how to marinate chicken for a stir fry | Family Cuisine

This Sticky Chicken Stir Fry makes a fantastic mid-week meal that’s prepared really quickly. If you marinade the meat the night before, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes!

I was having a cupboard clear out yesterday, and I found 7 – yes that’s SEVEN – bottles of soy sauce. I’ve obviously got some kind of lack-of-Chinese-food-phobia causing me to pick up a bottle every time I do the shopping. Or maybe I should just clear out my cupboards more often….

I do seem to go through a fair amount when I’m in the mood for Asian ricey/noodley dishes like this crispy chill beef or these veggie Asian noodles.

And that was exactly what I was in the mood for yesterday. Something sticky, saucy and Asian inspired. I am trying to be a little healthier during the week, so I was looking for something packed with crunchy veg and bright colours too.

This one is a particularly good mid week meal that’s prepared really quickly. If you marinade the meat the night before, you can have this on the table in 20-25 minutes. If you forget to marinade it the night before (as I often do) then a 20 minute marinade will be just fine. You can still get this cooked in a little over half an hour.

Simply marinade chicken thighs with soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, chilli sauce, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar and a splash of sherry.:

Stir together, cover and refrigerate for about an hour:

Then fry up the chicken in a wok until it’s browned, saucy and bubbly:

Add in any veggies you like – I’m using broccoli, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, yellow pepper and kale in this one:

The addition of the veggies thins the sauce slightly, so I also stir in a little cornflour/cornstarch slurry at the end, to thicken the sauce and make sure it clings to the chicken and vegetables.

I used chicken thighs here – far better than chicken breast in a stir fry as they’re more moist and tender. Chicken breast can have a tendency to dry up and become a little chewy when it’s cooked quickly.

I used the veg I had in, so use what you have. Carrots, red onion, spring greens, pak choi, asparagus – pretty much anything will work here. You can even add in some ready-noodles or serve with some rice if you’re feeling hungry.

Coming back to that cupboard clear out – yes, I found some mirin, Chinese rice wine vinegar and a bit of sherry in the endless rows of bottles. The addition of these less-standard ingredients really helps to build layers of flavour in the marinade. If you haven’t got them though, you can leave them out and you’ll still get a delicious tasting dish.

Can I make it gluten free?

Yes, replace the soy sauce with tamari. I would use 3 tbsp of tamari instead of 4 as I find it can be a little overpowering.

Mirin and rice wine occasionally contain gluten – so check your brand. You can replace with an extra splash of sherry.

Also, serve with rice or gluten free noodles.

Can I make it ahead?

This stir fry tastes best when made right before serving. However, leftovers can make a great salad the next day. Simply cook quickly, cover and refrigerate until the next day. Add a few leaves and a little couscous and you have a great lunch.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes, replace the chicken with a meat-free alternative such as tofu or quorn, or you can leave out entirely. There’s no need to marinade if you’re only making it with vegetables. I’m i’m making a veggie version, I like to sprinkle on some chopped cashews before serving.

The Sticky Chicken Stir Fry Recipe:

This recipe was first posted in July 2014. Updated in October 2018 with new photos, tips and recipe video.

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