This authentic Chinese garlic chicken is better than take-out! So flavorful and can be made in 30 minutes. It is the perfect weeknight dinner recipe for the whole family to enjoy.

A pan of chicken red bell peppers, green onion, healthy Chinese stir fry sauce sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds

Another one of my favorite Asian chicken stir fry dishes! 蒜香鸡腿肉 – Chinese Garlic Chicken!

Growing up in China, different variations of this dish was always a staple and I always loved when my dad made it. 

I haven’t been home in so long and my parents haven’t been able to come to visit because of the pandemic and the travel ban.

So making this Chinese Garlic Chicken dish is a way for me to travel and bring a little bit home to where I am right now. 

Besides this Chinese garlic chicken, the comfort food I have also been making lately are Chinese Chicken and Green beans, Sesame Chicken, and Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs.

Out of my 15 Healthier Asian Food Recipes, This garlic chicken stir fry may be the quickest to make. It literally takes 15 minutes to get this dish ready. It can’t get better than that!

What Makes This Garlic Chicken Recipe Different?

With a few simple twists and substitutions, this Asian Stir Fry with garlic sauce is a great meal for the whole family.

I made a couple of simple switches to my dad’s recipe to make this dish a little lighter but still delicious.

This homemade Chinese dish has plenty of protein in it. I’m using boneless chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breast as well.

If you want to make this dish vegan or vegetarian, use firm tofu instead of chicken.

To make this Chinese garlic chicken I’m using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. This is a great substitution to reduce the salt content and make it gluten-free. 

Coconut Aminos still has the deep, rich, salty flavor that soy sauce has, it’s just healthier.

A lot of Chinese and Asian recipes have cornstarch in them. My dad always loved putting starch in lots of stir fry dishes to achieve that special texture and consistency. 

Arrowroot is my favorite ingredient in this kind of recipe. The arrowroot starch keeps the meat moist, and makes the sauce thick and sticky, just like it should be! 

A bowl of jasmine rice and Chinese Garlic Chicken. There are red peppers and green scallions as well
A bowl of jasmine rice and Chinese Garlic Chicken. There are red peppers and green scallions as well

The perfect stir fry recipe for meal prep

We all have busy schedules, I know, believe me…

Worrying about finding time to cook dinner after a full day of work, being a parent, working out and running errands is something I find fun.

So having a few meals up your sleeve that you know will on the table in minutes is a lifesaver!

And this Chinese garlic chicken is definitely one of those recipes.

With minimal chopping, quick cook time, and room for throwing in whatever veggies you have at home, this is the perfect weekday meal that the whole family will love! 

Ingredients for Chinese Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients to make this Chinese Garlic Chicken.

To make my delicious Chinese Chicken stir fry you need a few simple ingredients. 

I have divided this recipe into three categories: Marinade, Stir Fry sauce, and Fresh Veggies. 

Marinade

  • Chicken thighs (or breast)
  • Arrowroot starch 
  • Coconut aminos
  • Shaoxing Wine
  • Salt

Stir fry Sauce

Ingredients to make this Chinese Garlic Chicken. There are coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic ginger and arrowroot starch.
  • Garlic
  • ginger
  • Coconut aminos 
  • Water
  • Rice vinegar
  • Sesame oil 
  • Arrowroot starch
  • Honey or coconut sugar (optional)

Fresh Veggies/garnish

  • Scallions
  • Red bell pepper

How to Make Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Cut chicken into small to medium cubes. Incorporate the marinade into the chicken. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Add in starch and work it into the chicken until no clump is left.

Then, mince or finely chop the garlic and ginger and set aside. 

Chop the scallions and separate the green and white parts, set aside.

Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the stir fry sauce using coconut aminos, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and arrowroot starch. 
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Set aside. You will need to whisk to make sure it is well combined before using.

Heat up 2 – 3 tablespoon of neutral cooking oil in a non-stick pan.

Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Once the oil is simmering, turn the heat to medium. Add in red bell pepper, white part of the green onion and garlic
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Sautte for 45 seconds or so until the garlic is turning brown (be careful to not burn them)
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Add in the chicken.
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Sear the chicken on all sides until the internal temperature reaches 160F.
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Whisk the sauce again then pour into the chicken stir fry.
Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Continue to stir until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky.

The chicken could take 8 – 10 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan. Time may vary depending on the size of the chicken cubes.

Make sure the chicken cubes are fully cooked before adding the sauce.

Step by step instruction on how to make Chinese garlic chicken stir fry.
Lastly, garnish with the green parts of the scallion, and roasted sesame seeds.

How to Serve Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

I love serving this Chinese Garlic Chicken steamed Jasmin rice, which is the traditional way to enjoy it. 

You can also try my classic fried rice, or quinoa fried rice.

Looking for a little contrast in texture and style? Try pairing this warm stir fry with a cold Chinese style salad. This Chinese Spicy Cucumber Salad is refreshing and easy to come together. I love serving it along side of the garlic chicken.

One piece of chicken is about to get eaten using chopsticks. In the background you can see a bowl of rice and fresh vegetables.

Can I Save Leftover Chinese Garlic Chicken

You can store the leftovers or double batched mealt prep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 – 3 days.

Do you know what that means?

It’s perfect for meal-prepping! Make a big batch and eat for lunch or dinner for a few days. 

Is it freezer friendly you ask? 

YES! 100%! 

Store it in the freezer in an air-tight container for a month. Either in portion sizes or in a bigger box fit for the whole family. 

But now, scroll down to the recipe and make this quick, easy and Chinese garlic chicken for dinner tonight!

Let me know what your favorite Asian recipe is in the comments!

ALSO, I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

Pinterest Picture of easy and authentic Chinese Stir fry
A pan of chicken red bell peppers, green onion, healthy Chinese stir fry sauce sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds

Get the recipe:Chinese Garlic Chicken Stir Fry {30 minutes}

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
This authentic Chinese garlic chicken is better than take-out! So flavorful and can be made in 30 minutes. It is the perfect weeknight dinner recipe for the whole family to enjoy.
5 stars (8 reviews)
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 – 1.5 lb chicken thighs, or breast
  • 1 stalk scallion, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, optional
  • 3- 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil, like avocado oil
  • 5 medium cloves of garlic, ~2.5 tbsp minced
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, ~ 1/2 tbsp minced

Marinade

Stir fry Sauce

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Start with cutting the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, wisk together the marinade using coconut aminos, arrowroot starch, and salt. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes.
    Two glass bowls next to each other. In the left one there is boneless chicken thighs cubed up. In the right bowl arrowroot and coconut aminos added to the chicken.
  • Mince the garlic, and fresh ginger. Chop the scallions and separate the green and white parts. Thinly slice the red bell pepper. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the stir fry sauce using coconut aminos, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey (if using any), and arrowroot starch. 
    On the left picture there are Six small glass bowls on a table. There is one ingredient in each bowl. There are honey, coconut aminos, garlic, arrowroot starch, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. On the right picture the ingredients are being combined with a wisk.
  • Heat 2 – 3 tbsp neutral oil in a skillet on medium to high heat.
  • Once the oil is warm, add in white part of the scallion and the red pepper for 45 seconds to 1 minute. 
  • Add the minced garlic, ginger to the skillet to cook for another 30 – 45 seconds (before the garlic starts to burn/brown), then push it to the side of the pan.
  • Add in 2 – 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil if needed. Then add in the chicken. mix in the chicken. Sear each side of the chicken until it is fully cooked. Internal temperautre should reach 160F. (It is perfectly fine to start mixing in the other ingredients we pushed aside).
  • Once the chicken cubes are fully cooked, slowly pour in the Chinese stir fry sauce into the pan (whisk the sauce before pouring the ensure it si well combined).
    Chicken, garlic and bell peppers in a non stick skillet. There is a sticky chinese sauce beeing pored over. Instead of soy sauce coconut aminos has been used to make this asian stir fry gluten-free
  • Turn down the heat to low and continue to stir and cook the garlic chicken stir fry for 1 minute or until the sauce starts to thicken up and become sticky.
  • Lastly, turn off the heat, garnish with the green parts of the scallion. Enjoy!
Serving: 1g, Calories: 408kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 470mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese