Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable)

Juicy chicken and crisp cabbage in savory umami sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for easy weeknight dining.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, water, and sugar until well combined. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4 to 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 to 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 to 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 Advice:

01 -
  • It takes half an hour from start to finish, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without losing your mind.
  • The cabbage gets these crispy, caramelized edges that taste better than any restaurant version.
  • You probably have most of the ingredients already, and if you dont, theyre easy to grab.
  • Its flexible enough to handle whatever protein or vegetables youve got hanging around.
02 -
  • Dont crowd the pan when cooking the chicken or it will steam instead of sear, which means no golden bits.
  • Slice the cabbage thinner than you think you should, it shrinks fast and thin slices get those crispy edges.
  • Have everything prepped before you start cooking because once that pan is hot, things move quickly.
03 -
  • Let the chicken sit undisturbed for the first minute or two so it gets a good sear, then stir.
  • If your sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it loosens up.
  • Prep all your vegetables before you start cooking so youre not scrambling while the pans heating.
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