Quick Pepper Chicken Stir Fry (Print Version)
Tender chicken and colorful bell peppers in a savory soy-hoisin glaze—ready in 25 minutes for busy weeknights.
# What You Need:
→ Protein
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small onion, sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish
→ Sauce and Seasonings
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
09 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
14 - 1/4 cup water
15 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
16 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for stir frying
# Preparation Steps:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, cornstarch, and water until smooth. Set aside.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers.
03 - Add the sliced chicken to the hot wok in a single layer. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add the sesame oil to the same wok. Toss in the onion and all three bell peppers, stir frying for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Return the chicken to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over everything and toss to coat evenly. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with sliced spring onions, and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce balances sweet, salty, and tangy in a way that makes everyone at the table go quiet after the first bite.
- You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry already, which means no emergency grocery runs on a weeknight.
02 -
- Do not crowd the wok with chicken, cook in two batches if needed because overcrowding drops the temperature and you end up boiling instead of searing.
- Prep every single ingredient before you turn on the stove because once the wok is hot, things move faster than you expect and there is no time to slice peppers mid stir fry.
03 -
- Spread the sliced chicken on a paper towel and pat it dry before cooking, because moisture is the enemy of a good sear and wet chicken steams instead of browning.
- Use the biggest wok or skillet you own and keep the heat at maximum confidence, because timid heat is the single biggest reason homemade stir fry never quite matches restaurant quality.