Honey Soy Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 15 mlvegetable oil
• 454 gboneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
• 10 mlminced ginger
• 2courgettes, quartered and sliced
• 1red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 2.5 cm pieces
• 60 mlreduced-salt chicken stock
• 60 mlreduced-salt soy sauce
• 45 mlhoney
• 10 mlcornflour
• 30 mlsliced spring onions
• 1 pinchsalt, to taste
• 1 pinchpepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat and season

   Warm the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the pan and cook until browned. Cook it in batches if needed.

3. 3

   Cook the ginger

   Add the ginger to the chicken and cook for a further 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Keep it warm

   Transfer the chicken mixture to a plate and cover it with foil.

5. 5

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the courgettes and red pepper to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until softened. Return the chicken to the pan.

6. 6

   Mix the sauce

   Whisk the chicken stock, honey and soy sauce together in a bowl.

7. 7

   Mix the cornflour

   In a small bowl, stir the cornflour together with 15 ml cold water.

8. 8

   Add the sauce

   Pour the stock mixture over the chicken and vegetables, then cook for 30 seconds.

9. 9

   Thicken the sauce

   Add the cornflour mixture and bring the contents of the pan to the boil. Cook for 1 more minute, or until the sauce has just begun to thicken.

10. 10

    Finish and serve

    Scatter over the spring onions and serve.

What is honey soy chicken stir fry?

A stir fry is a quick-cooked dish of bite-sized ingredients tossed together in a hot pan with a sauce. This version pairs chicken with courgette and red pepper, then coats everything in a honey, soy and ginger sauce.

Honey soy flavours appear in many modern home-style Asian-inspired dishes; this recipe is a straightforward weeknight take rather than a claim to one particular regional tradition. Cooking the chicken first and briefly thickening the sauce helps keep the meat tender and the vegetables distinct.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 249 calories, 27g protein, 20g carbs, 7g fat.

Chicken supplies most of the protein, while honey and the vegetables contribute carbohydrates; the oil and chicken account for much of the fat. Serve with a generous portion of extra vegetables or a measured helping of rice to balance the plate to your appetite.

Choosing the ingredients

Chicken: Breast cooks quickly when cut into even pieces. Keeping the pieces a similar size helps them brown and finish cooking at roughly the same time.

Vegetables: Courgette and red pepper bring different textures and colour. Slice the courgettes evenly so they soften in the short cooking time without turning mushy.

Sauce: Reduced-salt soy sauce, stock and honey create the savoury-sweet base, while ginger adds a warm, fresh note. The cornflour slurry thickens the liquid at the end.

Brown the chicken in batches

Give the chicken room in the pan so its surface can brown rather than steam. If the pieces crowd together, cook them in batches and return them to the pan with the vegetables.

Once browned, the chicken waits on a plate while the vegetables cook. Cover it with foil as directed to help keep it warm.

Keep the vegetables tender

Cook the courgette and pepper for 3–4 minutes, stopping when they have softened but still hold their shape. The exact time can vary with how thickly they are cut and how hot the pan is.

Returning the chicken before adding the sauce brings the components together while keeping the vegetables from spending too long in the pan.

Get a smooth, glossy sauce

Whisk the stock, honey and soy sauce together before pouring them into the pan. Separately mixing the cornflour with cold water helps it blend in without clumps.

Add the slurry and bring the sauce to the boil, then cook for about 1 minute. Stop once it has just started to thicken; it will cling to the chicken and vegetables without needing to reduce for long.

Timing and doneness

The recipe takes about 30 minutes, including preparation and cooking. Have the sauce ingredients and sliced vegetables ready before heating the pan so the cooking stages can move along smoothly.

Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving, especially if the pieces are larger than 2.5 cm. Avoid extending the cooking time unnecessarily, as chicken breast can become dry.

What to serve alongside

Serve the stir fry as it is for a meal centred on chicken and vegetables, or pair it with steamed rice or noodles to make the sauce go further. Add the spring onions just before serving for a fresh finish.

If serving it with a side, keep the portion in mind: rice or noodles add more substance, while extra vegetables can make the plate feel fuller without changing the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so they cook at a similar rate.
• Use a large pan and cook the chicken in batches if it does not fit in one layer.
• Prepare the cornflour slurry just before you need it and stir it again before adding.
• Keep the vegetables moving in the pan so they soften evenly.
• Taste the finished sauce before serving and adjust the seasoning only if needed.

Variations

• Add broccoli: Cut it into small florets and cook until just tender with the other vegetables.
• Use thighs: Swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Bring the heat: Add sliced chilli or a little chilli sauce to the honey-soy mixture.
• Add garlic: Cook minced garlic briefly with the ginger for a more aromatic sauce.
• Finish with sesame: Sprinkle sesame seeds over the dish alongside the spring onions.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: The chicken steams instead of browning; cook it in batches.
• Uneven chicken pieces: Some cook faster than others; cut them to a similar size.
• Overcooking the courgettes: They can turn soft and watery; stop once they have softened but still hold their shape.
• Adding dry cornflour: It may form lumps; mix it with cold water first.
• Boiling the sauce too long: It can become overly thick; stop when it has just begun to thicken.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot in a pan or microwave, adding a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions