Craving Chinese takeout but trying to stick to a Paleo or Whole30 diet? This paleo chicken stir fry recipe is a quick, easy, and healthy alternative that’s packed with flavor and made with clean, simple ingredients. This dish is not only better than takeout but also so much healthier and quicker to throw together for a weeknight dinner.
Why Make Stir-Fry at Home?
Many believe recreating takeout recipes at home is impossible, especially for those who don’t cook often. However, making stir-fry at home allows you to control the ingredients, making it a healthier option that aligns with Paleo and Whole30 principles. This recipe uses fresh vegetables, lean protein, and a flavorful sauce without the added sugars, soy sauce, cornstarch, and MSG found in many takeout versions.
Key Ingredients and Paleo Swaps
This recipe uses simple substitutions to make a classic stir-fry Paleo and Whole30 friendly:
- Protein: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are recommended for their moisture and flavor. Chicken breast can dry out easily, so thighs are a great alternative. Other options include thinly sliced beef or pork, or whole shrimp.
- Vegetables: The beauty of stir-fry is its versatility. Use whatever vegetables you love or have on hand. Broccoli, bell peppers, snow peas, shredded cabbage, carrots, zucchini, snap peas, and cauliflower are all excellent choices.
- Sauce: The sauce is key to a flavorful stir-fry. Instead of soy sauce, use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari sauce. For thickening, use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch. Fresh garlic and ginger provide a flavor punch. Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar adds tanginess. Honey or maple syrup can be used as a sweetener.
The Magic of the Sauce
A Whole30-friendly sauce is essential for "fun" Paleo meals. The sauce in this recipe replicates the flavors of a classic chicken veggie stir-fry. Fresh garlic and ginger provide a big flavor punch, while Nakano Natural Rice Vinegar adds tanginess. Tapioca or arrowroot flour thickens the sauce, creating a satisfying texture.
All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
For an all-purpose stir-fry sauce, whisk together ½ cup of the sauce with 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder. This versatile sauce balances savoriness, sweetness, and tang, making it perfect for any stir-fry combination.
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Recipe Variations and Additions
- Vegetables: Don’t stress about following the recipe exactly-use whatever combination of meat and veggies that you have in the fridge.
- Nuts: Add raw, unseasoned cashew nuts for a delicious crunch.
- Spice: Add a bit of crushed red pepper for spice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the Ingredients
- Cut the chicken: Cut the chicken breast or thighs into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop the vegetables: Chop your chosen vegetables into bite-size pieces suitable for stir-frying.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix arrowroot starch and coconut aminos until the starch is dissolved. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir until well-mixed.
- Marinate Chicken: Toss the sliced chicken with arrowroot or tapioca, a little salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, and coconut aminos.
Cooking the Stir-Fry
- Heat the skillet or wok: Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add avocado or olive oil.
- Sear the chicken: Once hot, add the prepared chicken in a single layer. Sear for about 3 minutes, flip, and cook another 2 minutes or so until cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Keep the pan juices and oil in the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the white part of the scallions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the broccoli and other selected vegetables to the empty skillet and pour in ¼ cup of water. Cover the pan and cook the florets until they are bright green and tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine everything: Add the chicken back to the skillet, then pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to coat well. The sauce should thicken right away, so only cook long enough to combine flavors and heat through.
Serving
- Serve hot: Remove from heat and serve hot over cauliflower rice or zoodles.
- Garnish: Garnish with sliced green scallions, sesame seeds, or a bit of crushed red pepper for spice.
Detailed Cooking Instructions
- Blend the sauce: In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend all sauce ingredients until smooth.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add oil once hot. Add all the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook, stirring to avoid browning, about 3 minutes - do not overcook at this stage. Vegetables should just begin to soften.
- Cook the chicken: Add remaining oil to skillet and keep heat set on med-hi/hi. Add all chicken, leaving any marinade in the bowl. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper.
- Simmer: Lower heat to medium and pour all sauce over chicken, then add vegetables back in. Stir, and allow to simmer another 2 minutes or until sauce thickens and vegetables are crisp-tender.
Tips for the Perfect Stir-Fry
- Prepare ingredients in advance: Stir-fries are quick to cook, so have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start.
- Use high heat: A hot wok or skillet is essential for a good stir-fry.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the ingredients in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can lower the temperature and result in soggy vegetables.
- Stir constantly: Stir the ingredients constantly to ensure even cooking.
- Use heat-resistant fats: Use fats that are very heat resistant, such as tallow, clarified butter, or coconut oil. Avoid poultry fat, lard, or unclarified butter, as they are less heat resistant.
Serving Suggestions
- Cauliflower Rice: Serve over sautéed cauliflower rice to keep it low carb and paleo.
- Zoodles: Another great low-carb option is to serve over zoodles (zucchini noodles).
- White or Brown Rice: If you tolerate grains, serve with regular white rice or brown rice.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: This is a great dish to make in advance for meal prep or even as a freezer meal to have on hand.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Simply reheat on the stove with a little oil in the pan.
More Paleo Stir-Fry Recipes
Explore a variety of Paleo stir-fry recipes with different protein and vegetable combinations. Consider trying a coconut curry stir-fry, a cabbage stir-fry, or even a beef heart stir-fry for a unique twist.
Read also: Paleo Diet Delivered: What You Need to Know
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