Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables & Chicken is a healthy and delicious dinner made with frozen veggies and pantry staples!
This post was originally published March 26, 2020. It was updated with new photos and recipe information on March 2, 2021.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for details.
Table of contents
- This Chicken and Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry is...
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions:
- How do you make this chicken and frozen vegetable stir-fry?
- Recipe pro-tips:
- How do you make rice quickly?
- What type of chicken is best for this recipe?
- How do you thaw frozen chicken?
- Can you make this recipe gluten-free?
- What's the easiest way to cut chicken?
- How do you serve this stir-fry?
- Leftover storage:
- What tools do you need to make this chicken stir-fry?
- Other quick and healthy chicken dinner recipes to check out!
Dinners made with frozen ingredients or pantry staples need not be boring! This Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables & Chicken is made with your favorite frozen vegetables and an easy stir fry sauce that is made with pantry staples.
Over the past few weeks, I've been focusing more and more on recipes I can make with pantry staples, freezer goods, or both.
This chicken and vegetable stir fry is no exception. As I brainstormed ideas of healthy comfort food recipes I could put together meeting either criterion, I couldn't help but keep coming back to stir fry.
After all, it is such a comfort food. Warm and saucy; filling and meaty; tangy, lightly spicy, and sweet -- pretty much everything I dream about (minus cheesiness) when it comes to a dinner that's going to soothe me inside and out.
Part of the comfort of this dish may also be how stinkin' easy it is to make. I mean, seriously, the most prep we need to do is to thaw the chicken ahead of time (or keep it super easy and just use fresh chicken-- I share notes below!) but I even give directions below on how to do that easily.
Because, other than that, all we'll be doing is mixing up the easy sauce, throwing some frozen veggies straight into a pan, browning up some chicken, and then simmering the sauce with the veggies and meat until it's thickened. There's no chopping veggies, no mincing garlic, no pre-heating ovens, or anything of that sort.
So, give your family -- and yourself -- a little bit of comfort tonight with this stir fry with frozen vegetables. You deserve it. 🙂
This Chicken and Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry is...
- Warm
- Comforting
- Savory
- Spicy
- Tangy
- Sweet
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Family-friendly
If you're looking for a quick and easy family dinner, this chicken stir-fry is for you!
Looking for other stir-fry recipes? Check out my orange peel ground beef stir-fry!
Ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken - breasts or thighs (or a mixture of both) are great for this recipe. Use fresh chicken or defrost (I give directions below).
- Low-sodium soy sauce - use liquid aminos to make this recipe gluten-free
- Garlic and ginger powder
- Honey - I recommend raw honey, but any type works
- Rice wine vinegar
- Red pepper flakes - adds a touch of heat without being overwhelming; cut out the flakes if you want a super mild stir-fry
- Toasted sesame oil
- Cornstarch - thickens up the stir-fry sauce
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Frozen vegetables - green beans, broccoli, sweet peppers, or stir-fry blend are all great
Substitutions:
- Coconut liquid aminos - use this to make this recipe gluten-free
- Protein - thinly sliced pork or raw shrimp also work well in place of the chicken
- Honey - the same amount of agave syrup can work as a substitute
- Red pepper flakes - 1-2 teaspoons sriracha can work in place of the red pepper flakes if you want more kick
- Oil - peanut oil can substitute for olive or avocado oil
How do you make this chicken and frozen vegetable stir-fry?
- Whisk the stir fry sauce ingredients together in a measuring cup or mixing bowl until combined.
- Stir-fry the veggies in oil in a large non-stick pan or wok, for 6-7 minutes, or until bright green and cooked through. Pour the veggies into a bowl.
- Stir-fry the chicken in oil in the pan or wok, for 5.5-7 minutes, or until golden browned and cooked through.
- Add the veggies back to the pan. Pour in the stir-fry sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until thickened.
- Serve the stir-fry over rice or quinoa!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Use a hot pan - stir-fries rely on a hot pan to cook the veggies and chicken fast. Make sure your pan is preheated before adding in the oil and other ingredients.
- Stir the chicken and veggies often - stirring the ingredients is another hallmark of stir-fry cooking. Stir the chicken and vegetables at least every 15-30 seconds throughout their stir-fry time.
- Prep all your ingredients before starting - this recipe goes by fast so be ready for it by having all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking.
How do you make rice quickly?
There are 3 ways that I like to make rice quickly:
- Frozen rice: buying rice out of the freezer aisle makes rice cooking a breeze! Just warm up the rice in the microwave and you're ready to serve it!
- Quick-cook (or instant) rice: simmer up a pot of rice in less time than it takes to make the stir-fry by using quick-cook or instant rice.
- Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: pressure cook equal parts white rice and water in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot and cook on high for 3 minutes. Natural-release the pressure for 10 minutes and then quick-release the rest of the pressure before serving!
What type of chicken is best for this recipe?
Boneless skinless chicken is best for this recipe. You can use boneless skinless chicken breast and/or thighs -- whichever you prefer.
Fresh chicken works perfectly for this stir-fry, however, you can also thaw frozen chicken.
How do you thaw frozen chicken?
There are two main ways to safely defrost chicken:
- Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours ahead of cooking time.
- Defrost the chicken on low heat (20-30%) or on the defrost setting in the microwave, rotating the chicken every 3-5 minutes, or until defrosted but not warm, or about 7-10 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave).
Can you make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, it's super simple to make this recipe gluten-free. Just substitute gluten-free coconut liquid aminos for the soy sauce and follow the rest of the recipe as directed!
What's the easiest way to cut chicken?
The easiest way to cut chicken is by using kitchen shears! Just hold the chicken in one hand and cut pieces off of it with the other hand.
The kitchen shears tend to grab the chicken better and this way you don't have to scrub chicken meat off the cutting board, either.
How do you serve this stir-fry?
This stir-fry is delicious as-is served with steamed brown or white rice. You can also serve it over quinoa or cauliflower rice, though I particularly love serving it with my House Special Fried Rice Recipe!
Leftover storage:
Leftovers last covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. They do not freeze well.
What tools do you need to make this chicken stir-fry?
- Non-stick skillet or wok
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Stir-fry spatula
- Rice cooker, saucepan, or pressure cooker
Other quick and healthy chicken dinner recipes to check out!
- Sheet Pan Apricot Chicken and Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Cuban Mojo Chicken
- Thai Green Chicken Curry
- Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Rubbed Turmeric Chicken
If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!
Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables & Chicken
Email FacebookIngredients
Stir Fry Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce or coconut liquid aminos use aminos for gluten-free
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ⅛-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil divided
- 5 cups frozen green beans broccoli, OR stir-fry veggie blend
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs cut into 1x2" strips
- 4 ½ cups cooked rice or quinoa
Instructions
- Whisk the stir fry sauce ingredients together in a measuring cup or mixing bowl until the honey and cornstarch are dissolved.
- Preheat a wok or large non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until it sputters when flicked with water.
- Add frozen vegetables and cook for 5.5-7 minuts, stirring every 15-30 seconds, or until veggies are cooked through and veggies are bright green.
- Remove the veggies from the pan and place in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Return the pan to the heat and heat up the second tablespoon oil. Once it's hot, add the chicken to the pan and stir fry for 6-7 minutes, continuing to stir every 15-30 seconds, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
- Add the veggies back to the pan with the chicken and heat until the veggies are warmed back up, for about 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the sauce to the pan. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce thickens up.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve the stir fry over your quinoa or rice. Enjoy!
Monica C. says
Loved this recipe. Had about 2 pound of chicken thighs so added to the recipe ingredients to match. Also used Normandy Blend frozen veggies consisting of Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Zucchini and Yellow Squash. Will definitely try it next time with vermicelli noodles (dry bowl) and hubby loved it too. Thanks for sharing!
Mae's Menu says
Hi Monica,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that! I always love a recipe that is easy to make and uses items primarily from my freezer and/or pantry. 😉
Love the idea of vermicelli noodles. I'll need to try that too!
Best,
Chelsea
Joe says
Mmmmmm.. sounds delicious! Going to try it tonight!
Jackie says
Easy to prepare - happened to have everything on hand, including the rice wine vinegar. Used a bag of frozen stir fry veggies. Sauce is the boom! Only thing I did different is brown two bs chicken breast in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until nicely caramelized. Removed the chicken. Let pan cool with the drippings. This added a whole other flavor layer! Reheat to medium/high, added frozen veggies for about 9 minutes. Add back in chicken and sauce - OMG!
Mae's Menu says
Hi, Jackie!
Oh, so glad to hear that you liked the recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Have a great day!
Chelsea