Chicken and Bell Pepper Stir Fry
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This stir fry with chicken and bell peppers is fast, flavorful, and approachable, thanks to a base of everyday ingredients. Bite-sized pieces of chicken are velveted for a tender effect, paired with tender-crisp chunks of pepper and onion, and finished with a homemade sauce that is perfectly tangy and sweet at once. Serve with rice or noodles for a quick take-out fake-out you’ll be proud to have made at home.
We love a good stir fry around here! They are quick, simple, and an excellent vehicle for making use of any produce that’s lingered in your fridge. Chop it, toss it, and embrace the magic of a quick homemade sauce to make even humble veggies very appealing.
A good seasonal combo has its place—like this chicken asparagus stir fry in spring—but bell peppers are a year-round staple here and deserve their own spotlight. Few veggies are so widely-available, long-lasting, and delightfully crisp yet sweet. Their crunch perfectly plays off this stir fry’s tender bites of chicken and onion.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Pepper Stir Fry
- Takes about 30 minutes start to finish—25 if you move fast 🙂
- The sauce is amazing! Tang, sweetness, and umami, all from real ingredients
- Perfect vehicle for tossing in extra veggies
- Velveting the chicken keeps it so tender and locks in flavor
- Reheats beautifully for lunch the next day
Ingredient Notes
Homemade Stir Fry, Step-by-Step
Begin by velveting the chicken, which is just a fancy way of saying toss it with a bit of cornstarch, salt, and pepper. It should have a light coating, as you can see in the ingredient photo above.
Chop the onions and peppers into chunks approximately 1 and 1/4-inch square.
Once the chicken is ready, set a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous drizzle of cooking oil. When it starts to shimmer, add about half of the chicken. It’s worth the extra few minutes required to cook the chicken in batches, because by not crowding the pieces, you help each one develop a nice golden coating.
Skillet vs. Work Stir Fry?
I firmly believe you do not need a specialty wok to make a good stir fry at home. Any large skillet with medium to high sides will work well. The benefits of a wok are mainly that it requires less cooking oil and that the small bottom surface area + sloped sides creates a dual-zone effect that helps steam food without overcooking and increases control over the rate at which sauces thicken. These are nice, yes, but for the everyday home cook, not a deal-breaker.
While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a large liquid measuring cup. Don’t worry if they don’t fully combine; some settling is normal.
Remove the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the peppers. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, until the peppers are tender-crisp, then return the chicken to the pan and pour over the sauce.
The sauce will thicken quickly, thanks to the cornstarch added to it. I find the consistency just right after 2-3 minutes of bubbling, which is conveniently just enough time to warm the chicken pieces back through. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will get.
Serving Stir Fry
This is classic “busy weeknight” meal territory, so I say keep it simple. Whip up some rice—microwave, Instant Pot, stovetop, you name it. Brown rice, cauliflower rice, or rice noodles are great alternatives.
You also can steam extra veggies to go on the side or directly into the stir fry: think snow peas, edamame, shredded carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, etc. Steamed dumplings, egg rolls, or spring rolls are nice accompaniments if you want more variety on plates.
Entice the Choosiest Eaters
You might be surprised how well sweet fruits such as mandarin oranges, pineapple, and mango pair with stir fry. If not exactly traditional, they are an easy way to round out meals. Try putting a few pieces of fruit plain in one part of the plate and another piece of the same fruit drizzled with a couple drops of the stir fry sauce in another part of the plate. It’s like the gentlest invitation!
Can’t get enough of this delicious sauce? You’ll adore it in a chicken and broccoli stir fry next.
More 30-Minute Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Sweet and Sticky Asian Meatballs
- Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
- Quick Bourbon Chicken
- Honey Teriyaki Chicken Skillet
Chicken and Bell Pepper Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch divided
- kosher salt and black pepper
- avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or a cube, see note
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 medium onion chopped into bite-sized chunks (about 1.25" each)
- 2 large bell peppers seeded and chopped into bite-sized chunks (about 1.25" each)
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews optional
- rice, green onions, and sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 1”) and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of the cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, kosher salt and black pepper
- Set a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous drizzle of oil. When it starts to shimmer, add half the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes without touching, until one side is golden, then turn frequently as it browns for another couple of minutes, until each piece is cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, set aside, and repeat with remaining chicken.avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Combine broth, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic powder, and remaining 1 Tablespoon cornstarch in a large liquid measuring cup. Whisk and set aside.1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1/4 cup honey, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- After removing the last pieces of chicken, add onions to the pan. Saute for 1-2 minutes, then add peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until tender-crisp.1/2 medium onion, 2 large bell peppers
- Return chicken to the pan, followed by the sauce. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens as much as you like. Turn off the heat and stir in cashews if desired.1/2 cup roasted cashews
- Serve over rice or noodles, with optional sprinkles of green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!rice, green onions, and sesame seeds
Notes
- Sauce: If the sauce separates a lot while you cook the veggies, give it another quick stir or whisk before pouring over the chicken.
- Rice Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute if needed.
- Ginger: I nearly always use a cube of frozen ginger—one small cube is typically equal to 1 tsp. fresh grated, and they are sold in a small tray near veggies in most freezer aisles.
- Veggies: This is really flexible; additional or substitute veggies can include snow peas, shredded carrots, mushrooms, canned water chestnuts, etc.
- Storage: Leftovers keep at least 3-4 days. Store individual servings in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Keep some cashews separate to add just prior to eating so they stay crunchy.
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- Recipe: This recipe was originally published in January 2023 and has been tweaked to use honey in the sauce and switch the order of preparing the chicken and veggies, which I have found yields a more straightforward process.
