Almond Chicken Stir-Fry
This almond chicken stir-fry leans on a traditional stir-fry sauce made with soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger, tossed with juicy chicken thighs and served over steamed rice. It comes together in 30 minutes, and it’s a delicious meal, perfect for the nights you need a quick and satisfying dinner.
Yes, It’s Another Stir-Fry.
We can’t help it! We love stir-fries in our house, and I’m always looking for opportunities to switch things up slightly, use different ingredients, and keep the dinner wins coming.
Most recipes like this fold the almonds right into the stir-fry, but I kept them as a topping instead so they stay crunchy – and so they’re easy to leave off for selective eaters. It’s…
🥢 Big on flavor: The soy, honey, garlic, and ginger sauce hits sweet, savory, and tangy all at once.
🌰 Stays crunchy: Toasted almonds go on top instead of into the sauce, so they never go soft.
👶 Kid-friendly: Easy to leave the almonds off for picky eaters without changing the rest of the dish.
⏰ Ready in 30 minutes: Faster than takeout and just as satisfying.
🍚 Simple to serve: Just spoon it over rice and go.
If you want to keep the stir-fry nights coming, try my healthy orange chicken that brings that same sweet-savory sauce with a citrus twist. Beef and broccoli is the classic when you’re craving something heartier. And ground turkey stir-fry is the fastest option of the bunch when you’re really short on time.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this dinner to the table: rice for serving, sliced almonds, chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, garlic, fresh ginger, vegetable oil, and boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Give the sauce a quick re-whisk before adding it to the skillet, since the cornstarch settles. Once it’s in with the chicken, don’t cook it too long. This sauce isn’t meant to be super thick, so pull it off the heat as soon as it turns glossy.
- Variations: Chicken thighs are recommended since they stay juicier than breast on high heat, but breast works as a swap if you prefer.
- Additions: Serve with an easy veggie on the side – steamed broccoli, sautéed green beans, or baby bok choy.
Almond Chicken Stir-Fry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Dairy-Free
Description
This almond chicken stir-fry has a ginger-soy sauce and crunchy toasted almonds on top – ready in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- rice, for serving
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- garnish: toasted almonds, sliced green onion, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and golden. Watch them closely since they can burn fast once they start to color. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger until the cornstarch is fully dissolved with no lumps.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with the salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and almost cooked through.
- Give the sauce a quick re-whisk, since the cornstarch settles, then pour it into the skillet with the chicken. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken in a light, glossy layer. (This sauce isn’t meant to be super thick, so don’t cook too long!)
- Serve over rice, garnished with toasted almonds, green onion, and sesame seeds.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Ingredients: Traditionally, almonds are stirred into the sauce and stir-fry, but here they’re left as a garnish so they stay crunchy.
Nutrition: The nutrition facts are an estimate and do not include rice.
About the Author
This recipe was developed by Emily Dingmann, founder and contributor to My Everyday Table. Emily specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and nearly 20 years of experience, she shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.