Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir Fry
Sliced chicken breast, velveted for tenderness and seared hard in a hot wok, then tossed through noodles, broccoli and a sticky sweet chilli sauce. It’s a proper takeaway-style stir fry you can have on the table in 30 minutes.
The bicarb and cornflour coating on the chicken isn’t just for the sear — it’s a velveting technique that keeps the chicken juicy through high heat, which is why it’s worth the extra two minutes rather than skipping straight to seasoning. The broccoli gets the same care: steamed covered first, then finished uncovered so the garlic and ginger don’t catch and burn.
Portion it straight into containers and it holds up well all week — fridge or freezer, chicken, noodles and sauce all together.
Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir Fry
CHICKEN · DINNER · EASY
Takeaway flavour, 30 minutes, one wok
Velveting the chicken in bicarb and cornflour before it hits the wok is the difference between dry, stringy stir-fry chicken and something genuinely juicy — it's a small step that changes the whole dish.
Steaming the broccoli covered first, then uncovering it to stir-fry the aromatics, gets it properly tender without turning the garlic and ginger bitter. It's a two-stage step but it only adds a couple of minutes.
Everything comes together in one wok and portions straight into containers, so it's as easy to meal prep as it is to cook for dinner tonight.
Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
Chicken, Vegetables & Noodles
- 15 ml Peanut Oil
- 750 g Chicken Breast Sliced
- 8 g Cornflour Cornstarch
- 4 g Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 head Broccoli Trimmed
- 4 Garlic Cloves Grated
- 10 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
- 1 Long Red Chilli Sliced
- 3 Spring Onions (Scallions) Sliced
- 350 g Noodles of Choice
Sweet Chill Sauce
- 125 ml Low Sugar Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 22.5 ml Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 20 g Oyster Sauce
- 20 g Hoisin Sauce
- 10 ml Rice Vinegar
- 10 ml Dark Soy Sauce
- 5 ml Sesame Oil
- 10 g Sriracha Sauce Optional
- 20 g Honey
- Ground White Pepper
Method
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a tiny bit of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, cornstarch, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and ground white pepper. Mix and set aside.
- Place a wok or large pan over high heat. Add peanut oil and sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.
- In the same wok over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and stems and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of water and cover with a lid to steam and soften. This will take roughly 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid. Add garlic, ginger, spring onion and fresh chilli, and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the chicken and its resting juices to the wok, then add the cooked and drained noodles and toss them together. Pour in the sauce and cook for 1 minute until the sauce is thick and coats everything. Remove from the heat.
- Portion into 5 x 750ml meal prep containers and garnish with green stem spring onions.
What does the bicarb and cornflour do to the chicken?⌄
It's a velveting technique — the bicarb raises the surface pH and tenderises the chicken, while the cornflour helps lock moisture in during the hard, fast sear. Together they keep the chicken juicy instead of turning stringy.
Can I leave out the sriracha?⌄
Yes, it's optional and mainly there for extra heat. The sauce still gets plenty of flavour from the sweet chilli sauce, hoisin and oyster sauce without it.
What noodles work best for this?⌄
Hokkien or egg noodles are the closest match to a takeaway-style stir fry, but rice noodles or even spaghetti in a pinch will work — just cook according to the packet and rinse in cold water so they don't clump.
Can I freeze this?⌄
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce back up.
