying. Plus, it’s so good, you can almost guarantee there won’t be any leftovers.
One of the beauties of home cooking is the flexibility to make small adjustments to suit your pantry. For instance, in my version, I opted for dried ginger instead of fresh, and the result was still absolutely fantastic. This adaptability means you can enjoy this dish even when fresh ingredients aren’t readily available, proving that a truly great recipe can be forgiving. It makes for an ideal quick weeknight meal.
Beyond the amazing taste, there’s a certain joy in presenting a beautiful meal. And yes, I absolutely took the opportunity to feature one of my lovely garage sale plates for the photos! A delicious homemade stir fry looks even better on a pretty dish, don’t you agree?
Why You’ll Adore This Easy Chicken Scallion Stir Fry
If you’re looking for a new go-to recipe that ticks all the boxes – flavor, speed, and simplicity – this Chicken Scallion Stir Fry is it. Here’s why it’s destined to become a staple in your kitchen:
- Effortlessly Delicious: This recipe proves that you don’t need a long list of exotic ingredients or complex techniques to create a genuinely delicious meal. It’s perfect for both novice cooks and seasoned chefs looking for a quick win.
- Rapid Weeknight Solution: From start to finish, this stir fry comes together in a flash, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights when you want something homemade and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Incredible Flavor Profile: The combination of tender chicken, aromatic garlic and ginger, crisp scallions, and a rich, umami-packed sauce creates a harmonious symphony of flavors that will delight your taste buds. The “gravy” is truly the star, offering a depth that rivals any restaurant dish.
- Versatile and Adaptable: While the recipe is fantastic as written, it’s also highly adaptable. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables or adjust the spices to your liking.
- Healthier Takeout at Home: Skip the unhealthy additives and excessive oil often found in takeout. This homemade version gives you control over the ingredients, offering a fresh and wholesome alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste.
- Budget-Friendly: Made with common, affordable ingredients, this stir fry is kind to your wallet, making it an excellent choice for regular family meals.
The Core of the Dish: Tender Chicken and Fresh Scallions
At the core of this stir fry are two simple yet powerful ingredients: chicken and scallions. We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which are sliced thin to ensure quick cooking and maximum sauce absorption. The scallions, also widely known as green onions, are far more than just a garnish here; they are a star ingredient. Their fresh, mildly pungent, and oniony flavor, combined with their vibrant green color and crisp texture, are integral to the dish. They add a beautiful contrast to the rich, savory sauce and tender chicken, brightening the entire dish.
The beauty of the ingredients list is its accessibility. You likely have most of these items in your pantry already, making this a go-to recipe for those days when you need something quick and don’t want to make a special trip to the grocery store.
Tips for Mastering Your Chicken Scallion Stir Fry
Achieving a restaurant-quality stir fry at home is easier than you might think with a few key techniques. Follow these tips for consistently perfect results:
- High Heat is Crucial: Stir-frying literally means “frying quickly over high heat.” Make sure your wok or heavy-bottomed skillet is screaming hot before you add any ingredients. This creates that desirable sear on the chicken and keeps vegetables crisp-tender, preventing them from becoming soggy.
- Avoid Overcrowding the Pan: This is a common mistake. Cooking in batches if necessary is crucial. Overcrowding lowers the pan’s temperature, causing ingredients to steam rather than stir-fry. This leads to less flavorful and undesirable soggy results. Give your chicken room to sear properly.
- “Mise en Place” – Prep Everything in Advance: This is the golden rule of stir-frying. Once you start cooking, things move very fast. Have all your chicken sliced and coated, sauce mixed, garlic and ginger minced, and scallions chopped before you even turn on the heat. This ensures a smooth and stress-free cooking process.
- Thin Slices for Even Cooking: Ensure your chicken is sliced into thin, uniform strips (about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick). This allows it to cook quickly and evenly with the other ingredients, ensuring every piece is perfectly tender.
- Fresh vs. Dried Ginger: While fresh ginger offers a brighter, more pungent flavor, dried ginger (as I used in my adjustment) or even ginger paste can be excellent substitutes in a pinch. If using dried, start with half the amount and add more to taste, as it can be more concentrated.
- The Perfect Sauce: The cornstarch in the sauce is your secret weapon for that perfect glossy, thick consistency. Ensure it’s well mixed with the chili powder before coating the chicken, and then combined with the liquid ingredients (chicken broth, oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce) for the final “gravy.” This slurry helps the sauce thicken beautifully.
- Don’t Overcook the Scallions: Scallions are added at the very end and only tossed for about 20 seconds. This retains their vibrant green color and fresh, slightly crisp texture, which is essential for the dish’s overall appeal and flavor.
Serving Suggestions for Your Delicious Chicken Scallion Stir Fry
This versatile and flavorful stir fry pairs beautifully with a variety of accompaniments, making it easy to customize to your preferences:
- Classic White Rice: The most traditional and satisfying pairing. The fluffy white rice perfectly absorbs the rich, savory sauce, ensuring you get a burst of flavor with every bite.
- Brown Rice: For a healthier, whole-grain option, brown rice works wonderfully and adds a slightly nutty flavor and chewier texture.
- Noodles: Transform your meal by serving it over a bed of stir-fried noodles like lo mein, chow mein, or even delicate rice vermicelli for a different texture and experience.
- Quinoa or Couscous: For a lighter or gluten-free alternative, quinoa or couscous make excellent bases that soak up the sauce beautifully.
- Steamed Vegetables: Enhance the nutritional value and crunch by adding a side of steamed broccoli, snap peas, green beans, or asparagus.
- Lettuce Wraps: For a low-carb, fresh, and interactive meal, serve the stir fry in crisp lettuce cups (like butter lettuce or iceberg).
Storage and Reheating Your Stir Fry
If you happen to have any leftovers – which is a rare occurrence with this irresistible dish! – they store wonderfully, making this a great option for meal prep:
- Refrigeration: Allow the stir fry to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be safely refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: For best results, gently reheat the stir fry in a skillet over medium heat. If the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge, add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up. You can also reheat in the microwave, but the skillet method helps maintain the chicken and scallions’ texture better.
More Stir Fry Recipes You’ll Love
If you’ve enjoyed this Chicken Scallion Stir Fry, you’re in for a treat! Stir-frying is such a dynamic and flavorful cooking method, and I have a whole arsenal of recipes ready for your wok. Each offers a unique blend of ingredients and spices, ensuring there’s always something new and exciting to try for your next quick and delicious meal. Expand your stir-fry repertoire with these family favorites:
- Mongolian Beef: A classic takeout favorite featuring thinly sliced, tender beef in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce.
- Sesame Chicken: Crispy, succulent chicken coated in a rich, sweet, and nutty sesame sauce – a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that’s easier to make at home than you think.
- Moo Goo Gai Pan: A lighter, delicate stir fry featuring tender chicken and an array of fresh mushrooms and crisp vegetables in a subtle white sauce.
- Chinese Pepper Steak: Juicy steak strips with colorful bell peppers and onions, all coated in a savory brown sauce. Perfect for a hearty meal.
- Teriyaki Chicken and Rice: A simple, yet incredibly flavorful dish combining succulent teriyaki chicken with fluffy rice, making for a complete and satisfying meal.
- Kung Pao Chicken: A spicy and savory Szechuan-style stir fry with peanuts, dried chilies, crisp vegetables, and tender chicken – for those who like a little heat!
Chicken Scallion Stir Fry
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 10 scallion stalks
Instructions
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Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips about 2″ long. Add the cornstarch and chili powder and mix well, ensuring the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce until well combined. This is your flavorful stir-fry sauce. Set aside.
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Wash and dry the scallions well. Cut off and discard the root ends, then slice the rest of the stalks into 2″ to 3 ” pieces. Separate the white and light green parts from the darker green tops if desired, but for this recipe, you can mix them. Set aside.
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In a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat, add the canola oil. Heat oil on high until it shimmers and is hot but not smoking. Add the chicken, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Stir fry quickly, stirring constantly to prevent sticking, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
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Pour in the prepared chicken broth mixture (sauce) and cook for another minute or two, stirring, until almost half of the liquid has evaporated and the remainder forms a thick, glossy sauce that coats the chicken beautifully. Add the sliced scallions and toss everything together for just about 20 seconds to warm them through without losing their crispness. Remove from heat immediately and serve piping hot over warm rice.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Chicken Scallion Stir Fry
Got questions about making this delightful stir fry? Here are some common queries and their answers to help you perfect your dish:
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts for this recipe?
- Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be a fantastic alternative. They tend to be more forgiving and retain moisture exceptionally well during high-heat cooking, often resulting in an even more tender and flavorful dish. Just slice them similarly to the breasts for even cooking.
- What if I don’t have oyster sauce on hand? Are there any substitutions?
- Oyster sauce provides a unique umami depth and a touch of sweetness that is hard to replicate exactly. If you don’t have it, a combination of additional soy sauce and a pinch of sugar or honey can offer a similar savory-sweet balance, though the flavor won’t be identical. For a vegetarian alternative, mushroom-flavored vegetarian oyster sauce works great.
- How can I make this chicken stir fry spicier?
- If you love a kick, you have a few options! You can increase the amount of chili powder when coating the chicken, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic and ginger during stir-frying, or drizzle some chili oil over the finished dish before serving.
- Can I add more vegetables to this stir fry?
- Definitely! This recipe is a fantastic base for adding other vegetables. Bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), snap peas, thinly sliced carrots, broccoli florets, water chestnuts, or even sliced mushrooms would all be delicious additions. Remember to add harder vegetables (like carrots or broccoli) earlier in the stir-frying process and softer ones (like bell peppers or snap peas) later to ensure they are cooked but still crisp-tender.
- Is this recipe gluten-free?
- To make this recipe entirely gluten-free, you would need to use gluten-free soy sauce (often labeled as Tamari) and ensure your chicken broth is also certified gluten-free. While many oyster sauces are gluten-free, it’s always best to check the label for specific ingredients.
- What kind of oil is best for stir-frying?
- Canola oil is a great choice as it has a high smoke point and neutral flavor, making it perfect for stir-frying. Other good options include grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
More delicious inspiration from Amanda’s Cookin’:
If you’re anything like me, your culinary journey is an exciting one, always seeking out new and delightful flavors to bring to your family’s table. Beyond this fantastic Chicken Scallion Stir Fry, I have a treasure trove of recipes that I think you’ll truly enjoy. From robust beef dishes to other chicken favorites, there’s always something to inspire your next kitchen adventure. Be sure to explore these other well-loved recipes:
- Stir Fried Spicy Beef: For those who love a bit of heat and savory beef, this recipe is packed with bold flavors and tender strips of beef.
- Cashew Chicken: A classic, comforting dish with tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a delightful savory-sweet sauce that’s always a family favorite.
- Chinese Pepper Steak: A robust and satisfying meal featuring tender steak strips, vibrant bell peppers, and onions in a rich, savory sauce.
Some yummy stir-fry discoveries from around the web:
The culinary world is vast and full of inspiration! Here are a few other fantastic stir-fry recipes from fellow food enthusiasts that have caught my eye and might just become your next kitchen experiment. These recipes offer diverse flavors and ingredients to keep your stir-fry game strong:
- Mushroom Stir Fry – from Simply Recipes: A wonderful vegetarian option packed with earthy flavors, perfect for mushroom lovers or as a meatless Monday dish.
- Broccoli Beef Noodle Stir Fry – from Steamy Kitchen: A hearty and complete meal in one pan, combining tender beef, crisp broccoli, and satisfying noodles.
- Garlic Lover’s Vegetable Stir Fry – from Kalyn’s Kitchen: Perfect for anyone who can’t get enough garlic and a medley of fresh, vibrant vegetables.
I hope you love this Chicken Scallion Stir Fry as much as my family and I do. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients, combined with the right technique, can create a truly memorable meal that you’ll want to make again and again. If you try this recipe and enjoy it, I’d truly appreciate it if you shared it with your friends and family on your favorite social media platforms!
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