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Filled with lean chunks of tender chicken, carrots, broccoli, and cabbage, this Low Carb Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe is a quick and easy one-pot meal everyone will love! Ready in under 30 minutes, this delicious recipe is easily modified to be whole30, paleo, and gluten-free!
About This Recipe
Stir-fries can be incredibly healthy when made with fresh, nutrient-packed ingredients. They’re quick, easy, and full of flavor, making them one of the best options for last-minute weeknight dinners. This easy chicken and cabbage stir fry – filled with juicy chicken breast and vegetables in a light stir-fry sauce – is one of my favorites! Ready in less than 30 minutes, even my veggie-averse child finished his entire bowl!
A huge fan of one-pan dinners like this American Goulash Recipe, Easy Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry, and Easy Skillet Chicken Marsala with Pancetta, I can’t imagine my weeks without these sanity-savers.
Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry Sauce
Many stir-fry recipes can be deceiving. They’re packed with healthy chicken and veggies, but then smothered in syrupy, sugar-loaded sauces. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a sweet stir-fry now and then (hello, Orange Chicken Recipe!), but I prefer not to make it a regular thing, especially for my kiddo, who already goes wild for anything sweet. The sauce in this chicken cabbage stir fry is light, flavorful, and easy to adjust to fit your own personal taste.
The sauce ingredients include:
- Soy Sauce– This is a must-have for nearly all stir-fry recipes. It adds that familiar salty, umami flavor we all love so much from Asian-inspired dishes. If you’re watching your sodium intake, be sure to purchase low-sodium soy sauce or, if you are gluten-free, substitute with Tamari.
- Garlic and Ginger– Like soy sauce, it’s hard to find a good stir fry without either of these ingredients. Ginger can be a bit of a pain to mince, so I suggest using a microplane grater.
- Lime juice– Fresh and acidic, lime juice adds a bit of punch. Take care not to add too much, though, as lime can easily overwhelm the other flavors.
- Fish Sauce– Fish sauce is one of those crucial flavor elements that I find myself adding to nearly all Asian-inspired recipes. It is somewhat smelly, and does not taste very good alone, but mixed with the garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, it makes for a beautifully flavored sauce.
- Honey– ok, guys. When I say that I added honey, I think I added about 2 tablespoons total. That is not enough to make the sauce sweet, however, it is enough to help balance the other flavors. Do you need to add honey? No.
- Sriracha– Finally! some heat! You guys, I’m a huge fan of spicy foods. The 1 tablespoon I recommend doesn’t even come close to making this recipe spicy. However, if you are super sensitive to anything spicy, start small and go from there.
How to make this Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry
Or, scroll down to the recipe card to watch the video!
- Saute the chicken first. I always like to sauté my chicken before I get the veggies going. This allows the chicken to brown a bit on the outside which is a super easy way to add extra flavor to the overall dish. You only need to sauté the chicken for 6-7 minutes before removing it from the pot to a clean plate.
- Sauté the veggies. Add the onions to the same pot. In this case, I chopped my onion into small bits, but feel free to slice or cut your onion however you prefer. I always cook my onion for several minutes first before adding any other vegetable. Onions are probably the most amazing flavor contributors to anything you cook, only getting better the longer they cook. Once the onions are soft and translucent, you’ll want to add the remaining vegetables and the soy sauce.
- Start adding sauce ingredients. Next, you’re going to add the garlic and ginger. Here’s the thing though- you want to add these things to a small corner of the pot, ideally where some soy sauce has collected to prevent either from burning. Stir to combine with the soy sauce and then mix with the remaining vegetables.
- Return the chicken.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir stir stir (it is a stir-fry, after all). Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite-size strips or chunks
- salt and pepper, to season
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 5 cups Napa cabbage, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce, (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 pound broccolini
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce, (not shown in video)
- 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained
- 2 tablespoon honey, (omit for paleo or whole30)
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow chicken to cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring as needed to cook all sides of the chicken. Transfer chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Return the pot back to medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and chopped onion to the pot. Mix well to combine. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until onions start to soften and turn translucent. Stir in the carrots, cabbage, soy sauce, and broccolini. Mix well and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and ginger to one corner of the pot and mix to combine with the onions and soy sauce before mixing to combine with the remaining vegetables.
- Return the chicken to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add the lime juice, fish sauce (not shown in the video), water chestnuts, honey, and Sriracha. Mix thoroughly to combine. Continue to cooking for 4-6 minutes, stirring often, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For gluten-free option substitute the soy sauce with tamari.
- To make this whole30 and paleo approved, omit the honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Stir Fry Recipes,
If you love quick, flavorful meals like this one, be sure to check out some of my other favorite stir fry recipes. Whether you’re cooking with chicken, shrimp, or just want something packed with veggies, there’s something here for everyone. Try my Chicken Stir Fry with Bok Choy for a simple yet satisfying dinner, or go meatless with the garlicky goodness of my Garlic Bok Choy Recipe.
Looking for something a little heartier? This Ground Chicken Stir Fry Recipe is great for busy nights, while this Yaki Udon Recipe features thick, chewy noodles stir-fried with savory sauce. For seafood lovers, my Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry is light, fresh, and full of flavor. And if you’re craving a takeout favorite, don’t miss this Moo Goo Gai Pan Recipe—a classic chicken and vegetable stir fry that always hits the spot.
I love this because it’s an easy recipe to make and it looks delicious! thank you!
Your welcome Bryan – enjoy!