Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

If you ask me, a good stir fry is one of the best weeknight dinners you can make.

This honey garlic chicken stir fry comes together in about 30 minutes and tastes better than takeout. Tender chicken pieces get tossed with crisp broccoli and carrots in a sweet and savory sauce that’s hard to resist.

The sauce is where the magic happens – honey, soy sauce, and fresh garlic and ginger create a sticky glaze that coats everything perfectly. A little cornstarch helps it thicken up just right in the pan.

It’s a family-friendly dinner that pairs great with rice, and the best part is you only need one pan to make it happen.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this stir fry, boneless, skinless chicken breast is your best bet since it cooks quickly and absorbs the honey garlic sauce really well. If you prefer something a bit juicier, chicken thighs work great too and they’re actually harder to overcook, which is a nice bonus when you’re working with high heat. Either way, make sure to cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces that are roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly. Fresh chicken is ideal, but if you’re using frozen, just be sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry with paper towels before cooking to get a nice sear on the outside.

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Options for Substitutions

This stir fry is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken breast: Chicken thighs work great here and actually stay more tender during high-heat cooking. You can also use shrimp, pork tenderloin, or tofu – just adjust cooking times accordingly (shrimp needs only 3-4 minutes, tofu about 5-6 minutes).
• Vegetables: Feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand. Bell peppers, snap peas, green beans, mushrooms, or zucchini all work well. Just keep the total amount around 3 cups and add harder vegetables first, softer ones later.
• Soy sauce: Tamari works as a gluten-free option, or use coconut aminos for a soy-free version. You might need to add a pinch of extra salt with coconut aminos since it’s less salty.
• Honey: Maple syrup or brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons) can replace honey if that’s what you have available.
• Vegetable oil: Any high-heat oil works for stir frying – try peanut oil, canola oil, or avocado oil. Avoid olive oil as it has a lower smoke point.
• Cornstarch: You can use arrowroot powder in the same amount, or use 1 tablespoon of flour instead (though the sauce won’t be quite as glossy).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with stir fry is overcrowding the pan, which causes your chicken to steam instead of getting that nice golden-brown sear – if your pan looks too full, cook the chicken in two batches instead. Another common error is adding the garlic too early or cooking it over high heat for too long, which makes it burn and taste bitter, so wait until the chicken is almost done and keep it moving in the pan for just 30 seconds. Make sure to mix your cornstarch slurry right before adding it to the pan, because if it sits too long the cornstarch settles to the bottom and won’t thicken your sauce properly. Finally, don’t skip cleaning the pan between cooking the vegetables and chicken – any leftover bits can burn when you crank up the heat, giving your whole dish a burnt flavor.

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What to Serve With Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry?

This stir fry is perfect served over a big bowl of steamed white rice or brown rice, which soaks up all that sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. If you want to mix things up, try serving it with fried rice, lo mein noodles, or even cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. I like to add a side of egg rolls or spring rolls to make it feel like a complete takeout-style meal at home. For something lighter, a simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar adds a nice refreshing crunch that balances out the richness of the stir fry.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover stir fry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything marinates together. Just note that the broccoli might soften a bit, but it still tastes great!

Freeze: This stir fry freezes pretty well for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely first, then portion it into freezer-safe containers. The veggies will be a little softer after freezing, but the chicken and sauce hold up nicely.

Reheat: Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it, but I find the stovetop keeps the chicken from drying out and helps crisp up the veggies a bit.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 65-75 g
• Fat: 15-20 g
• Carbohydrates: 65-75 g

Ingredients

For the stir-fry:

• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup carrots (sliced into thin rounds)
• 2 cups broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman Less Sodium)
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tsp cornstarch

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Season the Chicken

• 1 cup carrots, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Slice the carrots into thin rounds and cut the broccoli into florets, placing them in separate bowls.

Mince the garlic and ginger, and keep them together in a small bowl.

Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and season generously with salt and pepper, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.

This prep work allows you to move quickly once cooking begins, which is essential for stir-frying to maintain proper heat and texture.

Step 2: Cook the Vegetables

• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup carrots, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets

Heat 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the carrots and broccoli, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes until they are tender-crisp and beginning to caramelize slightly.

Remove the vegetables to a plate and set aside—they’ll finish cooking later when everything comes together, so slightly undercooking them now ensures they won’t become mushy.

Step 3: Sear the Chicken

• seasoned chicken from Step 1

Without cleaning the pan, increase the heat to high and let it get very hot for 30 seconds—the browned bits left from the vegetables add extra flavor.

Working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and nearly cooked through.

I like to avoid stirring too much during this stage; letting the chicken sit undisturbed on the heat creates that delicious caramelized exterior.

Step 4: Build the Sauce Base

• garlic and ginger mixture from Step 1
• cooked vegetables from Step 2

Add the minced garlic and ginger to the pan with the chicken and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning and to release their aromatic flavors.

Return the cooked vegetables from Step 2 to the pan and toss everything together, cooking for about 1 minute to warm the vegetables through and combine the aromatics throughout the dish.

Step 5: Mix the Sauce Components

• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp cold water

While the pan contents cook, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

In another small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water, stirring well to create a slurry with no lumps—this prevents the cornstarch from clumping when added to the hot sauce.

Step 6: Finish with the Sauce and Thicken

• sauce mixture from Step 5
• cornstarch slurry from Step 5
• chicken and vegetable mixture from Step 4

Pour the honey-soy sauce mixture from Step 5 over the chicken and vegetables, stirring to coat everything evenly.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cornstarch slurry from Step 5 while stirring constantly.

Continue cooking for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency that lightly coats the back of a spoon.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt or soy sauce if needed.

Serve immediately over rice for the best results.

Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Delicious Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 850 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the stir-fry::

• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup carrots (sliced into thin rounds)
• 2 cups broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

For the sauce::

• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman Less Sodium)
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

 

• Slice the carrots into thin rounds and cut the broccoli into florets, placing them in separate bowls. Mince the garlic and ginger, and keep them together in a small bowl. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and season generously with salt and pepper, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated. This prep work allows you to move quickly once cooking begins, which is essential for stir-frying to maintain proper heat and texture.
• Heat 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and broccoli, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes until they are tender-crisp and beginning to caramelize slightly. Remove the vegetables to a plate and set aside—they'll finish cooking later when everything comes together, so slightly undercooking them now ensures they won't become mushy.
• Without cleaning the pan, increase the heat to high and let it get very hot for 30 seconds—the browned bits left from the vegetables add extra flavor. Working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and nearly cooked through. I like to avoid stirring too much during this stage; letting the chicken sit undisturbed on the heat creates that delicious caramelized exterior.
• Add the minced garlic and ginger to the pan with the chicken and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning and to release their aromatic flavors. Return the cooked vegetables from Step 2 to the pan and toss everything together, cooking for about 1 minute to warm the vegetables through and combine the aromatics throughout the dish.
• While the pan contents cook, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth. In another small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water, stirring well to create a slurry with no lumps—this prevents the cornstarch from clumping when added to the hot sauce.
• Pour the honey-soy sauce mixture from Step 5 over the chicken and vegetables, stirring to coat everything evenly. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cornstarch slurry from Step 5 while stirring constantly. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency that lightly coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt or soy sauce if needed. Serve immediately over rice for the best results.