Recipe: This chicken stir fry is a favourite go-to meal in January

After a month of rich food, holiday parties and endless snacking, January always feels like a good time to reset one’s diet. I don’t know about you, but once the holidays wrap up, I start craving lighter meals.

This Chicken Stir Fry is one of my favourite go-to meals at this time of year. It’s bright, colourful and full of vegetables. The chicken is lean and tender, the sauce is light and savoury, and the whole thing comes together quickly on a busy weeknight.

If you’ve ever wondered how Asian restaurants get their chicken so unbelievably tender, here’s the secret: A tiny bit of baking soda. I use only half a teaspoon and mix it with a splash of soy sauce, a pinch of white pepper and a touch of sesame oil. Let the chicken sit in that mixture for about 30 minutes while you chop your vegetables. The difference is unbelievable. The chicken stays juicy, tender and almost impossible to overcook. Once you try this trick, baking soda will become part of your chicken breast prep forever.

For vegetables, I like to use a mix of red and yellow peppers, broccoli, red onion and green onions. They bring great colour and texture to the stir fry. Everything cooks quickly and stays crisp. This is one of those recipes where you can easily adjust based on what you have in the fridge. If you prefer sugar snap peas, mushrooms, celery or carrots, feel free to toss them in. The beauty of stir fry is how flexible it is.

My sauce is simple. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, a little honey for balance, chicken broth and a bit of cornstarch to help it thicken. Once the sauce hits the hot pan, it turns glossy and coats every piece of chicken and vegetable.

I usually serve this on its own because it’s honestly a hearty and filling meal without anything else. But you can absolutely enjoy it with steamed rice or even noodles if you want something more substantial. There’s no wrong way to enjoy it.

This stir fry is exactly the kind of meal that feels right in January. Fresh, flavourful and good for you without feeling like diet food. It’s the perfect reset after a season of indulgence; it’s also a dish you’ll want to make all year round.

Quick and Easy Asian Chicken Stir Fry

For the chicken marinade

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 450g, sliced

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

pinch white pepper

½ tsp baking soda

For the stir fry

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

2 cups broccoli florets

1 small red onion, sliced

3 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tbsp. grated ginger

For the sauce

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 tbsp. honey

½ cup (120ml) chicken broth

1 tsp. sesame oil

1-2 tsp. cornstarch

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the sliced chicken with soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and baking soda. Let it marinate for 30 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Stir fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add garlic and ginger to the pan and fry until fragrant, but not brown, approximately 30 seconds. Add the peppers, broccoli and red onion. Stir fry for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp tender.

Return the chicken to the pan. Add the green onions. Pour in the sauce and stir until everything is coated and the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth until desired consistency is achieved. If the sauce is too thin, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing another teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 tbsp. of chicken broth. Then add to pan, stirring until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Serves 2-4.