Description
Bold Chinese-inspired chicken zucchini stir fry delivers quick weeknight magic with tender meat and crisp vegetables. Saucy, savory flavors invite you to savor each delicious bite of this simple yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb (454 grams) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Main Vegetables:
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
Seasonings and Sauces:
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Cube the protein into uniform, bite-sized morsels to ensure even cooking and attractive presentation.
- Whisk together marinade components in a ceramic bowl, thoroughly coating the chicken pieces to infuse deep flavor and tenderize the meat.
- Allow protein to absorb marinade flavors for approximately half an hour, which enhances overall taste profile and meat tenderness.
- Preheat a spacious wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over robust medium-high temperature, creating an ideal searing environment.
- Drizzle cooking oil and immediately introduce minced aromatic garlic, releasing its pungent essence into the pan.
- Carefully deposit marinated chicken with its accompanying liquid, stirring continuously to prevent sticking and promote even caramelization.
- Cook protein until it transitions from translucent to opaque, indicating initial stage of doneness.
- Transfer partially cooked chicken to a separate vessel, preserving the concentrated pan juices for subsequent cooking stages.
- Replenish pan with additional oil if necessary, creating a glistening cooking surface.
- Introduce sliced zucchini, rotating swiftly to ensure each piece receives direct heat contact.
- Sauté vegetables until they soften slightly but maintain a crisp texture and vibrant green color.
- Reunite chicken with zucchini in the pan, incorporating oyster sauce for rich umami complexity.
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper to enhance overall flavor dimension.
- Execute final quick stir-fry, ensuring chicken reaches complete doneness and vegetables achieve desired tenderness.
- Immediately transfer to serving platter, presenting a harmonious blend of protein and vegetable.
Notes
- Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor and tenderness, allowing the soy sauce and sesame oil to deeply penetrate the meat.
- Use medium-high heat to quickly seal in chicken’s moisture and create a beautiful golden-brown exterior without overcooking.
- Keep zucchini crisp-tender by stir-frying for only 5 minutes, preserving its fresh texture and preventing soggy vegetables.
- Oyster sauce adds a rich, umami depth that transforms this simple stir-fry into a restaurant-quality dish with minimal effort.
- Serve immediately after cooking to enjoy the optimal temperature and prevent vegetables from becoming limp or losing their vibrant color.
- Choose fresh, firm zucchini for the best texture and slice them uniformly to ensure even cooking throughout the stir-fry.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 100mg