This Zucchini Stir Fry with Chicken is an easy dinner that delivers a whole lot of great flavor. Served on its own or over rice or noodles, this is a meal that always satisfies!
Zucchini Stir Fry
Many years ago, there was a time we tried our hand at gardening and that led to a LOT of zucchini. If you have ever gardened, you likely understand this quite well. Anyways, all of that zucchini led to a great many zucchini-inspired recipes, first over here and now many more zucchini recipes here as well.
Luckily, zucchini remains one of my favorite vegetables to add to a stir-fry skillet. The key when cooking zucchini is to get it off the heat before it softens too much.
Learning how to saute zucchini is a bit of a game-changer when it comes to cooking this popular summer squash. Perfectly tender and still crisp zucchini is positively irresistible. And once you’ve mastered sauteeing zucchini, you should try roasting, air-frying, and grilling it too!
Chicken with Zucchini Stir Fry
I enjoy zucchini stir fries very much, (this shrimp and zucchini stir fry is another tasty option!) but only when the squash retains a bit of its crispness. Summer squash is the perfect example for “tender-crisp” vegetables when cooked well.
This entire meal comes together easily in one large pan. But you’ll want to take the extra minute or two to cook it in batches to avoid overcrowding in the skillet or wok.
This stir fry begins with the chicken. Depending on the size of your skillet this might need to be done in one or two batches. (If you are on the hunt for a new skillet check out this one, it’s a favorite.)
Give the chicken enough room to not be touching in the pan or it will steam instead of getting the brown edges we are looking for. Then cook the zucchini in the same way.
Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry
You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
Stir Fry Ingredients
- chicken thighs
- olive oil
- zucchini
- garlic
- green onions
- sesame seeds
Sauce Ingredients
- oyster sauce
- rice vinegar
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- cornstarch
Zucchini Stir Fry Recipe
Start by making the sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring or tossing frequently, until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
Add the zucchini to the empty skillet. Cook, stirring or tossing frequently until the zucchini begins to soften about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, while tossing constantly, for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add water to the pan and use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to scrape up all the browned bits. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the pan.
Cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice if desired.
There are so many great ways to cook zucchini! This sweet and spicy chicken stir fry is a favorite for my ever-hungry crew. This stir fry uses seasonal fresh vegetables for a quick to prepare meal.
BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats are a saucy, cheesy, deliciously hearty meal that is a refreshing change from the typical sandwiches we usually make with leftover chicken.
With little more than a few zucchini and a couple of ears of corn, you can be on your way to piping hot, crispy Zucchini Corn Fritters.
And last but not least, Zucchini Cobbler. Zucchini??? Cobbler? YES. You read that right and you should definitely keep reading. It turns out that zucchini cobbler tastes a whole lot like apple cobbler, my friends. I didn’t believe it either – until I tasted it.
Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 1½ lbs cut into 1/2″ strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 small or 2 large zucchini sliced into rounds, about 1/3-inch thick, about 4 cups worth
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup water
- 3 green onions thinly sliced for topping
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for topping
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, warm the oil over med-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring or tossing frequently, until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the zucchini to the empty skillet. Cook, stirring or tossing frequently until the zucchini begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, while tossing constantly, for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add water to the pan and use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to scrape up all the browned bits. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the pan.
- Cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice if desired.
Nutrition
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