Stir-fries are one of our classic go-to dinners. It's one of the first meals we learn to cook for many of us when we venture out on our own. Toss those sugary, premade stir-fry sauces and dress your dinner up with our simple blend of stir-fry spices to use with any wok recipe!
By offering plenty of protein, veggies, fiber, and flavor, stir-fries make the easiest weeknight dinner!
Better yet, they're a convenient way to use up any extra produce you have kicking around your fridge.
We know those jars of premade stir-fry sauce are super convenient, but convenience comes at a cost - both financially and nutritionally. Premade sauces contain loads of sugar, preservatives, MSG, and too much sodium.
Instead, we compiled a list of a few good spices for stir-fry that you likely already have in your home for a small fraction of the premade sauces' cost. Our mix contains some sugar and salt, but it's much less than you'll find in the jars at the grocery store; plus, you can adjust any ingredients as you'd like and decide how to make stir-fry seasoning the way your family likes!
We paired our best stir-fry seasoning with a straightforward chicken and veggie stir-fry recipe. You can easily swap any ingredients out to switch up the protein and vegetables to suit your tastes.
Follow our simple recipe below to make our simple stir-fry seasoning mix from scratch to stir-fry to perfection in your wok!
Chicken stir-fry recipe with homemade seasoning
Now that you know how to build your own stir-fry seasoning mix, here's our favorite chicken and veggie stir-fry to top with our stir-fry sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 c. broccoli florets
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 c. baby carrots
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Directions
- Cut your boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and set them aside. Slice your baby carrots, cut your broccoli into florets, and slice both sweet peppers into 1-inch long pieces.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large cast-iron wok over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
- Once heated, add your chicken breast chunks, then season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken for 3-5 mins, or until fully well done. Remove the chicken from the wok, and set it aside.
- Reduce the stove's heat to medium, then add the remaining Tbsp of olive oil to the wok. Toss in the chopped broccoli florets, bell peppers, and baby carrots. Cook until the veggies are tender with a slight crunch. Stir occasionally.
- Add in the minced garlic and fresh ginger, then cook for ~ 1 min. Add the cooked chicken chunks back to the wok with the vegetables.
- Give the vegetable stir-fry seasoning mix an extra whisk, then pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir gently to combine, coating the ingredients in the Asian stir-fry seasoning.
- Bring the sauce to a boil for ~ 1 min, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the wok from the heat.
- Serve and enjoy your stir-fried chicken and veggies with steamed white rice or rice noodles!
Stir-fry mix recipe - FAQ + tips
Check out our helpful tips for our stir-fry seasoning mix!
Do I need to use a wok?
You don't need to use a wok to make a stir-fry, but we find using our cast-iron wok gives us the best results - it allows the ingredients more direct contact with the surface, so they cook evenly.
If you don't own a wok, you can make this stir-fry in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, for its heat retention properties.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
This stir-fry recipe is completely free of gluten. If you're using soy sauce instead of tamari, read the label closely, as some soy sauce may contain gluten in its ingredients list! You can find more food safety tips on Grill Master's Magazine.
Can I omit the sugar or salt?
If you're watching your total sugar intake, you can omit the white sugar from the spice blend or swap it for a healthier option, like coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup. A drop or 2 of liquid stevia may do the trick, too.
Because it's such a good seasoning for stir-fry, we don't recommend omitting the salt from the stir-fry seasoning mix altogether though you could certainly cut the quantity down if you're concerned about your sodium intake. You could also use low-sodium soy sauce in place of the regular stuff to save on your sodium.
Can I make this seasoning spicier?
We chose stir-fry seasoning ingredients that are already pretty spicy, like red pepper flakes and a decent dose of cayenne. If you like things scorching, add some extra ancho or guajillo chile, or double the recipe's cayenne.
If you can't handle the heat, omit the pepper flakes, cut down the cayenne, or skip the ingredient altogether.
Stir-fry seasoning ideas
Our stir-fry seasoning mix makes a great, all-around sauce that pairs well with a lot of different stir-fry options. Other than our chicken and veggie combo above, here are a few more tasty options to try:
- Shrimp and broccoli
- Chickpeas and cauliflower
- Sesame-ginger beef and green beans
- Chicken chunks, red pepper, and zucchini over rice noodles
- Garlic Sriracha pork with cilantro
- Fried tofu, snow peas, and peanuts
Final notes & storage tips
Making this simple seasoning for stir-fry vegetables is one of the easiest ways to take this simple dinner to the next level!
We love to pre-assemble the dry spice blend and keep it on hand for a quick whisk with water and soy sauce when it's stir-fry night. The blend will last in a sealed, airtight container in the pantry for 1 year, though the spices' taste will begin to fade after 6 months or so.
Our cooked stir-fry lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days, but it freezes well, too - use within 3 months before the flavor and texture start to degrade.
Enjoy your homemade stir-fry from scratch!
Looking for more stir fry recipes? Check out these pork stir fry and beef stir fry, or shrimp stir fry recipes!
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