Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 onion, cut into thick wedges
- 3 scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces, whites and greens separated
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon, or MSG
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup water
Optional Garnish
- Rice, for serving
Instructions
- Place your cubed chicken thighs in a bowl and marinate with shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, finely mince your garlic, cut your onion into thick wedges, and slice your scallions into half-inch pieces, separating the whites and greens.
- In a small bowl, combine dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, and water. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Add oil to a pan over medium-high heat and add your chicken. Brown for about 5 minutes until cooked through, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add your onions, garlic, and scallion whites. Cook for about 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Add in your scallion greens and cook briefly until just wilted.
- Serve over a fresh bowl of rice or enjoy it as is.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why This Garlic Chicken Stir Fry Feels Like Cheating
This Garlic Chicken Stir Fry is one of those dishes that feels like its cheating because it’s so tasty. The sauce is super simple, with the garlic doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and the chicken thighs are super juicy because not only are they forgiving when it comes to overcooking, but they’re also velveted, which gives the chicken that restaurant quality tenderness. I promise that this will beat any Chinese takeout dish, and it’ll be healthier and cheaper!
It’s All About the Garlic (And Don’t Forget The Sauce!)
Yes, I love garlic, and yes, I also love the stir fry sauce with this dish, but the real magic comes with the combination of both of them. The garlic caramelizes and becomes aromatic, while the mixture of the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar balances those strong flavors with their own salty and sweet taste profiles. Once you add in the chicken, veggies, and scallions, it’s the kind of dish that truly carries its own weight in terms of flavor.
What You’ll Need To Make Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 onion, cut into thick wedges
- 3 scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces, whites and greens separated
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup water
Optional Garnish
- Steamed white rice, for serving
How To Make Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Marinate chicken thighs in shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
While it marinates, mince the garlic, cut onion into wedges, and prep scallions, keeping whites and greens separate.
In a bowl, mix together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add onions, garlic, and scallion whites. Sauté for ~2 minutes until softened.
Return chicken to pan and pour in sauce. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and coats everything.
Toss in scallion greens and cook just until wilted.
Serve hot over rice and enjoy!
Tips & Variations
If you prefer leaner cuts, feel free to use chicken breast! I like to slice mine into thin strips before marinating instead of cubes due to there being a greater surface area, but to each their own.
Feel free to increase or decrease the garlic cloves depending on your personal preferences. I found that five cloves is the perfect amount for most people!
This dish is great for meal prepping as well. Just double the recipe and store with rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
If you’re a big fan of extra nutrients, bell peppers and green beans compliment the sauce in the stir fry the best in my experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! Swap in tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauces and make sure your oyster sauce is gluten-free.
Can I skip the shaoxing wine?
You can leave it out or sub with dry sherry or rice vinegar. The wine adds a bit of complexity as well as helps break down the chicken, but the dish will still taste great without it.
What’s the best rice for serving?
I usually like to eat it with jasmine rice, but brown rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles also work great if you want to switch it up.
What to Try Next
Looking for more quick Asian dinners like this? You’ll love my BBQ Gochujang Chicken!
Want pork belly instead? Try my Caramelized Pork Belly!
Looking for something a little spicier? Check out my Chili Oil Shakshuka!
Recipe is super easy to follow and really tasty! We modified by adding more veggies – zucchini, baby corn, bell peppers. The flavor of the sauce remained strong but not overpowering. Served over white rice but might try chow mein noodles next so they can really soak in the sauce.