How About a Leftover Chicken Stir Fry?
Looking for a fast, flavorful dinner? This chicken stir fry is the perfect way to use up leftover roasted chicken. It’s quick, colorful, and comes together in one pan.
You don’t need fancy ingredients or a lot of time. Simply grab your leftover chicken, add some fresh or frozen vegetables, and stir together a simple sauce. That’s it.
Stir fry is all about high heat, bold flavor, and crunch. The roasted chicken brings savory depth, and the vegetables add freshness and bite. You can use whatever you have on hand—broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, even carrots. The sauce is easy to mix and coats everything in a glossy, delicious glaze.
This is one of those recipes that works anytime. Weeknight dinner? Done. Quick lunch? Perfect.
It’s healthier than takeout and just as satisfying. Serve it over rice, noodles, or eat it as is. It’s flexible, fast, and full of flavor.
You’ll love how this stir-fry helps you stretch a roasted chicken into something new. No waste. No stress. Just a tasty meal in under 20 minutes. Let’s dive in—you’re only a few steps away from your next favorite go-to dinner.
Leftover Roasted Chicken Stir Fry
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- ½ onion
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 handful green beans
- 1 small bunch broccoli heads
- leftover chicken
- 1l teaspoon Asian fish sauce
- 1l tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- With any stir-fry, you want the pan and oil hot, but not smoking, so I heated up the oil in my large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- I added the whole garlic and sliced ginger and cooked until the garlic was brown and I could smell it release its flavor. I removed the garlic and ginger with a slotted spoon and discarded it.
- I immediately threw in the onion, peppers, green beans and broccoli stems. If I had more time I may have cooked some of the ingredients separately, adding more as I went along, but I didn't so everything went in at one time. And you know what, it turned out fine.
- Once the ingredients are in, you want to keep your eye on them so they don't burn. I gave the pan a shake and then stirred them with my slotted spoon every once in a while. After about 5 to 6 minutes, I added the fish sauce, vinegar, salt & pepper and continued cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Lastly, I added the chicken and continued cooking for a couple of minutes just so the already cooked chicken heated up and picked up some of the flavoring from the other ingredients.
- I tasted for seasonings and everything seem fine so we served it up with our romaine lettuce, pear and blue cheese salad.
Notes
Side Dishes That Pair Well with This Dish
| Side Dish | Description | Why It Pairs Well |
|---|---|---|
| Steamed Jasmine Rice | Light, fragrant white rice with a slightly sticky texture. | Balances the bold flavors of the stir fry and soaks up the sauce perfectly. |
| Garlic Noodles | Simple noodles tossed with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. | Rich, savory flavor complements the stir fry without overpowering it. |
| Asian Cucumber Salad | Thinly sliced cucumbers with rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and chili flakes. | Provides a cool, crisp contrast to the warm, savory stir fry. |
| Egg Drop Soup | Light broth-based soup with wisps of cooked egg and green onions. | Adds warmth and a soft texture that complements the stir fry’s crunch. |
| Stir-Fried Bok Choy | Quickly sautéed bok choy with garlic and a splash of soy sauce. | Boosts the vegetable content and echoes the dish’s Asian flavors. |
| Scallion Pancakes | Pan-fried dough layered with green onions and a crispy finish. | Adds a satisfying crunch and a mild onion flavor that pairs well. |
| Miso Soup | Brothy soup made with miso paste, tofu, and seaweed. | Offers umami and lightness to round out the meal without heaviness. |
Prep the Ingredients
As with all stir-fry, the most work and time is spent preparing the ingredients. See my web page on stir-fry. It is important to try and chop all like ingredients to the same size so they cook evenly.
I peeled the garlic but left it whole. All I wanted to do was flavor the oil with garlic and ginger. By leaving it whole, it’s easy to work with and does the job nicely.
If you like the taste of garlic, chop it up or slice it. I did slice the ginger, but if I wanted to add more flavor, I would have grated it.
I sliced the onion and cut the slices in half. For the peppers, I cut the top and stem off, removed the seeds and membrane, and cut them into ¼ inch slices. The green beans were washed, trimmed of ends and cut into quarters or thirds. The broccoli stems were cleaned and separated.
The chicken was already cooked, so I removed the meat from the bone and sliced it into strips. It was more like shredding than slicing because the meat was so tender. Now, I was ready to start cooking.
4 Responses
Can’t wait to try the quick chicken stir fry. Always looking for something quick. Maybe tomorrow nite! Actually, I found your site by accident when looking for an acorn squash receipe. When I typed in ‘acorn squash’ on google, your site came up. I am so glad. I love it. However, I did not realize it takes one hour to cook!!!! I am in trouble because my sister grows them and gave me two for dinner tonight and the rest of my dinner is ready. I put the squash in the oven 30 minutes ago and now I find out it takes another 30 minutes!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I will wait for them to cook. I think it is worth it. Don’t you? Oh well, such is life. Gotta go tell my husband he will have to wait a few more minutes. Thank you for your site and all the work you have put into it. I will investigate your site a little longer when I have time. And I will send the site to all my girl friends. they also love to cook. We meet once a month at each others house and take a new dish.
Cannot wait!!!!!!!! Talk to you later.
This by far is the best “quick stir fry” I’ve ever made! Thanks so much for something so delightful and delicious!
Just cooked the chicken stir fry and it was so delicious. My husband and son enjoyed it too.
Thanks for letting me know Pamela.