Description
A quick and flavorful Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry combining tender chicken pieces with fresh cabbage and aromatic ginger-garlic, finished with savory soy sauce and a hint of heat from red chili flakes. Perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner that’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2-3 Green Onions (bulb and stalks separated and sliced)
- ⅓ small head Cabbage, shredded (green or napa)
- 1 inch Fresh Ginger, chopped
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
Protein
- 8.5 ounces Boneless Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
Seasonings and Oils
- 1 Tablespoon Oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil)
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (thin regular soy sauce)
- ¼ cup Water (omit if using napa cabbage)
- Sesame Seeds or Sesame Oil (for garnish)
- Red Chili Pepper Flakes (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Gather and prepare all ingredients. Slice green onions, keeping bulbs and stalks separate. Shred cabbage. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Chop ginger and garlic finely.
- Stir Fry Onion Bulb Slices: Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Add the white bulb slices of green onion and stir-fry quickly until fragrant and slightly softened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Cook Ginger and Garlic: Add the chopped ginger and garlic to the pan with onions. Stir-fry for about a minute, reducing heat slightly to prevent burning and releasing their aroma.
- Cook Cabbage: Add the shredded cabbage to the pan and stir-fry on high heat for 2 minutes or until it reduces in volume and begins to soften. Use longer chopsticks or a spatula for easy stirring.
- Add Soy Sauce and Water: Pour in the soy sauce and water (omit water if using napa cabbage). Stir well and continue cooking on high heat for 2–3 minutes until liquid evaporates and cabbage is cooked through but still crisp.
- Add Chicken: Reduce heat to medium-high. Push cabbage to the sides and add chicken strips to the center of the pan. Stir-fry the chicken until it begins to brown and is cooked on all sides.
- Combine and Cook Through: Mix the cabbage with the chicken and cook together, ensuring chicken is fully cooked but not overdone to avoid toughness. The cabbage helps keep the chicken juicy.
- Finish and Garnish: Once chicken is cooked and cabbage is crisp-tender with no excess liquid, remove from heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds or drizzle sesame oil and red chili flakes on top. Garnish with the green stalks of green onions. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use boneless chicken thighs or breasts as preferred; thighs provide more flavor and juiciness.
- Green or napa cabbage both work; if using napa, omit the water to prevent excess moisture.
- Thin soy sauce is preferred for its lighter flavor and better coating ability.
- Chinese cooking chopsticks are helpful for stir-frying but a spatula also works well.
- Adjust red chili flakes to your preferred spice level.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
