Description
Looking for a quick dinner that still tastes like takeout? This Chinese Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry is an easy recipe that turns simple pantry staples into a saucy, veggie-packed bowl you can serve over hot rice on the busiest nights. It’s loaded with lean chicken and crunchy cabbage, so while I love it as a weeknight dinner idea, the leftovers also make a surprisingly good quick breakfast or healthy snack when you need fast breakfast ideas, dinner ideas, or just fresh food ideas that come together fast.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons neutral oil for stir frying
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water or low sodium chicken broth
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Slice the chicken breasts thinly against the grain and place them in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil, and the cornstarch, then toss until the chicken is evenly coated and set aside to marinate while you prep the other ingredients.
2. Shred or thinly slice the cabbage, thinly slice the red bell pepper, and slice the green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Mince the garlic and ginger.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and the water or chicken broth, then stir in the minced garlic and ginger to form the stir-fry sauce.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the marinated chicken in a single layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes to sear, then stir-fry until the chicken is mostly cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the same skillet if needed, then add the cabbage, red bell pepper, and the white parts of the green onions. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cabbage is starting to soften and char in spots but still has some crunch.
6. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, give the sauce a quick stir, and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Stir constantly as the sauce bubbles and thickens, coating everything evenly; if it becomes too thick, add a splash of water to loosen.
7. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper if needed, then remove from the heat and stir in the green parts of the green onions.
8. Serve the Chinese Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry hot over bowls of cooked jasmine rice, with extra chili garlic sauce on the side if you like more heat.
Notes
To keep the chicken tender and lightly browned, avoid overcrowding the pan—cook it in a single layer over high heat, and if your skillet is on the smaller side, sear the chicken in two batches so it doesn’t steam and turn rubbery.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 36
- Cholesterol: 95
Keywords: chinese chicken cabbage stir fry, quick dinner, easy recipe, healthy dinner ideas, stir fry, chicken and cabbage, weeknight dinner, food ideas