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 Make It:

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 4-5 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 3-4 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 2-3 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under 30 minutes, leaving you time to actually sit down and eat.
  • The sauce clings to every piece, so each bite tastes as good as the last.
  • Cabbage stays crisp and sweet, never soggy or bitter.
  • You can swap the protein or add whatever vegetables are starting to wilt in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan when cooking the chicken or it will steam instead of sear, leaving you with pale, rubbery pieces.
  • Whisk the sauce again right before pouring it in, because the cornstarch settles at the bottom and you need it evenly mixed for the sauce to thicken properly.
  • If your cabbage releases a lot of water, turn up the heat for a minute to let it evaporate so the stir-fry does not turn soupy.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken while it is still slightly frozen, it is much easier to get thin, even pieces that cook quickly.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, because once the pan is hot, everything moves fast and there is no time to chop.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust the soy sauce or sugar to your preference, it is much easier to fix now than later.
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