Fresh Asparagus Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Growing up, Chinese takeout was always our Friday night tradition. These days, I still crave those familiar flavors, but I’ve learned that making orange chicken at home is easier than calling for delivery. My kids actually gather in the kitchen when they smell the sweet citrus sauce hitting the hot pan – it’s become our new kind of family tradition.

That’s why I love this orange chicken stir fry recipe. It takes those takeout flavors we all know and adds plenty of fresh vegetables to make it a complete meal. I usually prep all my ingredients while my rice is cooking, and everything comes together in about 20 minutes. No waiting for the delivery driver, and I know exactly what’s going into our dinner.

Want restaurant-style orange chicken without the heavy breading? This recipe delivers. Looking for a way to get your family to eat more vegetables? The sauce makes everything in the pan taste amazing. Trust me, you’ll want to add this one to your weekly rotation.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For stir fry recipes, chicken thighs are actually a better choice than chicken breasts because they stay juicy and tender even with high-heat cooking. Dark meat has a bit more fat content, which means it’s more forgiving if you cook it a little longer than intended. If you’re buying chicken thighs, you can choose between boneless skinless (which are easiest to work with) or bone-in (which you’ll need to debone yourself). When cutting your chicken, try to keep the pieces fairly uniform at about 1-inch chunks so they cook evenly. Just make sure your chicken is well-trimmed of excess fat before cutting it up for the best texture in your final dish.

Options for Substitutions

This stir fry recipe is pretty flexible and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken thighs: You can easily swap chicken thighs with chicken breast, though thighs are juicier. For a non-meat option, try firm tofu or tempeh – just make sure to press the tofu well and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Vegetables: The veggie mix is totally customizable! Try snow peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, or snap peas instead of asparagus. You can swap broccoli for cauliflower, and carrots for parsnips or yellow squash.
• Orange juice and zest: While fresh is best, you can use bottled orange juice in a pinch. If you’re out of oranges completely, try a mix of lemon juice and mandarin juice, though the flavor will be slightly different.
• Sesame oil: This adds a nice nutty flavor, but you can use regular oil if needed – just add a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds at the end for that nutty taste.
• Fresh ginger: If you don’t have fresh ginger, use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead. The flavor won’t be as bright, but it’ll work in a pinch.
• White rice: Feel free to serve this over brown rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. Just adjust cooking times according to your grain of choice.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making stir fry is overcrowding the pan, which causes the vegetables to steam instead of getting that perfect crisp-tender texture – work in batches if needed and keep your pan hot. A common mistake is cutting the chicken pieces in different sizes, leading to uneven cooking times – aim for uniform 1-inch pieces so everything cooks at the same rate. To avoid a watery sauce, make sure to thoroughly mix your cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the pan, and let it come to a full simmer to achieve the right thickness. For the best flavor, don’t skip toasting your sesame seeds and zesting your orange before juicing it – these small steps make a big difference in the final taste.

What to Serve With Orange Chicken Stir Fry?

While this orange chicken stir fry already comes with rice and plenty of veggies, you can round out your meal with some tasty Asian-inspired sides. A simple bowl of egg drop soup makes a great starter, or try some crispy spring rolls for a fun appetizer. If you want to add more vegetables to your spread, a cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing keeps things light and refreshing. For a family-style meal, put out some sweet chili sauce, extra soy sauce, and chopped peanuts so everyone can customize their plate.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This stir fry is perfect for meal prep! Place it in an airtight container in the fridge and it’ll stay good for up to 4 days. I like to store the rice separately from the chicken and veggies to keep everything at its best. The flavors actually get better after a day as everything marinates together!

Freeze: You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Just keep in mind that the vegetables might be a bit softer when thawed. If you’re planning to freeze, try cooking the veggies slightly less than usual so they don’t get too soft after reheating.

Reheat: To warm up your stir fry, pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. For best results, heat it in a pan over medium heat – this helps keep the vegetables crisp and the chicken juicy. Add a splash of water if needed to prevent the sauce from getting too thick.

Preparation Time	15-30 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	25-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

For the chicken and vegetables:

• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil (extra light olive oil recommended)
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 1 to 1 1/4 lb chicken thighs, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large head of broccoli, 5 to 6 cups florets
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
• Toasted sesame seeds (toast over medium heat, about 2 minutes, toss often)

For the orange marinade and sauce:

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest (zest of half an orange)
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from same orange)
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tbsp honey

For serving:

• 6 cups hot cooked white rice (from 2 cups dry rice)

Step 1: Prepare the Marinade and Marinate Chicken

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 tablespoon starch
• 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 to 1 1/4 lb chicken thighs, chopped into 1-inch pieces

In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup cold water and 1/2 tablespoon starch until smooth.

Add the orange zest, fresh orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and honey to the mixture, whisking until well combined.

Place the chopped chicken thigh pieces in a bowl and pour in 1/4 of the marinade.

Stir to coat evenly and let the chicken marinate for 15–30 minutes while preparing the vegetables.

Step 2: Prep and Steam the Vegetables

• 1 large head of broccoli, 5 to 6 cups florets
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 cup water

Prepare all the vegetables by cutting the broccoli into florets, trimming and slicing the asparagus, and cutting the carrot into matchsticks.

Heat a large wok or heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat and add 1/2 cup water.

Once the water boils, add the broccoli florets, carrot matchsticks, and sliced asparagus.

Cover the pan and allow them to steam for 2 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender and brightly colored.

Transfer the steamed vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

Rinse and dry the pan for the next step.

Step 3: Cook the Onion and Sauté Chicken

• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil (extra light olive oil recommended)
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• marinated chicken from Step 1
• reserved marinade from Step 1

Reheat the cleaned, dry pan over high heat.

Add the cooking oil, then sauté the diced onion for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the marinated chicken (from Step 1) to the skillet in a single layer.

Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to get a nice sear and brown on one side, then stir to brown the other side.

When the chicken is nearly cooked through, pour in the reserved marinade and simmer for about 3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

I like to keep the heat high here to get a little bit of caramelization on the sauce.

Step 4: Combine with Steamed Vegetables and Garnish

• steamed vegetables from Step 2
• toasted sesame seeds (toast over medium heat, about 2 minutes, toss often)

Add the steamed vegetables (from Step 2) to the pan with the chicken and sauce.

Stir everything together and cook for 1 more minute until the vegetables and chicken are coated in the sauce and everything is heated through.

Finish by sprinkling toasted sesame seeds over the top before serving.

For a bit of extra crunch and flavor, I like to toast the sesame seeds right before using.