Quick & Flavorful Thai Chicken Stir Fry: Better Than Takeout
Spice up your weeknight dinner with this easy Thai chicken stir fry! This recipe might rival your favorite local takeout place, featuring tender chicken, colorful vegetables, and a homemade peanut sauce. It’s perfect for anyone who loves authentic Thai flavors and healthy dishes!

This Thai Chicken Stir Fry is one of our favorite recipes! It’s based on a favorite take-out dish that includes peanuts and peanut butter, it’s simple and fresh, and kid-approved.
The dressing is so good that we will sometimes make it to spice up our salads for the week or just to marinate meat. Lots of veggies, clean protein, and family-friendly—that’s a winner in my book!
This Thai Chicken Stir Fry is easy to prep in advance and reheat, and it makes a great lunch. Sometimes, we make it with all spiralized veggies and only lightly sauté them before adding the chicken.
One-dish meals are a big hit over here (who doesn’t love easy?). If you need some good one-pot meals, check out this Tuscan Chicken, Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joes, Hearty American Goulash, or Fall Apart Roast!

What Is Thai Chicken Stir Fry?
Thai chicken stir fry is a vibrant, flavorful dish that combines tender pieces of chicken with colorful vegetables in a rich, homemade peanut sauce. Unlike typical stir fries, this version incorporates authentic Thai flavors like sesame oil, coconut aminos, and fresh lime, making it a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy!
The dish comes together quickly in a hot wok or large pan, where the chicken is cooked until golden, and the vegetables remain crispy and tender, which helps preserve their nutrients and texture. (Because who likes soggy vegetables? Me, either.)
Why Make This Thai Chicken Stir Fry?
This Thai Chicken Stir Fry is the perfect blend of convenience and flavor that your family will request again and again—and again! The combination of fresh ingredients and homemade sauce makes this recipe practical and delicious, and the quick cooking method helps preserve the textures and nutrients of each ingredient. And bonus: It’s ready in just 30 minutes, so it is perfect for those busy weeknights!
Why else will you love this recipe?
- Restaurant-quality results: You can save money (no more expensive takeout!) and enjoy authentic Thai flavors from your own kitchen.
- Versatile and customizable: Use any vegetables you have on hand—the possibilities are endless.
- Meal-prep friendly: You can make this ahead of time and reheat it for quick lunches. It’s a huge timesaver.
- Family-approved: I have yet to meet a picky eater who doesn’t love this colorful and flavorful dish!
- Nutritious and filling: It’s packed with lean protein and delicious fresh vegetables.
Thai Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients
- Ginger: We like to use ginger vitality oil, or you can use ginger paste instead.
- Lemongrass: Use either lemongrass paste or lemongrass vitality oil.
- Lime: Substitute lime vitality oil for a squeeze of lime juice!
- Olive oil and sesame oil: I like to get our organic cooking oils from Thrive Market.
- Coconut aminos: We absolutely love the organic coconut amino sauce from Thrive Market or from Trader Joes.
A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.
Thai Chicken Stir Fry Variations
- Protein swap: Use shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced grass-fed beef instead of chicken.
- Noodle options: Serve over rice noodles or brown rice, or keep it light with zucchini noodles, sweet potato noodles, or even beet noodles instead of rice ones!
- Spice level: Adjust the heat by adding Thai chilies or sriracha sauce, if desired.
- Vegetable mix: For different textures, try snow peas, baby corn, or water chestnuts.

How to Keep Chicken Tender When Stir Frying
Are you ready for the secret to perfectly tender chicken in your stir fry? Well, there’s two secrets, and they are:
- When cooking, make sure the pan is very hot before adding the chicken, and don’t overcrowd the pan. This lets the chicken sear quickly instead of steam, which keeps it juicy and tender.
- Slice your chicken across the grain into bite-sized pieces. This ensures even cooking and maximum tenderness.
Tips for Perfect Stir Fry Every Time
- Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.
- Use a large wok or pan to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook vegetables in order of density, so start with harder vegetables like carrots first, making sure ingredients like leafy greens are last.
- Keep the pan hot! Stir-frying requires high heat to help develop proper flavors.
- Don’t constantly stir (I know, I know—but trust me on this). Let the ingredients sit for a bit to allow them to sear properly.

How to Store Thai Chicken Stir Fry
- Let the stir fry cool completely before transferring it to an airtight glass container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- When you reheat, add a splash of water or broth to help loosen the sauce, and heat gently to avoid overcooking the vegetables.
Making Ahead and Meal-Prep Tips
This recipe is perfect for meal-prep days. You can:
- Chop all vegetables up to 3 days in advance.
- Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and store it in the fridge.
- Slice the chicken and store it separately for up to 2 days before cooking.
- Spiralize the zucchini noodles 2-3 days ahead.
- Pack portions in individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.
I hope you love this recipe!

Thai Chicken Stir Fry With Homemade Peanut Sauce
This flavorful Thai Chicken Stir Fry combines tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and a homemade peanut sauce for a restaurant-quality meal made right at home.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 2/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1 T honey
- 4 T sesame oil
- 3 drops ginger vitality oil (or 1/2 tsp ginger paste)
- 5 drops lemongrass vitality oil (or about 1tsp lemongrass paste)
- 10 drops lime vitality oil (or a healthy squeeze of lime juice!)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Stir Fry
- 2 lb. chicken breast
- 5-6 cups baby kale or spinach
- 1 onion or red onion, sliced
- 4 large carrots, cut into small pieces
- 3 bell peppers, cut into small pieces
- 1 package or about 10 oz. organic broccoli
- A few large handfuls of spinach or chopped bok choy
- 1/2 cup cashews for topping
- 3 large zucchini, spiraled (or a mix of zucchini, sweet potato, or even beets! OR rice noodles!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Make the dressing: Pulse all the dressing ingredients in a food processor, EXCEPT the peanut butter. Use about ¼ of the mixture to marinate the chicken and refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes. Add the nut butter to the dressing in the food processor; pulse, then taste and adjust as desired. Set aside.
- Bake the marinated chicken for 15-20 minutes. While it is cooking, make your vegetable base.
- Add some oil to a pan, then cook the sliced onions for a few minutes until translucent. Add the carrots and cook covered for about 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper and broccoli and cook until crisp and tender. When the chicken is cooked through, slice it and add it to the pan with the vegetables. Add the sauce, stir well, then add the spinach or bok choy and cook for just a few minutes until the greens slightly wilt.
- While the flavors are all mixing in the stir fry, spiralize your ‘noodle’ base.
- Add zoodles to a bowl, top with the stir fry and garnish with a lime wedge and some cashews!
Notes
- Use shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced grass-fed beef instead of chicken.
- Serve over rice or brown rice, or keep it light with zucchini, sweet potato, or even beet noodles!
- Adjust the heat by adding Thai chilies or sriracha sauce.
- Try snow peas, baby corn, or water chestnuts for different textures.
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