This Chinese chicken stir-fry recipe is a quick and easy one-pan meal designed to comply with the Whole30 program. Each serving packs lean protein and fresh vegetables tossed in a delicious sauce.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Marinate sliced chicken strips in coconut aminos, sesame oil, and ginger. More surface area quickly infuses flavor.
- Coconut aminos, made from coconut sap, are a wheat— and soy-free alternative to soy sauce. They are sweeter and less salty.
- Arrowroot powder, a fine white powder, thickens sauces like cornstarch, adds body, and helps the glaze stick to the chicken.
Featured Comment 23
“Oh my!!! This stir fry was fantastic. I did serve it over cauliflower rice, but I was raving about the flavors. One thing I especially like about your recipes is that you list substitutions for different eating lifestyles so I can have options. Very helpful.”—Annie B.
Why It Works
I grew up eating a bountiful amount of Chinese food, so it’s in my comfort zone to create simple weeknight recipes. To revamp a classic chicken stir-fry recipe to fit the Whole30 diet program, the sauce uses a few healthy substitutions, like coconut aminos and arrowroot powder.
This swap adds rich flavor and a nice texture to the sauce without compromising taste. Each bowl is packed with tender slices of lean chicken breast and fresh veggies for a nutritious meal made with ease! So if you’ve got a wok, let’s get it fired up! Don’t have a wok? That’s okay! A large sauté pan will also do the trick.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: For a lean protein option, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Coconut Aminos: Replaces soy sauce in traditional recipes. It’s a dark brown sauce made from coconut sap with a savory, sweet flavor. It’s a great wheat- and soy-free alternative in Asian cooking. I found it much sweeter and less salty than soy sauce.
- Arrowroot Powder: This white fine powder thickens sauces instead of cornstarch. It adds body to the sauce and helps the glaze stick to the chicken.
- Oil: Fragrant sesame oil seasons the chicken and sauce, and coconut oil is the fat used to stir-fry the ingredients.
- Aromatics: Minced ginger and garlic are very pungent. They add intense aromatics to the stir-fry.
- Vegetables: A colorful and healthy mix of broccoli florets, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, and green onions.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
Now that you know how to make this easy chicken stir-fry recipe with coconut aminos, you can easily switch up the dish. Try these tasty Whole30-compliant options:
- Use Dark Meat: If you prefer dark meat, use chicken thighs. Trim off the excess fat. Leaving a small portion is okay, but too much can make the dish greasy.
- Switch Up The Veggies: Try adding small pieces of green beans, different colored bell peppers, zucchini, water chestnuts, snow peas, or sugar snap peas.
- Oil Options: Use a high-smoke-point oil like avocado oil, light olive oil, or ghee to cook the stir-fry.
- Make it Spicy: To make the sauce hotter, add red pepper flakes, chili oil, or Sriracha.
- Add Nuts: Add creamy cashews, walnuts, or sliced almonds for a nice crunch.
- Coconut Aminos Swap: Use Bragg liquid aminos, but it will taste saltier.
- Vinegar: Instead of rice vinegar, use a mild apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Chicken-Stir Fry
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
Slice the chicken into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Marinating the pieces in coconut aminos, sesame oil, and ginger quickly infuses the meat’s surface with more flavor.
Step 2: Make the Stir-Fry Sauce
The stir-fry sauce is a little different from the traditional ingredients of soy sauce and cornstarch. They are swapped for more modern ingredients allowed in the Whole30 diet.
I use a mixture of sesame oil, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, salt, and arrowroot powder. It still has all the qualities of a good glaze—umami taste balanced with pungent and aromatic flavors. Chinese food is bold, so let’s keep it that way!
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
The stir-fry technique uses very little oil, making it a healthier meal. The very hot large skillet quickly browns the chicken’s surface, creating a beautiful golden color and adding layers of new flavors from the Maillard reaction. The high heat cooks the proteins in less than 5 minutes.
Step 4: Cook the Vegetables
When cooking vegetables in the wok, cook them until softened while preserving their crisp texture and vibrant color. The broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and bell pepper just need a quick sear.
Step 5: Cook the Aromatics
I wait to add the minced ginger and garlic until the very end of stir-frying. This prevents the delicate aromatics from burning. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken to the pan to warm while the sauce simmers.
Step 6: Simmer the Sauce
Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients to ensure that the thickening agent is evenly dispersed. Add it to the hot wok. Stir continuously to heat the starches, swell them, and thicken the sauce. The process only takes about a minute.
Step 7: Ready to Serve
Cooking the chicken and vegetables only takes about 10 minutes. Top the dish with sliced green onions. Feel free to sprinkle on sesame seeds. It’s extremely quick and easy—just how a weeknight dinner should be! My kids are picky eaters, and this is one dish I can make that everyone enjoys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making cornstarch slurries to thicken stir-fry sauce is essential in Chinese cooking. Arrowroot powder, made from the tuber of the arrowroot plant, is a popular substitute if you’re looking to eliminate corn from your diet, and you can easily find it at the grocery store. It can be used as a 100% replacement for cornstarch and works very similarly once heated. Mix arrowroot powder into cool liquid before adding it to the hot pan to prevent clumping. Add it to simmering liquid at 185-206°F (85-96°C) at the very end of cooking, and do not reheat, as it loses its thickening power with more heat.
The sauce is made of coconut aminos, arrowroot powder for grain-free thickening, rice vinegar for pungency, sesame oil, and sea salt. If you are not following the Whole30 diet, you can use soy sauce and cornstarch instead. You can also add chicken broth for a savory addition, or honey for a hint of sweetness.
For a low-carb, gluten-free meal, serve the chicken stir-fry over sautéed cauliflower rice or broccoli rice. Alternatively, serve with brown rice, white rice, or chow mein noodles for a non-Whole30 side dish.
Allow the stir-fry to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s great for portioning out for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week.
More Whole30 Recipes
If you tried this Chicken Stir-fry Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut to ½" thick strips
- ½ cup coconut aminos, divided
- 3 ½ teaspoons sesame oil, divided
- 4 teaspoons minced ginger, divided
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot flour
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ½ cup carrots, ¼" thick slices
- 2 cups brown mushrooms, ¼" thick slices
- 1 cup red bell peppers, ¼" thick slices
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken – In a medium bowl, combine sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon ginger. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Make the Stir-Fry Sauce – In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 6 tablespoons coconut aminos, rice vinegar, salt, and arrowroot powder. Set aside.
- Cook the Chicken – Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and saute until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate. Carefully wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel.
- Cook the Vegetables – Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to the wok. Once hot, add the broccoli and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add carrots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and saute for 1 minute. Add bell peppers and saute for 1 minute.
- Cook the Aromatics – Add garlic and ginger to the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken back to the pan and stir to combine.
- Simmer the Sauce – Whisk the sauce and then add it to the center of the wok. Stir continuously until the sauce has thickened, about 1 minute.
- To Serve – Season the chicken stir-fry with salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with green onions.
Notes
- Oil Substitutes: You can substitute vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee for coconut oil.
- Using Cornstarch: You can substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder if you are not following the Whole30 diet.
- Using Soy Sauce: You can substitute soy sauce for coconut aminos if you are not on the Whole30 diet. However, taste the sauce first before adding additional salt.
- More Sauce: Double the sauce ingredients.
- Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Annie Barrs says
Oh my!!! This stir fry was fantastic. I did serve it over cauliflower rice but I was raving about the flavors. One thing I especially like about your recipes is that you list substitutions for different eating lifestyles so I can have options. Very helpful.
Jessica even my husband knows your name now!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! I’m happy that you and your husband enjoyed the stir-fry.
ZM says
I made this tonight for dinner! It was really good – even the baby ate it.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you! Thrilled to hear that the family enjoyed the stir-fry.