This quick Chicken and Zucchini Stir Fry is delicious, made with chicken breast, zucchini and an easy stir fry sauce.
Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry
Perfect for weeknight dinners and a great way to use up that summer zucchini! Asian takeout doesn’t have to be high in fat and calories, a few great examples of some Skinnytaste favorites: Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry, General Tso’s Chicken, Orange Chicken Makeover, just to name a few.
This quick and easy stir fry dish will satisfy those takeout cravings without all the heavy fried flavors. The sauce is full of garlic and ginger in a soy and sesame sauce that’s delicious!
When it comes to making Chinese stir-fry recipes, one of the most important things in making it authentic is the way you slice your chicken. The thinner the chicken the more tender it becomes.
How to cut chicken thin for a stir-fry:
To make it easy to cut the chicken thin for stir frying, freeze the chicken for about one hour before slicing.
When it is partially frozen you can easily slice the chicken very thinly against the grain. Don’t worry about the chicken being frozen. Since the slices are so thin they will thaw back out in just a couple of minutes.
By cutting against the grain we are making the bites very tender and easy to chew through, especially upon reheating!
How to tenderize chicken for stir-fry:
Chicken breast is usually dry and chewy. For silky smooth chicken like you get from Chinese take-out, this simple (optional) technique using baking soda to tenderize meat will have you cooking scrumptious restaurant style Chinese food at home.
- 16 ounces chicken breast sliced very thin
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- Slice the chicken thin as instructed above.
- Evenly combine the chicken with baking soda and set aside 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a colander and rinse a few times to remove the baking soda.
- Pat dry with paper towels and start your stir fry dish.
More Stir Fry Recipes:
- Teriyaki Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
- Pepper Steak
- Shanghai Beef and Broccoli
- Skirt Steak and Baby Bock Choy Stir Fry
- Shrimp Stir Fry
Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or use gf soy sauce*
- 1 cup chicken broth*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon canola oil divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 pound chicken breast, sliced very thinly
- 2 cups zucchini, cut 1/4 inch thick half moons (from 1 large zucchini)
- sesame seeds and scallion for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the soy sauce, chicken broth, cornstarch, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil and whisk until everything is completely dissolved.
- In a large skillet add one teaspoon canola oil on medium high heat and cook half the chicken until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate.
- Repeat with the second half of the chicken and an additional teaspoon of oil. Remove the chicken to the plate.
- Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic and ginger and cook for 30-45 seconds until very fragrant but not browned.
- Stir the garlic and ginger well and add in the sauce, whisking well. Cook the sauce 1 minute, then add in the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes more, until thickened and the zucchini is tender crisp. Remove from heat, add in the chicken and stir well to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions if desired.
Last Step:
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Notes
Nutrition
Photo credit: Jess Larson
