Chicken Stir Fry
Sep 13, 2019, Updated Oct 03, 2023
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This quick and easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe, loaded with zucchini and mushrooms, is a flavor-packed dish that will wow your tastebuds! You only need one skillet, 20 minutes, and just a handful of pantry ingredients to make this delicious takeout-fakeout.
Easy Chicken Stir Fry with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Who can resist Chinese takeout? We can’t! But here we have a home-cooked version that’s about to give your favorite Chicken Stir Fry takeout a run for its money. Chicken, zucchini, mushrooms, and the flavors of Panda Express come together in this recipe that’s about to become your family’s favorite take-out fake-out!
This is a simple stir fry of juicy chicken bites prepared with tender mushrooms and zucchini coated with the most amazing sweet and savory stir fry sauce. A delicious dinner recipe that is faster than takeout, and much tastier.
Why Make This Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
- Quick and Easy: With a total prep and cook time of 30 minutes, this chicken stir fry is your answer to a delicious and hassle-free meal.
- Fresh and Flavorful: Packed with chicken and various fresh veggies like zucchini and mushrooms, this stir fry is fresh, delicious, and a burst of flavor in every bite.
- Restaurant-Quality, Homemade: Who needs takeout when you can whip up this savory, umami-rich dish at home? Control the ingredients to suit your dietary needs and savor the perfect blend of saucy chicken and veggies, all made fresh in your kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Breasts: Cut into bite-sized pieces for quick, even cooking. Boneless chicken thighs are also okay to use.
- Cornstarch: To coat the chicken for a crispy texture and to thicken the sauce.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for sautéing the chicken and veggies.
- Minced Garlic & Minced Ginger: Delicious, fresh aromatics. You can also use dried ginger and garlic powder, but fresh is best.
- White Button Mushrooms & Zucchini: You can toss in whatever vegetables you have on hand. Use broccoli, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, and onions, to name a few.
- Soy Sauce: Contributes to the savory, umami-rich base of the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: For a touch of acidity to balance the flavors and enhance the overall taste.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to contrast the acidity.
- Toasted Sesame Seed Oil: Drizzled as a finish to enhance the flavor.
- Sesame Seeds & Scallions: Served as garnish.
Serving Suggestions
I love this copycat Panda Express Chicken, which tastes even better when made at home! You can serve this stir-fry over kimchi fried rice, lo mein noodles, or cauliflower rice. Another great option is a side of this soba noodle soup or these air fryer vegetable spring rolls.
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Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
This easy zucchini mushroom chicken stir-fry recipe is bursting with flavor in every bite! All you need is one skillet, 20 minutes, and just a handful of pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized cubes (you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon fresh minced ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half moons
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- drizzle of toasted sesame seed oil, optional
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- chopped scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- Coat the chicken. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch; toss to coat.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat; add the chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook for 6 minutes, or until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic and ginger to the skillet; cook and stir for 15 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Cook the vegetables. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir in the mushrooms and zucchini; cook for 4 minutes or until fork-tender and browned. Stir frequently.
- Make the stir fry sauce. In the meantime, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar.
- Combine. Stir the chicken back into the skillet, add the prepared stir-fry sauce, and stir to coat the chicken and veggies. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until everything is heated through and the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat; sprinkle with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Garnish with scallions and serve.
Video
Notes
- Chicken: This Panda Express “copycat” uses chicken breasts, but you can also use chopped chicken thighs. Chicken breasts and chicken thighs are both commonly used in stir-fry dishes. The main difference between the two cuts of chicken is the amount of fat they contain. Chicken breasts are leaner and have less fat, while chicken thighs are slightly fattier and have more flavor but will take a minute or two longer to cook through.
- Zucchini and Mushrooms: Again, keeping with the original recipe, I suggest cutting the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick half-moons and slicing the mushrooms about the same size.
- Stir Fry Vegetables: If you don’t want to use or don’t have the mushrooms and zucchini on hand, you can substitute them with sliced bell peppers, broccoli florets, snap peas or snow peas, onions, etc. However, it’s important to note that not all vegetables cook at the same time and temperatures. Veggies like onions, carrots, and bell peppers take longer to cook than, say, bok choy, mushrooms, or spinach.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a type of vinegar made from fermented rice. It is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot find rice vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar are suitable substitutes.
- Store completely cooled chicken and veggies in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How To Make This Chicken Stir Fry
This is a tasty and easy clean-out-the-fridge-type meal. Quick, simple, and completely customizable to what you have on hand. However, mushrooms and zucchini are best if you’re trying to recreate Panda’s dish. To make it a complete meal, you can serve it over rice, pasta, or even mashed potatoes.
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size cubes. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss to coat.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or a wok; add chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook until browned on both sides – this should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the Veggies: Add garlic and ginger to the skillet, then stir in the mushrooms and zucchini; cook for 4 minutes or until fork tender.
- Make the Sauce: In the meantime, prepare the sauce by whisking together soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar.
- Pull it all together: Stir the chicken back into the skillet. add in the sauce; stir to coat the chicken and veggies. Stir and cook for 30 seconds, until everything is heated through. Remove from heat; sprinkle with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Garnish with scallions and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Prep beforehand: Cut, chop, and prepare everything before you get started. Stir fry meals come together super fast so you want to be ready.
- Cooking Pot: Use a wok or a large skillet. Anything 12 inches or larger should be good. You want those ingredients to fit in comfortably and in one layer.
- Cooking Oil: Always use an oil that can withstand high heat, like Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil. Don’t use Olive Oil because it has a low smoke point.
- Cooking Veggies: The vegetables should be cooked over high heat, while aromatics, like ginger and garlic, should be cooked over lower heat.
- Stir, stir, and stir often! Hence the term stir-fry!
How To Store Leftovers
- Store completely cooled chicken and veggies in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Stir Fry Recipes
- Chicken Stir Fry with Asparagus and Mushrooms
- Pepper Steak Stir Fry
- Steak Stir Fry with Zucchini Noodles
- Stir Fry Zucchini Noodles
- Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Sheet Pan Chicken Stir Fry
Loved this, it was deliciou!s 😋
This was an excellent use of things I had on hand. I also threw in some asparagus and it was very tasty!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love the flavors of this recipe, but I have a lot of trouble with the cornstarch sticking in the pan. What am I doing wrong?
You may want to lower the heat a little. I personally love the browned bits on the bottom of the pan because they add lots of flavor to the sauce.
Loved this recipe! Will definitely be making again for my family!
Husband said as good as Panda Express! I doubled mushroom (we love) and chicken. Made large deep pan full! A 5 star recipe!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Fantastic! Just made it for lunch with rice and it was delicious!! Adding this recipe to my lunch rotation. Thank you!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Great recipe, thank you!
Definitely add the toasted sesame seed, 😋
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Easy and delicious! My husband ate two helpings, and he’s not crazy about zucchini!
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I am usually terrible at making stir fry. This was easy and came out really well. Thank you for the recipe!
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made this for supper. I had frozen mushrooms and also frozen zucchini from the garden. Which had a lot more water. So I added 1 more tablespoon cornstarch. I added a onion and also some spicy mustard. So it had a nice amount of gravy. So I served it over rice. My husband said I can make this again. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this dish while camping. Great dish since it only uses 1 pan. I forgot the soy sauce so used worhestershire sauce and hubby said it had a very good flavor and had 2 helpings. I used skinless boneless thighs. Will be making this again.
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂