When dinner needs to be on the table fast, but you still want something delicious and satisfying, this 20-Minute Chicken Veggie Stir Fry with Rice is your new best friend. It’s a lifesaver for busy weeknights, offering a complete meal that’s both flavorful and surprisingly easy to pull together.

This recipe delivers tender chicken and crisp vegetables coated in a creamy, savory sauce, all served over fluffy rice. It’s a one-pot wonder that minimizes cleanup and maximizes taste, making it a fantastic choice for families looking for a healthy and quick dinner solution.

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Time Needed From Start To Finish
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe

This recipe is designed for anyone who craves a home-cooked meal without the fuss and extensive time commitment. It’s perfect for busy parents, college students, or anyone looking to add more healthy, flavorful meals to their weeknight rotation. You’ll love how quickly it comes together, making it an ideal choice after a long day when cooking feels like a chore. The combination of lean protein, fresh vegetables, and a creamy sauce ensures a well-rounded and satisfying dish that even picky eaters tend to enjoy. Serve it up for a casual family dinner, or portion it out for healthy lunches throughout the week. It’s a versatile dish that truly works for real life.

Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress

Gathering your ingredients before you start cooking is the best way to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience. This recipe uses common pantry staples and fresh produce that are readily available at any grocery store.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup snap peas
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Salt and black pepper to taste
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

When it comes to substitutions, this recipe is quite flexible. If you don’t have chicken breasts, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well and can add a bit more richness. For the vegetables, feel free to swap in whatever you have on hand or what your family prefers. Carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, or even baby corn would be delicious additions. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, ensure your soy sauce is gluten-free and use tamari instead. For a dairy-free version, you can omit the heavy cream or use a plant-based cream alternative, though the texture will be slightly different. The honey or maple syrup can be adjusted to your sweetness preference, or omitted entirely for a less sweet sauce.

Time Needed From Start To Finish

This recipe lives up to its “20-minute” promise, making it a true weeknight champion.

Prep time: 10 minutes (This includes chopping the chicken and vegetables, and whisking the sauce ingredients.)
Cook time: 10-12 minutes (This covers searing the chicken, sautéing the vegetables, and simmering the sauce.)
Total time: 20-22 minutes (Allow a few extra minutes for serving and a quick garnish.)

This timing assumes you have your rice cooked and ready to go. If you need to cook rice from scratch, factor in an additional 15-20 minutes for white rice or 30-40 minutes for brown rice, which you can start before you begin the stir-fry.

How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues

Creating this delicious chicken veggie stir fry is straightforward. Follow these steps for a perfect meal every time.

Prepare Your Ingredients and Sauce: Start by cutting your chicken into uniform 1-inch pieces. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and slice the bell pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey (or maple syrup), and grated ginger (if using) until smooth. Set aside. This is your stir-fry sauce.

Cook the Chicken: Heat the olive oil or sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the hot pan in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides and mostly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.

Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables: Add the chopped onion to the same skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the sliced red bell pepper, broccoli florets, and snap peas to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender-crisp – they should still have a slight bite.

Combine Chicken and Vegetables: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Stir everything together gently to combine.

Add the Creamy Sauce: Give your prepared sauce mixture a quick whisk again, as the cornstarch can settle. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon.

Finish with Cream and Season: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half until thoroughly combined and heated through. Taste the stir fry and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Be mindful of the soy sauce content when adding salt.

Serve Immediately: Ladle the hot chicken and veggie stir fry over bowls of freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired, and serve while warm.

Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life

This chicken stir fry is incredibly adaptable, making it easy to customize for different tastes and occasions.

For a kid-friendly twist, you can cut the chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and use milder vegetables like carrots or corn. You might also reduce the amount of ginger and increase the honey slightly in the sauce for a sweeter, more approachable flavor profile. Serving it with chopsticks can also make mealtime more fun for little ones.

If you’re looking to add more protein, consider tossing in some shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking, or serving it with a fried egg on top. For a vegetarian option, you can easily substitute the chicken with firm tofu or tempeh, pressed and cubed, then pan-fried until golden before adding to the stir fry.

This dish is fantastic for a casual weeknight dinner, but it also works well for a relaxed gathering. You could set up a “stir-fry bar” with different toppings like chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, or a squeeze of lime juice, allowing everyone to customize their bowl.

Beyond rice, this stir fry is also delicious served over noodles (like lo mein or rice noodles), quinoa, or even cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. A side of crispy egg rolls or potstickers would complement the meal beautifully.

Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls. Knowing what to watch out for can help you achieve perfect results every time.

One frequent mistake is overcrowding the pan when cooking the chicken or vegetables. This lowers the temperature of the pan, causing the ingredients to steam instead of sear, leading to less flavor and a softer texture. To avoid this, cook the chicken in batches if necessary, and ensure there’s enough space for the vegetables to get a good sizzle.

Another common issue is overcooking the vegetables. Stir-fries are known for their vibrant, crisp-tender vegetables. Cooking them for too long will make them mushy and dull in color. Keep a close eye on them and remove them from the heat as soon as they reach your desired tenderness, which should still have a slight bite.

Not whisking the cornstarch thoroughly or letting it sit too long before adding to the pan can result in a lumpy sauce. Cornstarch tends to settle, so always give your sauce mixture a quick whisk right before pouring it into the skillet to ensure it’s smooth and lump-free.

Finally, over-salting is easy to do, especially with ingredients like soy sauce that are already high in sodium. Always taste your stir fry before adding extra salt. It’s much easier to add more salt than to fix an overly salty dish.

How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

This chicken veggie stir fry is a fantastic candidate for meal prep, and it stores quite well.

To store leftovers, allow the stir fry to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best results, store the stir fry and the cooked rice separately if possible, as rice can sometimes become a bit dry or

FAQs

Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.