Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry

Name: Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, very finely diced ((see note)); 2 cloves Garlic, minced; 1/4 cup Honey; 1/3 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce ((sub Tamari for a gluten-free version)); 3 Tablespoons Ketchup; 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil; 1 teaspoon White Sesame Seeds, plus more for topping; 1 1/2 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast; 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch; 3 Tablespoons Cooking Oil; 2 stalks Green Onions, chopped, plus more for topping

Published: Oct 10, 2021 · Modified: Mar 6, 2023 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 34 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

Looking for a healthier takeout fake-out dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes? Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry is IT. Tender chicken, coated in sweet, savory, ginger sauce. Serve it with rice and a steamed broccoli for a meal that’s worthy of the regular dinner rotation.

chicken stir fry over rice in a white bowl with chopsticks

The key to a great homemade takeout fake-out dinner is in the details. Fresh ginger and garlic make all the difference in transforming a simple from-scratch sauce into something special (like this noodle-based takeout fake-out, Hoisin Ginger Rice Noodles).

I’m hungry just thinking about it. Let’s make Honey Ginger Chicken!

chicken stir fry over rice in a white bowl

How to Make Honey Ginger Chicken

Make sauce. Combine all ingredients for the sauce.
Toss chicken with cornstarch. This recipe uses a good amount of cornstarch to insure that the sauce thickens. It may not all stick to the chicken, but give it a good stir to coat it as much as possible.
Sear chicken. Sear chicken until golden brown.
Add first part of sauce. Add 3 tablespoon of sauce until chicken is sticky and coated.
Add second part of sauce. Add all remaining sauce and simmer for a few minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Finish and serve. Stir in green onions and serve!

pouring honey into a metal measuring cup

Ingredients

Chicken Breast - Use cubed chicken breast here. It also works with chicken thighs, shrimp, or extra-firm tofu.
Cornstarch - Tossing the chicken with cornstarch before cooking not only helps it to brown nicely in the pan, but it thickens the sauce.
Ginger and Garlic - The recipe will work without these, but they add so much flavor that I strongly encourage you to put in the couple of extra minutes it takes to prepare them. Be sure the ginger is very finely diced or grated before using it. And if you can't get enough of these flavors, be sure to also check out my Ginger Chicken Stir-fry.
Toasted Sesame Oil - Look for this in the Asian / international aisle at the grocery store. It should be dark in color.
White Sesame Seeds - Stir these into the sauce to give it some texture. Feel free to sprinkle some on top of the finished stir-fry as well for some color.
Honey, Soy Sauce, Ketchup - Pantry staples you’ll need to make the sauce.
Green Onions - These add fresh flavor and color when stirred into the dish at the end of cooking.

Add Sauce in Two Parts

When I was testing this recipe, my goal was to find a balance between chicken that is really coated in a sticky glaze of sauce and still has plenty of liquid sauce remaining in the pan to spoon over rice. The key is to add the sauce in two additions. The first small portion of sauce reduces down and completely coats the chicken. The second larger portion cooks for just a couple of minutes so it doesn’t get quite as thick. The result mimics the sticky, saucy consistency of a great takeout stir-fry.

Possible Variations

Make it vegetarian - Use cubed extra-firm tofu instead of chicken.
Add vegetables - Stir some steamed broccoli, diced bell peppers, or chopped steamed green beans into the dish.
Make it gluten-free - Use gluten-free Tamari in place of the soy sauce to easily make this recipe gluten-free.

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