Ground Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb)minced chicken
• 300 g (10.5 oz)mangetout, halved
• 1red pepper, chopped
• 4spring onions, chopped
• 250 g (2 cups; 8.8 oz)fresh bean sprouts
• 180 ml (¾ cup)chicken stock
• 80 ml (⅓ cup)soy sauce
• 60 ml (¼ cup)hoisin sauce
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)rice vinegar
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)sesame oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)fresh ginger, minced
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)arrowroot or cornflour
• To tasteavocado oil
• To tastecooked rice, to serve
• To tastesesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat avocado oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the mangetout, red pepper and spring onions. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.

3. 3

   Mix the sauce

   As the chicken and vegetables cook, whisk the stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and arrowroot or cornflour together in a jug.

4. 4

   Thicken the sauce

   Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the pan. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

5. 5

   Serve over rice

   Spoon the chicken and vegetables over prepared rice and finish with sesame seeds.

What is ground chicken stir-fry?

Stir-frying is a broad cooking style found across many Asian cuisines, rather than one single traditional dish. This version uses minced chicken, vegetables and a glossy, savoury-sweet sauce for a quick meal.

Minced chicken cooks quickly and spreads through the vegetables, while the thickened sauce coats the ingredients and rice.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 344 calories, 31g protein, 21g carbs, 16g fat.

The rice and vegetables contribute most of the carbohydrates, while chicken provides much of the protein. Chicken and sesame oil contribute fat; serve with a generous share of vegetables alongside the rice to round out the plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Chicken mince: Use fresh mince and break it into small pieces as it cooks so it mixes evenly with the vegetables.

Vegetables: Mangetout, pepper and spring onions bring a mix of crispness and sweetness. The ingredient list also includes bean sprouts, though the supplied method does not specify when to add them.

Sauce: Soy and hoisin provide savoury, sweet flavours, while rice vinegar adds acidity. Sesame oil and ginger bring fragrance.

Getting the sauce right

Cornflour or arrowroot needs to be whisked into the cool sauce mixture before it goes into the hot pan. This helps it disperse and thicken the liquid without obvious lumps.

Stir the sauce as it cooks and give it the full 4–5 minutes if needed. It should cling to the chicken and vegetables rather than pool thinly in the pan.

Keeping the vegetables crisp

The vegetables cook for just 3–4 minutes before the sauce is added, so they should retain some bite. Cut the pepper into similar-sized pieces to help it cook at the same pace as the mangetout.

A large pan gives the ingredients room to cook rather than steam. If your pan is small, cook in batches and combine everything for the sauce step.

Timing the chicken

Break up the mince early, then cook it with the vegetables until no pink remains. The method gives 3–4 minutes for browning followed by another 3–4 minutes with the vegetables.

Pan heat and the size of the chicken pieces affect cooking time, so use the stated doneness cue rather than relying on the clock alone.

Serving the stir-fry

Serve the mixture over prepared rice, as suggested in the method, and scatter sesame seeds over the top. Rice is a simple base for catching the thick sauce.

For a fresher contrast, pair it with a crisp salad or extra vegetables on the side.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare and chop the vegetables before heating the pan so they are ready to add.
• Use a wide frying pan or wok to give the chicken and vegetables room.
• Break the chicken into small pieces as soon as it goes into the pan.
• Whisk the thickener thoroughly into the sauce before pouring it into the pan.
• Keep stirring as the sauce thickens so it coats the ingredients evenly.
• Have the rice cooked and ready before the stir-fry finishes.

Variations

• Use another vegetable: Swap or supplement the mangetout with a quick-cooking vegetable you have to hand.
• Add heat: Stir chilli into the sauce for a spicier finish.
• Use arrowroot: Choose arrowroot instead of cornflour as the sauce thickener.
• Add the sprouts: Stir the bean sprouts into the pan near the end so they keep some crunch.
• Change the base: Serve the stir-fry with noodles instead of rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan: The ingredients may steam instead of cook quickly; use a larger pan or work in batches.
• Leaving the mince in large clumps: Break it up early so it cooks evenly and mixes through the vegetables.
• Adding the thickener dry: Whisk the arrowroot or cornflour into the sauce liquids first to help prevent lumps.
• Overcooking the vegetables: Keep to the short cooking time so they retain some bite.
• Stopping before the sauce thickens: Continue cooking and stirring for up to 4–5 minutes until it coats the mixture.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in a frying pan or microwave; add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions