Easy Almond Chicken Stir Fry
One of my favorite stir-fry dishes is this Easy Almond Chicken stir-fry recipe, loaded with celery, sweet yellow peppers, ginger, garlic, green onions, and of course, sliced almonds. It has that classicly delicious Asian taste that keeps me coming back for more. On top of this being incredibly tasty, it comes together in 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for the weeknight dinner shuffle.
Table of contents
I grew up eating American-style Chinese food regularly. My parents love going to get good Chinese food and I second that love for the cuisine. Recently my favorite local spot closed and one of my favorite dishes was their Almond Chicken. This is not a traditional Chinese-American recipe by any means, this is something that I conjured up to appeal to my taste buds primarily. As it turned out, it was not only flavorful but easy to cook as well.
10 Interesting Facts about Chinese American Food
- Did you know? Some favorites like General Tso’s Chicken and Chop Suey were invented in America.
- Christmas Day is the most popular day to feast on Chinese American food.
- Chinese American food has been designated as its own cuisine. (Not surprising! :))
- The oldest established Chinatown in the United States is in San Francisco.
- California is the birthplace of the popular 60’s salad known as the Chinese Chicken Salad. (One of my faves)
- According to Grubhub, General Tso’s Chicken is the most popular Chinese American dish in the United States.
- Chinese American food was introduced to California in the mid-1800s.
- According to Insider, the first known Chinese restaurant opened in San Francisco in 1849.
- Orange chicken was created in 1987 by a Panda Express Chef as a variation of General Tso’s chicken.
- Did you know that the co-founder of the popular chain, P.F. Changs is Philip Chiang, son of the one and only, Cecilia Chiang of The Mandarin?
Why you will love this recipe
This Easy Almond Chicken Stir-Fry recipe is easy to prepare and cook. You will need to chop some veggies, but it’s worth it. I recommend having all the ingredients ready as this dish comes together quickly.
Another fact is that it’s nutritious and a healthy option from the slightly heavier, traditional Chinese-American entrees we know and love.
Easy Almond Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients
Tip
Using garlic-flavored oil ramps up the flavor of this and other stir-fry recipes. These oils are available online and in the gourmet sections of large grocery stores.
Chicken
- 1 1/2lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips or 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Stir-fry
- 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves chopped finely
- 1 whole, yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced into 2-inch strips
- 1/2 large head of celery (about 6 large stalks), chopped into large 1/2 inch slices at an angle
- 4 green onions, large, sliced at an angle
Cornstarch slurry
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ginger, powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup blanched almonds or slivered almonds
How to make Almond Chicken
Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken into 2-inch strips. Place in a bowl and toss with cornstarch + kosher salt. Set aside.
Prepare vegetables: Chop green onions thinly and place in a bowl. Chop celery stalks at an angle and place in a bowl. Slice bell pepper into two-inch strips (removing core and seeds) and place in the same bowl with the celery. Mince the garlic cloves and place in a small bowl.
Prepare the cornstarch slurry for the sauce-In a small bowl, add chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, white pepper, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Use a small whisk or fork to mix well. Set aside.
In a wok or extra-large nonstick pan, over medium to high, heat 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil until glistening. Carefully add chicken and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes until the chicken pieces are shiny and there is a little browning.
Add vegetables and garlic. Add 1/2 tbsp or more oil and start stir-frying together. Stir fry for about 4 minutes until celery is bright green, crisp tender.
Add cornstarch slurry and continue to stir until slightly thickened. About 1 more minute.
Sprinkle sliced almonds and stir evenly.
Remove from heat and serve immediately with steamed rice.
How to serve this Easy Almond Chicken Stir fry
The classic way to enjoy most Chinese American dishes is over steamed white or brown rice. But you can try noodles (double the sauce so you have some extra for the noodles!). This can be served as a stand-alone dish as well if you are watching your carbohydrate intake.
I also like to add a little low-sodium soy sauce and some Asian chili garlic sauce. But chili crisp is awesome in this dish too!
How to store and reheat leftovers
The best way to store any remaining East Almond Chicken Stir-fry is to place the remaining rice and stir-fry separately in glass containers with tight-fitting lids. This dish can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop using a nonstick pan. Just ensure the food is heated thoroughly before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Extra firm tofu or shrimp work well with this recipe.
Yes, although the sauce is more balanced with the dry.
Yes, you can add other vegetables. I recommend that you reduce the amount of celery to add other vegetables. The overall volume of vegetables should remain about the same.
No, this is not an authentic dish. This recipe has subtle Asian flavors that are similar to the original dish.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
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Easy Almond Chicken Stir Fry
November 15, 2023Equipment
- Extra large non stick pan or non stick wok pan
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pound chicken breast cut into strips or 1-inch cubes boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Stir-fry vegetables
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 whole yellow bell pepper, cored and seeded chopped into 2 inch strips
- 6-7 stalks celery, large chopped into 1/2 inch pieces at an angle
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
Cornstarch slurry for stir-fry
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar seasoned
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper ground
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup blanched almonds or slivered almonds
Steamed white or brown rice for serving
- 4 cups rice steamed for serving
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
- Slice chicken into 2-inch strips. Place in a bowl and toss with cornstarch + kosher salt. Set aside.
Prepare vegetables
- Thinly slice green onions and place in a bowl. Chop celery stalks at an angle and place in a bowl. Slice bell pepper into two-inch strips (removing core and seeds) and place in the same bowl with the celery. Finely chop the garlic cloves and place in a small bowl.
Prepare the cornstarch slurry for the sauce
- In a small bowl, add chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, white pepper, cornstarch and kosher salt. Use a small whisk or fork to mix well. Set aside.
- Pre-heat a wok or extra-large nonstick pan, over medium to high heat. Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil until glistening. Carefully add chicken and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes until the chicken is shiny and there is a little browning.
- Add vegetables and garlic. Add 1/2 tbsp or more oil and start stir-frying together. Stir fry for about 4 minutes until celery is bright green and is crisp tender.
- Add cornstarch slurry and continue to stir until slightly thickened. About 1 more minute.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds and stir evenly.
- Serve over steamed rice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
