Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry

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This nourishing, feel-good Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is easy to customize. So, keep it on regular rotation for dinner without worrying about it getting boring! This dish is flavored with garlic, green onion, and coconut aminos, and it’s perfect by itself or atop rice, pasta, or veggies! {Paleo}

Spiriteds, who says chicken has to be boring? Who says we have to reinvent the wheel every time we want something new? Let’s change the narrative and sink our teeth into this incredible Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry! K-Hubs and I cannot get enough of it. I even found the second born eating it AS AN AFTER SCHOOL SNACK.

As one does.

There are countless reasons to love this recipe. So, let me glom on about two reasons in particular. One, it’s a short ingredient list. You’ll flavor it with green onions and garlic, along with coconut aminos. You’ll add tapioca flour to thicken the marinade once the chicken is sautéing. For once, we don’t use a bunch of spices. And you know what? This dish is still just as tasty as ever.

Two, love this recipe because of the different ways you can serve it. Think pasta or cauliflower rice (that’s what we did here). Veggies that are steamed, roasted, or air-fried. Crusty bread or just by itself, Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is the little black dress of chicken dinners. it goes with everything. 

Reason 2.5: Please, go bonkers with water chestnuts. We add two cans to this recipe because they do an excellent job of absorbing and holding the flavors, which ensures each bite is just as tantalizing as the last.

Spiriteds, grab some chicken, coconut aminos, and ALL THE WATER CHESTNUTS, and let’s get our sautéing ON!

Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is

• Easy to throw together
• Paleo-friendly (depending on what you serve it with)
• Flavored with garlic and green onion
• Delicious by itself or paired with another base

I serve this recipe over homemade cauliflower rice. But you could eat Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry as is or atop rice, pasta, or additional vegetables. Think steamed, roasted, or air-fried vegetables.

Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry ingredients

• Chicken breasts. Cut into cubes or strips. Fillet any thicker portions so each piece is relatively the same thickness. This will aid in the sautéing process.
• Coconut oil. I add dollops throughout the process to prevent the chicken from scorching or sticking to the pan.
• Sea salt. A pinch to start, and then more as desired.
• For the marinade: Water, coconut aminos, and white wine vinegar. Coconut aminos are often found in allergen-friendly or world flavors aisles in grocery stores. They are a soy-free alternative to soy sauce.
• Tapioca flour. Add this once the marinating is complete. It will thicken the marinade into what will be come the sauté sauce.
• Fresh pressed garlic and sliced green onion. These enhance the overall flavor without complicating the recipe.
• Water chestnuts. These absorb the flavors, especially the garlic and coconut aminos. And, depending on when you choose to add them to your stir-fry, they will be soft or crunchy. You choose!
• Garnishes: Coarse black pepper, fresh herbs, and/an additional splash of coconut aminos.

How to make Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry

1. Cut the chicken into cubes or strips. If necessary, fillet them so they are the same thickness. Set aside. To a deep serving or mixing bowl, combine the water, coconut aminos, and white wine vinegar. Next, place the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. To a large sauté pan, add the coconut oil and, if desired, a few pinches of sea salt. Once the coconut oil is melted, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken from the marinade to the sauté pan. Add tapioca flour to the marinade in the bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté the chicken on a MEDIUM heat until it is no longer pink. Then carefully spoon out and discard any juices or liquid that pooled in the sauté pan while the chicken cooked.
4. Next, pour the marinade into the sauté pan and simmer until it gently boils and thickens. If needed, add a dollop of coconut oil. If you would like softer water chestnuts, then add them during this step so they have more time to cook. And for crunchier water chestnuts, add them in Step 5.
5. Now add the pressed garlic and sliced green onions. Sauté until the green onions have deepened in color but are not wilted.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for about 1-2 days.

Recipe best practices

• Cut the chicken into similarly-sized pieces so they cook evenly. This may mean you’ll need to fillet thicker portions of the chicken breasts.
• Remember to reserve the marinade once you transfer the chicken to the sauté pan. You’ll add it to the pan once the chicken is cooked through and you’ve spooned out the excess juices in the pan.
• In place of tapioca flour, you can also thicken your marinade into a sauce using a small amount of cornstarch, which may be gluten-free but is not paleo, or arrowroot powder (I haven’t tried this method, but I see other cooks rave about it). Arrowroot powder may be paleo but always read labels to know for sure.
• Add the water chestnuts earlier in the sauté process to create a softer texture. Add them towards the end for a bit of crunch.

Recipe FAQs

• Do I add coconut oil at the beginning of the recipe and then again after I spoon out the pooled juices? Yes. The initial dollop of coconut oil prevents the chicken from stick to the pan. But juices from the chicken will pool in the pan while it cooks, turning your stir-fry into a watery mess. That’s why we spoon out the excess liquid and THEN add a dollop of coconut oil again, if needed, when we add the marinade.
• Do I add the marinade to the sauté pan at the same time I add the chicken? No. Marinade the chicken first and then use a slotted spoon to transfer just the chicken to the sauté pan. Reserve the marinade and add the tapioca flour to the it. Because the chicken will release juices while it cooks, we want to spoon those watery juices out before we add the thickened and flavorful marinade.
• What should I do with the juices that pool in the pan during Step 3? Discard them.
• What if my tapioca flour seizes up when I add it to the reserved marinade? Stir it quickly or mash with a fork and then stir again when adding the marinade to the sauté pan. If needed, you could add another splash of water or coconut oil to the marinade to thin it out.

More delicious, savory stir-fry recipes!

If it’s stir-fry recipes you want, then it’s stir-fry recipes we’ve got. These recipes are ideal candidates for weekly rotation meals. They are a great way to creatively add vegetables to your dinners!

• Grain-Free Cauliflower Stir Fry
• Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry
• Kale Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry
• Cauliflower Turmeric Stir-Fry

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry

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This nourishing, feel-good Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry is easy to customize. So, keep it on regular rotation for dinner without worrying about it getting boring! This dish is flavored with garlic, green onion, and coconut aminos and perfect by itself or atop rice, pasta, or veggies! {Paleo}

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Marinate: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: Sauté
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2–3 chicken breasts, cubed or cut into strips
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Coconut oil
• A few pinches of sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 2 (8 ounce) cans water chestnuts, drained
• 6 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
• 1 cup green onions, cut on bias or chopped in long strips
• Coarse black pepper for garnishing, optional

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Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into cubes or strips. If necessary, fillet them so they are the same thickness. Set aside. To a deep serving or mixing bowl, combine the water, coconut aminos, and white wine vinegar. Next, place the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. To a large sauté pan, add the coconut oil and, if desired, a few pinches of sea salt. Once the coconut oil is melted, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken from the marinade to the sauté pan. Add tapioca flour to the marinade in the bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté the chicken on a MEDIUM heat until it is no longer pink. Then carefully spoon out and discard any juices or liquid that pooled in the sauté pan while the chicken cooked.
4. Next, pour the marinade into the sauté pan and simmer until it gently boils and thickens. If needed, add a dollop of coconut oil. If you would like softer water chestnuts, then add them during this step so they have more time to cook. And for crunchier water chestnuts, add them in Step 5.
5. Now add the pressed garlic and sliced green onions. Sauté until the green onions have deepened in color but are not wilted.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for about 1-2 days.

Notes

• Cut the chicken into similarly-sized pieces so they cook evenly. This may mean you’ll need to fillet thicker portions of the chicken breasts.
• Remember to reserve the marinade once you transfer the chicken to the sauté pan. You’ll add it to the pan once the chicken is cooked through and you’ve spooned out the excess juices in the pan.
• In place of tapioca flour, you can also thicken your marinade into a sauce using a small amount of cornstarch, which may be gluten-free but is not paleo, or arrowroot powder (I haven’t tried this method, but I see other cooks rave about it). Arrowroot powder may be paleo but always read labels to know for sure. 
• Add the water chestnuts earlier in the sauté process to create a softer texture. Add them towards the end for a bit of crunch.
• Prep and cook times are a guideline for planning. Actual times may vary.
• Please see the blog post for FAQs and answers.