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This Chicken Stir Fry recipe is a throwback to some of the flavors we grew to love when we lived in Taiwan for 2 years! It’s definitely “Americanized” in the fact that you can buy all of these ingredients at any local grocery store, but it still reminds my husband and me of some of our favorite traditional dishes from Taiwan.
This “recipe” can be customized according to what vegetables your family likes (which unfortunately rules out mushrooms and onions at our house — both of which are amazing in this stir fry if you ask me!), and you can make more or less of the sauce, depending on your taste preferences. I love that this is such a healthy way to get a large amount of vegetables into one meal without even feeling like you’re eating healthily!
It does take some prep work — washing and chopping vegetables — but once you’ve done that, the recipe practically makes itself. And the leftovers are possibly even better the next day! By the way, if you want to save time, just substitute a couple of bags of frozen vegetables for all of the fresh vegetables in this recipe.
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
Chinese Chicken Stir Fry Menu:
- Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry
- Steamed Rice
Ingredients for Chicken Stir Fry with Veggies:
- 1-lb boneless chicken tenderloins or breasts, diced into small pieces (Aldi – $2.19/lb) — $2.19
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
- 3/4 lb broccoli, chopped into bite-size florets (Aldi – $2.09/lb) — $1.57
- Approximately 3 cups additional fresh vegetables, chopped (I used peppers and carrots) — $1
- 2 green onions, diced (Aldi – $0.99/bag) — $0.15
- 1 can water chestnuts (optional — I use because we love them!) (Publix) — $0.99
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (Aldi – $1.50 for 10oz) — $0.60
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar (Aldi – $1.85 for 2 lbs) — $0.09
- Garlic cloves, minced, to taste (I used 5, divided)
- Fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced, to taste (I used 2 Tablespoons of fresh ginger, divided) — $0.50
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil (Walmart – $3.48 for 5 oz) — $0.34
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (Aldi – $2.09 for 16 oz) — $0.07
Total for Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry: $8.38 (serves 6)
Ingredients for Steamed Rice:
- 3 cups dry rice (Aldi – $6.75 for 5 lbs) — $1.69
- Water
- Salt
Total for Rice: $1.69 (serves 6)
Total Cost for Dinner: $10.07 (makes 6 servings)
How to Make Chinese Chicken Stir Fry:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, adding only half of the minced garlic and finely diced ginger. Set aside.
2. Cook the 3 cups of rice according to the directions on the package (or using your prefered method to cook rice).
3. Heat a wok or electric skillet to medium-high. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Stir in the diced chicken and cook until done and starting to brown, stirring often (don’t overcook!). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the chopped carrots and broccoli pieces. Cook and stir until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to cook and stir an additional 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens.
6. Serve the stir fry over rice.
Note: You can garnish the stir fry with additional chopped green onions, sesame seeds and/or peanuts or cashews if desired.
Chinese Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables and Rice ($10 Family Dinner Idea)
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry:
- 1- lb boneless chicken tenderloins or breasts diced into small pieces (Aldi – $2.19/lb) — $2.19
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil divided (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
- 3/4 lb broccoli chopped into bite-size florets (Aldi – $2.09/lb) — $1.57
- 3 cups additional fresh vegetables chopped (I used peppers and carrots) — $1
- 2 green onions diced (Aldi – $0.99/bag) — $0.15
- 1 can water chestnuts optional — I use because we love them! (Publix) — $0.99
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce Aldi – $1.50 for 10oz — $0.60
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar Aldi – $1.85 for 2 lbs — $0.09
- 5 cloves garlic cloves minced, to taste, and divided
- 2 Tbsp Fresh ginger peeled and finely diced, to taste, and divided— $0.50
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil Walmart – $3.48 for 5 oz — $0.34
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch Aldi – $2.09 for 16 oz — $0.07
Ingredients for Steamed Rice:
- 3 cups dry rice Aldi – $6.75 for 5 lbs — $1.69
- Water
- Salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, adding only half of the minced garlic and finely diced ginger. Set aside.
- Cook the 3 cups of rice according to the directions on the package (or using your prefered method to cook rice).
- Heat a wok or electric skillet to medium-high. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Stir in the diced chicken and cook until done and starting to brown, stirring often (don’t overcook!). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet along with the chopped carrots and broccoli pieces. Cook and stir until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to cook and stir an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens.
- Serve the stir fry over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs about Chinese Chicken Stir Fry:
I love putting chicken, aromatics like garlic and ginger, sauce, and assorted vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, and pepper, and serve it over rice.
To achieve the best flavor and be able to access all ingredients at an American grocery store, I make my favorite sauce with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic cloves and fresh ginger, water, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch.
I add broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, green onions, and water chestnuts, but you could also include snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, and bok choy.
More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:
- Cheesy Baked Tortellini and Green Bean Fries
- Bubble Pizza
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Skillet
- French Toast Casserole and Baked Scrambled Eggs
- Easy Baked Chicken
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Quick & Easy Mini Calzones
- Mexican Lasagna
- Easy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza
- Chicken Burgers and Baked Fries
- Spaghetti Pizza
And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!
If you make this Chinese Chicken Stir Fry family dinner, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!
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