Description
Sizzling sweet and spicy chicken stir fry delivers complex Asian-inspired flavors with balanced heat and sweetness. Quick weeknight dinner combines tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and a zesty sauce that sparks excitement on your plate.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
- ½ white onion, chopped
- 2 tbsps (30 g) Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, divided
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp (5 g) minced ginger
- ¼ cup (59 ml) honey
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili garlic sauce
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) garlic powder
- ¼ tsp (1.25 g) black pepper
- 1 tbsp (8 g) corn starch
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
- ¼ tsp (1.25 g) sesame seeds
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Whisk honey, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a bowl until smooth and well-blended, then set aside for later use.
- Chicken Seasoning: Season chicken with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, then coat evenly with cornstarch to create a light, crispy exterior.
- Vegetable Sautéing: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sauté zucchini, bell peppers, and onions until they develop charred edges and reach a tender-crisp consistency.
- Vegetable Removal: Transfer sautéed vegetables to a plate, keeping the skillet hot and ready for the next stage.
- Chicken Searing: Add additional butter and sesame oil to the skillet, then sear chicken pieces until they achieve a golden-brown caramelized finish.
- Aromatics Infusion: Incorporate minced garlic and ginger into the chicken, allowing their flavors to intensify for a brief moment.
- Sauce Integration: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, bringing it to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer while stirring occasionally to thicken the sauce.
- Final Combination: Reintroduce the sautéed vegetables to the chicken, gently tossing to ensure complete sauce coverage and uniform heating.
Notes
- Prep Cornstarch Carefully: Ensure an even, light coating on chicken for crispy texture without clumping.
- Control Heat Precisely: Medium-high heat prevents burning and supports perfect caramelization of chicken and vegetables.
- Layer Flavors Strategically: Add garlic and ginger briefly to prevent burning while maximizing aromatic intensity.
- Sauce Timing Matters: Pour sauce when chicken is hot to create quick thickening and maximum flavor absorption.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 598 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg