Rainbow Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Introduction

This Rainbow Chicken Stir Fry is a vibrant and healthy meal packed with colorful vegetables and tender chicken in a glossy, flavorful sauce. It’s quick to prepare and perfect served over rice, making it a great choice for busy weeknights or anytime you want a delicious, nourishing dinner.

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 4 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce
• Pinch of white pepper (or black pepper)
• Chicken:
• 350g (12 oz) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• Pinch of white pepper
• Rainbow stir fry:
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola oil)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3 green onion stems, cut into 4 cm / 2″ lengths, white part separated from green part (or 1/2 onion sliced)
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 1/2 yellow capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 3 baby bok choy, leaves cut off stems, stems cut lengthways
• 3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews (or almonds)
• 3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame beans
• 1 1/2 cups purple cabbage, cut into 5 x 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)
• Serving:
• White rice or any rice of choice

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the sauce by mixing cornflour with a splash of water in a jug until dissolved. Add oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, white pepper, and the remaining water, stirring until fully combined.
2. Step 2: Toss the chicken strips with Chinese cooking wine and a pinch of white pepper to season.
3. Step 3: Heat the oil in a large 30 cm (12″) non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and stir constantly until mostly cooked, about 2 minutes.
4. Step 4: Add the minced garlic and the white part of the green onion. Cook and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Step 5: Add the red and yellow capsicum strips, sugar snap peas, bok choy stems, cashews, and frozen edamame. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
6. Step 6: Add the bok choy leaves, purple cabbage, and green part of the green onion. Toss everything together with two spatulas until the greens are slightly wilted, about 30 seconds.
7. Step 7: Pour in the prepared sauce, stir well, and let it simmer for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, coating the ingredients nicely.
8. Step 8: Drizzle the sesame oil over the stir fry, toss to combine, and serve immediately over cooked white rice or your choice of rice.

Tips & Variations

• For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with firm tofu and use vegetarian oyster sauce or additional soy sauce.
• You can swap out the vegetables based on what’s available—use broccoli, zucchini, carrots or baby spinach. Just adjust cooking times to match the vegetable’s texture.
• If using chicken breast or leaner cuts, tenderise the meat to keep it juicy.
• If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, Mirin, cooking sake, or dry sherry are good substitutes. For a non-alcoholic option, replace the water in sauce with low-sodium chicken stock and omit the wine.
• Use a large pan or wok to avoid overcrowding. If your pan is smaller, cook in batches to ensure crisp, vibrant vegetables.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce may thin as vegetables release water. This dish is not recommended for freezing. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?

Yes, you can use chicken breast, but it’s best to tenderise it first to keep the meat juicy and tender when stir frying.

What can I substitute for Chinese cooking wine?

You can use Mirin, cooking sake, or dry sherry as substitutes. For a non-alcoholic option, omit the wine and use low-sodium chicken stock in the sauce instead.

Rainbow Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 147 reviews

• Author: Sophie
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings 1x
• Diet: Halal

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Description

A vibrant and flavorful Rainbow Chicken Stir Fry featuring tender chicken thighs tossed with a colorful mix of fresh vegetables and a glossy, savory sauce, finished with toasted sesame oil and served over fluffy white rice. This quick and easy stir fry balances textures and tastes for a healthy, satisfying meal.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sauce:

• 4 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (can substitute with vegetarian oyster sauce)
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce
• Pinch white pepper (or black pepper)

Chicken:

• 350g / 12 oz boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• Pinch white pepper

Rainbow Stir Fry Vegetables:

• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola oil)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3 green onion stems, cut into 4 cm / 2″ lengths, white parts separated from green parts (or 1/2 onion sliced)
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1/2 each red and yellow capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 3 baby bok choy, leaves cut off stems, big stems cut lengthways
• 3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews (or almonds)
• 3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame beans
• 1 1/2 cups purple cabbage, cut into 5 x 1 cm / 0.4″ strips
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (for finishing)

Serving:

• White rice or any preferred rice

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Sauce: In a jug, dissolve the cornflour in a splash of the water. Then add oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, light soy sauce, white pepper, and the remaining water. Stir well until fully combined.
2. Marinate the Chicken: Toss chicken strips with Chinese cooking wine and a pinch of white pepper to add flavor and tenderize.
3. Cook Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large 30 cm / 12″ non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until mostly cooked through.
4. Add Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and the white parts of the green onion to the pan, cooking for 1 minute to release their fragrance.
5. Add Vegetables and Nuts (Part 1): Stir in the capsicum strips, sugar snap peas, bok choy stems, cashews, and frozen edamame beans. Cook for 1 minute, allowing the vegetables to maintain their crunch.
6. Add Vegetables (Part 2): Add bok choy leaves, purple cabbage, and the green parts of the green onions. Toss quickly using two spatulas to wilt the greens gently, about 30 seconds.
7. Add Sauce and Thicken: Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to combine, letting it simmer for about 1 minute until it thickens and becomes glossy, coating the ingredients beautifully.
8. Finish with Sesame Oil: Drizzle 2 tablespoons of sesame oil over the stir fry and toss through to enhance aroma and flavor.
9. Serve: Serve the rainbow chicken stir fry immediately over cooked white rice or your preferred rice choice.

Notes

• Chinese cooking wine deepens the flavor; if unavailable, substitute with Mirin, cooking sake, or dry sherry. For a non-alcoholic version, omit the wine and replace water in the sauce with low-sodium chicken stock.
• Use light soy sauce to maintain bright vegetable colors; all-purpose soy sauce or tamari work well but will darken the dish slightly. Avoid dark or sweet soy sauces for this recipe.
• Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender; to use chicken breast or tenderloin, tenderize before cooking. This method applies similarly to pork or beef additions.
• Vegetable substitutions are flexible; use about 7–8 cups total if including many leafy/wilting vegetables, or 5 cups of hard veggies if preferred.
• When preparing sugar snap peas, remove the string along both seams and snap off the stem end; use whole. For snow peas, remove one string side only.
• The recipe is best cooked in a large 30 cm / 12″ pan to avoid crowding; smaller pans or woks may require batch cooking to prevent steaming instead of stir-frying.
• Leftovers keep up to 3 days refrigerated; sauce may thin due to vegetable moisture. Not recommended for freezing.
• Nutrition excludes rice; cashews contribute about 107 calories per serving, so omitting them reduces calories significantly.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: chicken stir fry, rainbow stir fry, Chinese chicken recipe, colorful stir fry, quick chicken dinner, healthy stir fry, chicken vegetables