This chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe is everything we love in takeout. Tender chicken and shrimp come together with tons of veggies, a delicious Asian sauce, and rice to create a dish everyone loves.
I love a good stir fry. I get some variation of it every time we order takeout. I also love making my own at home. This recent recipe combines both chicken and shrimp to make a fully loaded stir fry that is always a crowd-pleaser.
Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
This was inspired by my other simple chicken stir fry recipe with ramen noodles on this site and pairs well with this easy air fryer egg roll recipe among others.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that are readily available at your local grocery store.
Stir Fry Ingredients
- Avocado oil
- Chicken breast
- Red pepper flakes
- Extra large shrimp
- Sugar snap peas
- Broccoli florets
- Cauliflower florets
- Bean sprouts
- Carrot slices
- Yellow bell pepper
- Onion
- Salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Cilantro
Sauce Ingredients
- Tamari soy sauce
- Rice wine
- Hoisin
- Lemon juice
- Chili paste
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Sesame oil
- Honey
- Cornstarch and water slurry
- Green onions for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
See the recipe card at the end of the post for exact quantities.
Instructions
There are several ingredients to this recipe, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's difficult. It only takes a few steps.
Step 1: Make the Sauce
Add sesame oil, minced ginger, and minced garlic to a saucepan over medium heat. While the pan heats, combine tamari, rice wine, hoisin, lemon juice, chili paste, and honey in a bowl with a pour spout or a measuring cup.
Whisk the mixture and pour it into the saucepan. Cover and bring it to a boil.
Once the sauce is boiling, remove the lid and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Boil for 4 more minutes, stirring continuously, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 2: Stir Fry the Chicken
Toss the diced chicken with avocado oil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Then, stir fry it for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir Fry the Shrimp
Remove the chicken. Toss the shrimp with avocado oil, salt, pepper, and cilantro and stir fry for a minute per side.
Step 4: Stir Fry the Vegetables
Remove shrimp. Then, add the vegetables and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Finish the Dish
Then add the shrimp to vegetables and stir to combine. Add the chicken to the wok and pour in the sauce. Cook an additional few minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Hint: It's imperative that you only cook the shrimp for 1 minute before stirring in the remaining ingredients. This keeps it from overcooking.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe.
- Pre-packaged Ginger and Garlic - If you don't have fresh garlic or ginger to mince, you can use prepackaged minced varieties of both.
- Minced Garlic - garlic flakes, garlic powder, or chives, shallots
- Minced Ginger - dried ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg
- Onion - dried onion flakes, onion powder or shallots
- Green onions - use chives instead
- Regular Pepper - If you don't have a pepper grinder, regular black pepper works.
- Avocado oil - grapeseed oil, truffle oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn, soybean and coconut oil
- Chicken breast - Instead of chicken breast use chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces or 1-inch cubes
- Extra Large Shrimp - use smaller shrimp that will cook quicker or substitute clams, mussels or scallops will work in a pinch
- Red pepper flakes - use sriracha or your favorite hot sauce instead
- Dried Cilantro - or ground coriander use cumin, flat leaf parsley or thai basil
- Lemon juice - lime juice or white wine
- Tamari soy sauce - if concerned about salt intake use low salt soy sauce instead or use ⅓ of a cup instead of ½ cup of regular soy sauce
- Rice wine - apple juice, white grape juice, sake (Japanese Rice Wine), gin, dry white wine or dry sherry are reasonable substitutes but will alter flavor slightly.
- Hoisin sauce - teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, miso paste or kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) will all work i a pinch and slightly alter flavor
- Chili paste - tomato paste or ketchup blended with cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce or your favorite hot sauce. Also curry paste or wasabi paste will work but will alter flavor somewhat.
- Sesame oil - olive, grapeseed, sunflower, avocado, walnut or peanut oil
- Sesame seeds - use poppy, hemp, sunflower, peanuts, pumpkin seeds or flax
- Honey - light corn syrup is best but dark corn syrup, maple syrup or molasses other than blackstrap will work but may alter somewhat
- Cornstarch and water slurry - rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot powder will work in a pinch
Variations
Want to personalize this chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Extra Spicy - Add sliced jalapenos or your favorite hot pepper for even more of a kick.
- Mild - Omit the red pepper flakes and chili paste for a mild version.
- Nuts - Add almonds, peanuts or cashews
- Sugar snap peas - snow peas, edamame or fresh fava beans
- Bean sprouts - bamboo shoots, alfalfa sprouts, snow peas, shredded cabbage, water chestnuts or bok choy
- Corn or Baby Corn - An easy addition
- Broccoli or Cauliflower- use extra of broccoli or cauliflower florets instead, or extra carrots, or brussels sprouts, green beans or asparagus instead
- Add kale or spinach - for some extra vitamins and color
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this simple steak and peppers stir fry, bean and pork stirfry or our healthy chicken stir fry.
Equipment
You'll only need a few pieces of kitchen equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Wok
- Saucepan
- Spoon
- Whisk
Storage
You can store this in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 6 months.
Tips
This is a fairly straightforward recipe, but I do have some tips to help you make it the best that it can possibly be.
- Be sure not to overcook the shrimp. Cook them for no longer than specified in the recipe or they'll get tough and rubbery. When cooked, shrimps most should resemble the letter C.
- When stir frying, constantly move the food around to avoid burning while cooking at medium high heat.
- Use our stir fry vegetable timing chart to assist you to create the perfect stir fry for you!
FAQ
Do you have questions about chicken and shrimp stir fry? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe.
It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Chill it completely in the refrigerator. Then, place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
Heat a wok on medium-high heat and stir fry until warmed through - about 2 or 3 minutes.
More Chicken and Shrimp Recipes
Do you like chicken and shrimp? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into 1” cubes
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lb extra large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 4 oz broccoli florets
- 4 oz cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup carrot slices
- 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
Sauce
- ½ cup tamari soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine
- 1 tablespoon hoisin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- 2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 teaspoon water whisked cornstarch slurry
Garnish
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
- Heat a wok over medium high heat.
Prepare the sauce.
- Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sesame oil, minced ginger, and minced garlic.
- While that heats, combine tamari, rice wine, hoisin, lemon juice, chili paste, and honey in a bowl with a pour spout. I usually use a measuring cup.
- Whisk until blended.
- Pour into the saucepan with ginger and garlic. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, dice the chicken and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt.
- Add to the wok and stir fry for 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the wok and set aside.
- Add the shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Add to the wok and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Remove shrimp from the wok and set aside.
- Once the sauce is boiling remove the lid and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Boil for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, and remove from heat. Set aside. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Add half the vegetables and stir.
- Add remaining vegetables and stir fry for 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and chicken.
- Pour in the sauce. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve.
- Enjoy.
- Every bite!
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