Easy Honey Peppered Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe for Easy Honey Peppered Chicken Stir Fry is a a quick (30 minute!) and flavorful dinner that tastes better than takeout!

Made with tender bites of chicken that are tossed with crisp bell peppers in a sweet, savory, and peppery honey sauce, this tasty dish is perfect when served over rice or noodles for a simple family-friendly meal everyone will love.

Why this recipe works.

This is a perfect easy weeknight meal when you want something satisfying, colorful, and packed with bold flavor without spending hours in the kitchen.

Here is what else you will like about this recipe.

• Easy Honey Peppered Chicken is a better-than-takeout meal that can be made for a fraction of the price.
• Personalizing this recipe is as easy as swapping out the vegetables or serving it over noodles.
• This is a quick and easy meal that is ready in about 30 minutes.
• As a family-friendly meal, this one is packed with protein!

Have you tried my recipe for 30 Minute Hibachi Chicken?

Made with bite-sized chicken seared in sesame oil and then cooked with a buttery garlic and ginger sauce, that savory dish is both impressive and satisfying. Both this Easy Honey Peppered Chicken Stir Fry and that Hibachi Chicken are easy and tasty chicken recipes that can be made at home.

Rice Vinegar is used to to give this dish a more authentic taste. You can find Rice Vinegar here

Ingredients Needed.

• Chicken Breast. Use boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been cut into bite-sized one inch pieces.
• Cornstarch Added for texture.
• Soy Sauce. A low sodium soy sauce can be used.
• Sesame Oil A neutral oil such as vegetable oil can be used instead.
• Bell Peppers Red Pepper and Green Pepper, seeds and stems removed and then sliced into slivers about ½" thick.
• Garlic. Freshly minced.
• Ginger. Freshly grated.
• Honey. Use a good honey for optimal flavor.
• Soy Sauce.
• Rice Vinegar Apple cider vinegar can alternatively be used.
• Black Pepper Freshly cracked black pepper is preferred.
• Slurry Cornstarch and Water.
• Optional garnish: green onions or sesame seeds

How to Make Honey Peppered Chicken Stir Fry

• Prep Time 15 minutes .
• Cook Time 15 minutes .
• Servings 4 .
• How to serve : Serve over rice or with noodles for a more authentic experience.
• Notes: You will need bowls and a large skillet or wok.

1. Chicken. Place the cut up chicken pieces into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, use a whisk to combine together the soy sauce and cornstarch (one tablespoon of both). Pour half of the mixture over the chicken and toss. Then repeat the process using the remaining mixture.
2. Cooking Sauce. To make the sauce for cooking, in a clean bowl, use a whisk to combine together the honey, soy sauce (two tablespoons), rice vinegar, and black pepper.
3. Brown. Preheat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the chicken to the skillet or wok and cook allow the chicken to cook for two minutes. After the two minutes you can start stirring the chicken constantly while if continues to cook until browned and cooked through. It should take about six to eight minutes for this step. When the chicken is done cooking transfer it to a clean plate or holding area.
4. Peppers In the skillet or wok that you just used to cook the chicken, stir fry the sliced peppers until slightly tender, about two to three minutes. Then add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
5. Combine Return the chicken to the pan with the cooked peppers. Pour the sauce that you made in the second step over the ingredients and stir the ingredients until the chicken is well coated.
6. Slurry. In a small bowl, use a fork or small whisk to combine together the slurry ingredients- cornstarch and water. Add this to the ingredients and continue to cook until thickened, stirring constantly. It should take a couple of minutes to get the sauce to a good texture for serving.
7. Serve. Serve your chicken stir fry warm over rice or with noodles and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Stir Fry.

This recipe can be made with skinless chicken breast or thighs. What is important is that you cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces to that they can cook uniformly.

More helpful tips for you.

1. I like to use a clean paper towel to pat down the chicken and remove excess moisture. This will help the chicken brown better.
2. When you place the chicken into your skillet, make sure that you do not overcrowd the skillet as doing so can affect the chicken. If all of your chicken does not fit into the skillet without touching, you may need to cook the chicken in batches so that it can caramelize properly.
3. The slurry needs to be mixed up just before adding it to the other ingredients. If it is mixed ahead of time the cornstarch can settle to the bottom which can affect the thickening of the sauce.

FAQ

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
  Yes! Chicken thighs work great in this recipe and tend to stay extra juicy and flavorful. Just make sure that the chicken is cut into similar sized pieces.
• How spicy is this Honey Peppered Chicken Stir Fry?
  I find that it is more peppery than spicy. Using cracked black pepper adds a bold flavor without too much heat. You can adjust the amount of pepper used to your taste.
• Can I add other vegetables?
  Absolutely. Broccoli, snap peas, carrots, onions, or mushrooms all work well in this stir fry.
• Why is my sauce too thin?
  The sauce may need a little more simmering time after adding the cornstarch slurry. Let it cook for another minute or two until thickened. For sauce that is too thick, simply stir in a small amount of water.
• Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
  Yes. You can cut the chicken up, prep the sauce and chop the vegetables ahead of time for quicker cooking later. Leftovers also reheat well.

Variations.

• Take this chicken up a notch by adding in red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce for extra heat.
• Swap out the chicken with shrimp. Cooking time will need to be adjusted as shrimp cooks faster than chicken.
• Make this into a crispy chicken by using chicken nuggets instead of fresh chicken. Cooking times may differ.

How to store peppered chicken stir fry.

Once your chicken has fully cooled it can be stored in an airtight container. When properly stored, it should keep for up to four days when refrigerated or frozen for up to a couple of months. You can reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium heat.

You may also be interested in these chicken recipes too.

• Greek Chicken Meatballs Recipe
• Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Dinner
• Honey Dijon Shredded Chicken (Dutch Oven)
• Mediterranean Diet Chicken Breast Kabobs
• Baked Chicken Nuggets from Scratch
• Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)