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Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry

Name: Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry
Prep time: 14 min
Total time: 24 min
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Ingredients: boneless chicken — 680 g; cornstarch — 44 g; soybean soy sauce — 79 g; vegetable oil — 41 g; red bell pepper — 100 g; head broccoli — 100 g; carrot — 60 g; garlic — 9 g; ginger — 15 g; light-brown sugar — 50 g; rice wine vinegar — 22 g; dark sesame oil — 5 g; water — 118 g; salt — 5 g; scallions — 200 g; ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry reads umami 7.6, richness 6.0 and salinity 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.5 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.3 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Richness 6.0 · Salinity 6.0 · Nutty 4.2 · Allium 3.6 · Sweetness 3.6 · Sourness 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Fruity 1.7 · Bitterness 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Floral 1.2 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (16)

boneless chicken — 680 g
cornstarch — 44 g
soybean soy sauce — 79 g
vegetable oil — 41 g
red bell pepper — 100 g
head broccoli — 100 g
carrot — 60 g
garlic — 9 g
ginger — 15 g
light-brown sugar — 50 g
rice wine vinegar — 22 g
dark sesame oil — 5 g
water — 118 g
salt — 5 g
scallions — 200 g
ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Time & effort: about 24 min (14 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 130 kcal, 14.6 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 7.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce until evenly coated, then let stand at room temperature until the coating sets, 10 minutes — this thin cornstarch coat (velveting) is what keeps the chicken juicy through the high heat ahead. While it rests, cut the bell pepper, broccoli, and carrot as listed and set every ingredient within reach of the stove, since the cooking itself takes barely ten minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, the brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and 6 tablespoons of the water until the sugar dissolves; set this sauce aside. In a separate small bowl, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the remaining 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry; set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer, spreading the pieces apart so they brown instead of steam, and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes; flip and sear until the second side is golden and the chicken reaches 165F, 2-3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet over high heat. Add the broccoli and carrot and stir-fry until the broccoli turns bright green and everything is just crisp-tender, 3 minutes.
Add the bell pepper and stir-fry until all the vegetables are crisp-tender with a little bite left, 2 minutes more.
Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet, add the garlic and ginger to the cleared space, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds — keep them moving so they don't scorch on the hot metal.
Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the skillet. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and toss to coat everything, then bring to a simmer, about 1 minute.
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir to recombine, pour it into the skillet, and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables in a glossy glaze, 1 minute.
Season with the salt to taste.
Remove the skillet from the heat, scatter the scallions and sesame seeds over the top, and serve immediately over rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry with Cashews — Chinese-American
Beef Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Vegetables — Japanese
Teriyaki Beef Skewers — Japanese
Cashew Chicken — Chinese-American
Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Rice Bowls — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.