Chicken Stir Fry
Published September 2, 2022 • Updated March 7, 2026
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I make this low carb chicken stir fry at least once a week. It uses whatever vegetables I have in the fridge, a 3-ingredient sauce, and it's on the table in 15 minutes.
I keep coming back to this recipe because it solves the “nothing planned for dinner” problem better than anything else in my rotation. Open the fridge, grab whatever vegetables are about to go, dice some chicken thighs, and dinner is ready in 15 minutes. I’ve made this easily over a hundred times since I first pulled it together, and the fact that it never requires a grocery run is what keeps it in the weekly lineup.
The whole thing runs on a sauce I’ve been making for years: soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Three ingredients. I add ginger and sesame oil when I want more depth, but the base ratio works every single time. That consistency is what makes this my go-to keto weeknight dinner when I have zero energy to think about food.
What I actually love about this recipe is the waste-reduction angle. Those bell peppers that are starting to wrinkle, the half-bunch of asparagus from two days ago, mushrooms getting soft. All of it goes in the pan. I’ve been eating low carb since 2012, and learning to cook from what’s already in my fridge changed how I think about meal planning entirely. No recipe list, no special grocery run. Just open the door and start chopping.
The technique that makes everything work: cook the chicken first, pull it out, then sear the vegetables in the same hot pan. Keeping them separate means the chicken gets real color instead of steaming, and the vegetables stay crisp instead of turning limp in a puddle of liquid. I use a 12-inch skillet (my standard), though a wok works even better if you have one. The concentrated heat at the bottom gives you those slightly charred edges faster.
The protein is flexible too. I default to boneless skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy, but I’ve made this with ground turkey, ground chicken, and sliced beef. All work. The sauce carries the flavor regardless of what protein is in the pan.
If you’re in the mood for more Asian-inspired keto dinners, try my Hunan Chicken, Keto Beef and Broccoli, or Low Carb Cashew Beef. I rotate through all of them depending on what I have on hand.
How to make this in 15 minutes
- Add avocado oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Get the pan hot before anything goes in.
- Dice or slice the chicken thighs (I keep mine under 1/2 inch thick so everything cooks evenly in 12-14 minutes). Cook until the internal temp hits 165 degrees.
- Add your vegetables to the pan. I used bell pepper, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, and carrot, but use whatever you have. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the 3-ingredient sauce: soy sauce, vinegar, garlic. I add ginger, sesame oil, and a splash of chicken broth for extra depth.
- Lower heat to medium and let everything simmer until the veggies are tender-crisp. I pull mine when they still have a little bite.
- Serve over cauliflower rice or eat it straight from the pan (my usual move).
Key ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – My go-to because they stay juicy at high heat. Chicken breast works if you slice it thin, and I’ve also used ground turkey and ground pork with good results.
- Vegetables – Red pepper, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, and carrots are my standard lineup. But I swap in zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, or spinach depending on what’s in the fridge. Any low-carb vegetable works here.
- Soy sauce – The backbone of the sauce. If you’re soy free, I’ve tested coconut aminos and liquid aminos as substitutes. For a gluten-free version, use tamari.
- Vinegar – Adds tang and cuts through the richness of the soy sauce. I rotate between white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar depending on my mood.
- Arrowroot powder – Thickens the sauce into a glossy glaze. Totally optional. Cornstarch, xanthan gum, or even an egg yolk work as substitutes.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil -
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced or diced
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1/2 red bell pepper, diced or sliced
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1 cup broccoli florets
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7-8 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
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1/2 cup quartered mushrooms
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1/2 carrot, julienned
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1/3 cup soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos
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3 tablespoons vinegar (white, rice or apple cider)
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
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1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
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1 teaspoon arrowroot powder, optional
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Sauté chicken
Add avocado oil to a large skillet and heat medium high heat. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through.
- Avocado oil
- Chicken (sliced or diced)
Add vegetables
To the chicken, add sliced bell pepper, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms and carrot. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Bell pepper (sliced or diced)
- Broccoli (florets)
- Asparagus (cut into 1" piece)
- Mushrooms (quartered)
- Carrots (julienned)
Stir fry sauce
Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Lower heat to medium and let cook until veggies are soft. Add in sesame oil and thickener (arrowroot powder) if desired.
- Soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos
- Minced garlic
- Ginger (ground or fresh ginger)
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Arrowroot powder (optional)
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep chicken tender in a skillet?
I slice my chicken thighs under 1/2 inch thick and make sure the pan is screaming hot before anything goes in. The thin slices cook fast (12-14 minutes total) so the meat stays juicy instead of drying out. I've also tried velveting, where you toss the chicken in a quick cornstarch and egg white marinade for 15 minutes before cooking. The texture is noticeably more tender, almost silky. It's an extra step, but worth it if you have the time.
Can I freeze this?
I freeze this all the time. My method: freeze just the chicken in sauce without the vegetables, in airtight containers for up to 3 months. When I reheat, I add fresh veggies to the pan. The sauce holds up perfectly after thawing, but frozen vegetables turn mushy. Separating them solves that problem completely.
How do I prevent soggy vegetables?
Two things I've learned from making this hundreds of times. First, get the pan hot before anything goes in. If the oil isn't shimmering, you're steaming instead of searing. Second, don't overcrowd the skillet. I cook in batches if I'm making a large amount. Crowding drops the pan temperature and the vegetables release water instead of getting that char.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
I mix up a double or triple batch and keep it in a jar in my fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's just soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, so it stays fresh. When dinner hits, I grab the jar, add ginger and sesame oil if I'm feeling it, and pour it straight in the pan. Saves me about 5 minutes on an already fast meal.
How many net carbs per serving?
My carb count shifts depending on which vegetables I throw in that night. Carrots and bell peppers run higher, while mushrooms, spinach, and zucchini are lower. I track my macros on a keto diet and this one consistently comes in low because the sauce is minimal (just soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic). The bulk of the carbs come from the vegetables, so I lean toward broccoli and mushrooms when I want to keep the number extra low.
Can I use a wok instead of a skillet?
I've used both. A wok gets hotter at the center and lets you push cooked food up the sides while the next batch sears, which speeds things up. My skillet works fine though, especially a 12-inch cast iron that holds heat well. The biggest difference I've noticed is char. A wok gives you those slightly blackened edges faster because of the concentrated heat at the bottom. If you have one, use it. If you don't, a large skillet does the job. For an even easier route, my Sheet Pan Fajitas skip the skillet entirely and let the oven do the work.
Should I marinate the chicken first?
I don't, and here's why. The sauce is strong enough that everything picks up flavor in the pan. But when I have 30 extra minutes, I'll toss the sliced chicken in soy sauce and ginger and let it sit in the fridge. The flavor penetration is noticeably deeper, especially with chicken breast, which is leaner and absorbs more. For thighs, I skip the marinade because the natural fat keeps them flavorful without the extra step.
What can I add for extra flavor?
My base sauce is soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. From there, I build depending on my mood. Fresh ginger and sesame oil are my most common additions. When I want heat, I add red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili garlic sauce. Fish sauce adds umami depth (a little goes a long way). Peanut butter makes it richer and almost satay-like. I also love finishing with a squeeze of fresh lime for brightness.
Made this on a Tuesday with what was left in the crisper. My husband walked in, saw the pan, and immediately asked if I'd made enough. I hadn't.
Ha, I default to 2 lbs now for exactly that reason. The leftovers reheat well too.
This was excellent and so easy to make!
Chicken thighs make a big difference there. Breast dries out fast but thighs stay juicy even if you go a minute over.
I am not a confident cook and this actually worked, which felt like a minor miracle. The sauce came together so fast I was sure I was missing something, but the chicken thighs absorb it really well and it tastes like it took much longer than 15 minutes. One thing I'd change: the asparagus was done before the broccoli, so next time I'm adding it toward the end. Already have chicken thawing for round two.
Good catch on the asparagus. I add it in the last 2-3 minutes, it overcooks fast. Broccoli can handle the full time, asparagus really can't.
Fourth or fifth time making this (I've lost count at this point), and it works no matter what vegetables are left at the end of the week. The 3-ingredient sauce is the constant that holds everything together. Would give it 5 stars but I always end up wanting more sauce by the end.
Double the sauce. I keep a jar in the fridge and just splash more in at the end. It's only soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic so a big batch takes 2 minutes.
Good but needed an extra 5 minutes to get the chicken fully cooked through
Good catch. I find chicken breast thickness makes a huge difference here. If they're over 1/2 inch thick, I butterfly them first so everything cooks evenly in the 12-14 minute range.