Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printer-Friendly)

Quick weeknight dinner with juicy chicken, crisp cabbage, and savory umami sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage (about 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 Prepare:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, water, and sugar. 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. 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 if needed. Serve hot, optionally with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in less time than it takes to order takeout, and tastes just as good.
  • The cabbage gets soft but never mushy, holding onto a bite that makes every forkful interesting.
  • You probably have most of the ingredients already sitting in your pantry.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when you cook the chicken or it will steam instead of brown.
  • Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce before you start cooking so it doesn't clump when you add it to the hot pan.
  • If your cabbage releases a lot of water, just turn the heat up for a minute to let it evaporate before adding the sauce.
03 -
  • Slice everything before you start cooking because once the pan is hot, things move fast.
  • Use a wok if you have one, the high sides make it easier to toss everything without losing half of it on the stove.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it to the pan so you can adjust the seasoning while it's still easy to fix.
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