Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable Version)

Quick stir-fry with chicken, cabbage, and savory sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.

# What You 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, water, and sugar until well combined. 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 to the pan. 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 as needed. Serve hot, optionally with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan and you're done before the rice finishes steaming.
  • The sauce clings to every piece without being heavy or sticky.
  • It tastes like takeout but you know exactly what went into it.
  • Cabbage gets this sweet, crispy edge that makes you want seconds.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when cooking the chicken or it will steam instead of getting that golden edge.
  • Whisk the sauce right before adding it because the cornstarch settles fast and you want it evenly mixed.
  • Keep the heat high enough that vegetables sizzle but not so high that garlic burns in seconds.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken while it's still slightly frozen so you get thinner, more even pieces that cook faster.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking because once the pan is hot, everything moves fast.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, splash in a tablespoon of water and toss again until it loosens up.
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