A quick and delicious weeknight chicken stir fry you can easily customize using your favorite seasonal veggies.
Kelly Smith, from The Nourishing Home, is the author of one of my favorite grain-free baking cookbooks. Today she is sharing an easy chicken recipe that's perfect for weeknight dinners. Using zucchini noodles instead of traditional noodles, and coconut aminos in place of soy sauce, makes this dish paleo, gluten-free and grain-free.
Here's Kelly with her quick and easy chicken stir fry with zoodles recipe---and a great idea to make a second dish from the leftovers!
Healthy one-skillet meals are my go-to favorite for busy weeknights, which is why they regularly appear in my weekly grain-free meal plans. After all, who doesn't enjoy the ease of tossing a bunch of wholesome ingredients into a pan to create a delicious and nutritious meal in just minutes, with minimal cleanup to boot! Now, that's what I call a win-win!
This Easy Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry is one of my family's favorites. It's perfect for showcasing the fresh flavors of spring veggies, so feel free to substitute with seasonal produce of your choice. (What could be better than lots of harmonious flavors tossed together with zucchini noodles for an extra touch of noodle-slurping fun?!)
The secret to a great stir fry (and really any cooking session) is to have all of the recipe ingredients sliced, diced and ready to go before you begin cooking. This important step makes life in the kitchen not only quicker and easier, but more successful and enjoyable too since you don't have to stop during the cooking process to do anything other than add the next ingredient.
Since all of the ingredients in this recipe store well in airtight containers in the fridge, you can save even more time on busy weeknights by taking a few minutes over the weekend to prep ahead. This makes it super easy to just toss the ready-to-go ingredients into a hot skillet, and have dinner ready in less than 20 minutes!
This simple and savory recipe makes a heaping skillet full of healthy veggie goodness. So, if you're lucky enough to find yourself with extra helpings, I've got an incredibly flavorful way you can transform them into a quick-n-easy Asian-Style Chicken & Zoodle Soup. Simply add one cup of homemade chicken stock to every one cup of leftover stir fry. Then, reheat for a quick lunch or dinner. Yum! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read the full disclosure policy here.
Easy Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry with Zoodles
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil plus additional for stir frying
- 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Veggie Stir Fry
- 4 large zucchini
- 5 green onions include whites and some green parts, sliced
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 large carrots cut into thin matchsticks
- 6 oz snow peas or snap peas
- 1 red pepper sliced in strips
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces, trimming away any excess fat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken marinade. Add the chicken and toss well to evenly coat. Set aside.
- Use a spiralizer (or julienne peeler) to make zucchini noodles; set aside. (For step-by-step instructions on how to make zucchini noodles, be sure to check out How to Spiralize in 3 Easy Steps.)
- Cut and slice remaining veggies as noted above, making sure to keep the red pepper and mushrooms separate from the other ingredients. Then, heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil. Add the diced green onions and sauté a minute or two until fragrant. Then, add the chicken making sure to evenly distribute throughout pan. Allow chicken to sear for a minute. Then, gently toss to cook all sides, just until chicken is opaque (about 2 minutes).
- Add the broccoli, carrots and snow peas. Toss well to combine. Sauté about 2 minutes. Then, add the coconut aminos, grated ginger and garlic. Toss well to evenly distribute throughout veggie mixture. Cover pan for about 2 minutes until veggies begin to slightly soften.
- Next, add the red pepper and mushrooms. Toss well to combine ingredients and continue sautéing about 2 minutes uncovered.
- Finally, add the zucchini noodles and toss well to combine. Cover the pan to allow the zucchini noodles to steam cook until they reach desired consistency. (We prefer ours al dente, so 1-2 minutes is generally all it takes.)
- Remove cover, toss well to combine ingredients. Season with additional sea salt to taste, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Kelly Smith is the author of the popular grain-free lifestyle blog The Nourishing Home. With a passion for healthy home-style cooking, she's on a mission to transform everyday familiar favorites into nourishing meals the whole family will love! Connect with Kelly on her blog, Facebook and Instagram.
Savannah says
Oh my goodness, this is the recipe I've been searching for all my life!!
No, but seriously, one thing I've repeatedly said since going gluten free is how much I. miss. lo. mien!!! Seriously, I miss Chinese sooo much. I don't know how I didn't think of ZOODLES! Thank you soooo much for sharing- I can't wait to try this out (:
Lisa says
Yay! So glad you found it, Savannah!