This delicious and fresh-tasting lemon chicken stir fry is also quick and easy, so it’s just the thing for a busy weeknight! The fresh lemon juice really brightens and lightens this dish. Serve with rice or noodles.
This dish maybe isn’t the prettiest one on the block, but it has so much to recommend it! First, there are the endless varieties of vegetables you can toss in the wok. Then there’s the always tender chicken thigh pieces. Finally, the bright simple lemon sauce. This is one of my favourites, as it’s hard to beat the lemon-chicken combination. And last, but definitely not least, this dish is ready in 15 minutes!
Cook some rice or noodles to serve over and garnish with sesame seeds and a lemon wedge
Ingredients and substitutions
Lemon – Fresh is best! Lemon juice, that is. There is nothing like the fresh flavour of freshly squeezed lemon juice, so if you have some fresh lemons, you should go for fresh.
Chicken – I’ve used boneless chicken thighs here, but you could also use boneless chicken breast cubes here, as well.
Vegetables – My stir fry features bok choy, red and yellow peppers, onions and green onion. All of these are really fast-cooking vegetables, so the time in the wok or skillet is really short. You can add any vegetables you like, simply adjust the cooking time as needed if the vegetables aren’t quite as quick to cook.
Recipe tips!
Absolutely any vegetables would be lovely in this dish. I always seem to have odds and ends of fresh vegetables, but frozen stir-fried mixed vegetables would also work. Just make sure your wok or pan is pretty hot and cook a little longer to cook off the extra moisture before adding the sauce.
If you use carrots in your stir fry, be sure to cut them into very thin slices, so they cook quickly.
What to serve with lemon stir fry
This lemon stir fry is wonderful served over cooked rice or rice noodles.
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Get the Recipe: 15 Minute Lemon Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in to bite-sized pieces or 2 chicken breasts cut up
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium recommended
- 1 Tablespoon white or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
For the stir fry:
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 Tablespoons green onion, thinly sliced, green and white parts
- 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 small red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cored and seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 5-6 baby bok choy, stem end removed and quartered
For serving:
- Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Sliced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Prepare chicken and vegetables and have ready.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate. Discard any juices and return wok to stove-top.
- Heat a bit more oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, green onion and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30-45 seconds (do not allow to burn). Add onion and bell pepper slices. Cook, stirring regularly, until tender-crisp. Add lemon sauce and cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan and scatter with bok choy. Cook, tossing, until bok choy is wilted and sauce is thickened.
- Spoon over cooked rice or noodles and garnish with sesame seeds and additional green onion.
Notes
More stir fry recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Delicious! Took me about an hour (not 15 minutes) to make but was absolutely delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Steph. Thanks so much!
This recipe needs the highest possible review! I have a child who is a problem feeder with many issues with food. She devoured this and asked for more!! Tonight she ate more veggies and meat than she has in months. Thank you!!
I’m so glad to hear, Karla. That is a huge win :) Thanks so much!
Made this on the weekend and my husband devoured it.
So glad to hear Angela :) Thanks!
I just made this for dinner. I love it. The hint of chili flakes is a must. So good thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it, Corinne :) Thanks!
This sauce is the star of the show! And, so easy and delicious! I used veggies on hand, not even ginger and garlic. Can be served with any rice or noodles. So versatile! Everyone loved it.
So glad to hear :) Thanks so much!
I made the sauce last night to go with my own complement of veggies on hand. It was delicious – just ate the leftovers today. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Lisa :) Thanks so much!
This was excellent and definitely company worthy.
My 22 year old said that she liked it better than her favorite rice bowl at one of the restaurants she goes!
Great recipe and easy to make. I added carrots and broccoli. Mmm. Delic!
Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear, Cynthia! Thanks so much :)