Chicken with Stir-Fry Vegetables

Chicken with stir-fry vegetables is the weeknight wok workhorse: thin-sliced chicken breast seared hot and fast, then joined by a colorful pile of celery, carrots, red bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, and crunchy water chestnuts.

The lemon teriyaki glaze is what sets this apart from a basic stir-fry. The citrus brightens the salty-sweet teriyaki and keeps the dish from feeling heavy. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end deepens that note.

Don’t cover the pan. Steam is the enemy of a stir-fry, turning crisp vegetables limp and gray. Keep it loud, hot, and moving.

Chef Tips

• Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips. Uniform pieces cook fast and stay tender.
• Get the wok or skillet ripping hot before adding oil. A drop of water should evaporate instantly on contact.
• Cook in batches if your pan is small. Crowding drops the temperature and turns the stir-fry into a steam-fry.
• Add vegetables in order of cook time: carrots and celery first, then peppers and zucchini, finally mushrooms and water chestnuts.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of minced ginger and 2 cloves of garlic for a more aromatic, classic Asian profile.
• Swap chicken for shrimp or thinly sliced beef for a different protein.
• Toss in a handful of snow peas or broccoli florets in the last 2 minutes for extra green crunch.