Chicken Stir-fry with Garlic Chives

Take chicken breast in a savory, sweet, and spicy direction in my Chicken Stir-fry with Garlic Chives. Seared to seal in the juices and seasoned with an easy mix-and-pour sauce, this lean protein recipe will be your new dine-in favorite.

If you’re like me, you try to cook light and healthy meals when eating in. For a quick and delicious way to prepare lean chicken breast, try my flavorful Chicken Stir-Fry with Garlic Chives recipe. I’ll share my method to keep the chicken juicy and tender and make a balanced sauce that’s savory, sweet, and a little spicy.

Craving more chicken dishes? Try my Baked Chicken Katsu, Chicken Teriyaki, and Butter Shoyu Chicken recipes next!

Why I Love This Recipe

• Incredibly easy to make – Slice the chicken breast, dust it with flour, stir-fry with the chives, and add the sauce. It’s such a simple, 20-minute dish for any night of the week.
• A quick sauce that hits all the right notes – It’s savory, sweet, salty, and a bit spicy. Even with the complex flavors, it’s super simple to make—just mix and pour.
• A great way to cook chicken breast – My method seals in the juices and evenly cooks this lean protein so it stays tender and flavorful.

Ingredients for Chicken Stir-fry with Garlic Chives

• Chicken breast
• Garlic chives – they are also called nira in Japanese or Chinese chives
• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper – or use white pepper powder
• Toasted sesame oil – for cooking
• Sauce
  • Sake
  • Mirin
  • Miso – any type
  • Soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Doubanjiang – spicy chili bean paste

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Substitutions

• Chicken breast – You can substitute skinless chicken thighs. They take longer to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Garlic chives – If you can’t find it, you can substitute other aromatics like green onions/scallions.
• Miso – Use any type. The most common ones you’ll find in Japanese grocery stores are white miso, red miso, and awase miso. I use my favorite additive-free, red koji miso from Hikari Miso that you can find on Amazon.
• Mirin – For 1 tablespoon of mirin, you can substitute 1 Tbsp sake (or water) + 1 tsp sugar. It doesn’t taste the same, but it’s close.
• Sake – In a pinch, you can substitute Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, or water.
• Doubanjiang—Skip or reduce it to suit your preference. I personally use the Taiwanese brands Lian How (岡山) or Ming De (明徳), which have a no-heat and spicy versions. I blend them together for a milder heat level. You can find spicy Sichuan doubanjiang on Amazon or at Asian markets. Other options for spicy heat are gochujang (spicy Korean chili paste) and sriracha. Use gluten-free doubanjiang for GF.

How to Make Chicken Stir-fry with Garlic Chives

Preparation

Step 1 – Mix the sauce. Add the sake, mirin, miso, soy sauce, honey, and chili bean paste to a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the miso.

Step 2 – Cut the garlic chives and chicken. Slice the nira into short pieces and cut the chicken breast into flat, bite-size pieces of equal thickness.

Step 3 – Season and dredge. Season on both sides with salt and pepper, then coat lightly in flour.

Cooking

Step 4 – Sear. Heat sesame oil in a hot frying pan or wok set over medium heat. Sear the chicken in two batches. Fry until golden brown, flip, and brown the other side.

Step 5 – Stir-fry. Toss the chives with the chicken in the pan to combine. Add the sauce and coat the ingredients quickly before the sauce thickens.

Step 6 – Serve. Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

• Cut the chicken pieces the same thickness – The key is to create thinner, flatter pieces that have an open surface area. This allows it to cook evenly and at the same rate, so nothing overcooks. I achieve this with the sogigiri Japanese cutting technique by tilting my knife back and slicing at a slanted angle.
• Dredge the chicken lightly – A thin dusting of flour will help lock in the seasonings and juices. Be sure to shake off the excess, which could make the sauce cloudy and ruin the chicken’s texture. I shake the chicken pieces and flour in my favorite stainless prep tray for the perfect light coating.
• Sear until golden brown – Fry the chicken undisturbed until the bottom is golden brown, then flip over to brown the other side. This will seal in the juices and develop a delicious flavor and aroma.
• Don’t crowd the pan – Space the chicken pieces apart for better air circulation and browning. This is why I seared it in two batches. You’ll end up steaming the chicken if you add too much at once.
• Don’t overcook it – The chicken should be fully cooked once seared, so you just need to briefly toss it at the end with the chives and sauce.

Variations and Customizations

• Add garlic and ginger. For an added layer of aromatics, try adding sliced garlic cloves and/or fresh minced ginger to the sauce.
• Toss in other vegetables. You can bulk up this dish with veggies like bean sprouts, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, snow peas, mushrooms, or onions.
• Swap pork or beef. Slice tender cuts of meat into flatter pieces of equal thickness so they cook at the same rate.
• Make it vegan/vegetarian. Sear cubes of tofu instead of chicken breast to make it plant based.

What to Serve with Chicken Stir-fry

• Soup – 10-Minute Meal Easy Miso Soup goes with just about any meal.
• A salad – A lovely contrast is light and refreshing Japanese Cucumber Salad (see the instructions for seafood options).
• A vegetable side – Serve easy, make-ahead Green Bean Gomaae with sesame dressing
• A rice dish – Delicious and eye-catching Tuna Mayo Onigiri is popular among all ages.