Lemon Sesame Chicken Stir Fry

4.41 from 5 votes

This lemon sesame chicken stir fry has bright citrus and soy flavors. It comes together in under 30 minutes, is loaded with veggies, and makes for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Denise Bustard

Ingredients

Stir Fry

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in bite-sized pieces; note 1
1 onion diced
4 cups vegetables chopped (such as asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms)
½ lemon sliced; seeds removed

Sauce

½ cup chicken stock
1 lemon juiced; 2.5 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar note 2
2 tablespoons soy sauce note 3
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Garnish

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

Cook the veggies- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 or so minutes, until mostly cooked through. Add the remaining vegetables and lemon slices and cook for 5 minutes, until veggies are tender. Remove the veggies to a clean bowl.
Cook the chicken- Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken breasts and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Prepare the sauce- Shake together the sauce in a jar or salad dressing shaker until no lumps remain, then add into the hot pan with the chicken. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until sauce bubbles and just begins to thicken.
Assemble and serve- Return the veggies to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with rice.

Video

Notes

1- this is roughly 2 large chicken breasts; feel free to swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs.

2- brown sugar can be swapped for your favorite sweetener; honey and maple syrup both work great

3- I recommend reduced sodium soy sauce; swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid soy seasoning to make this recipe gluten-free

4- nutritional information excludes rice

Storage

Cool completely, then portion out with ½ cup rice per serving.

fridge- store for up to 4 days
freezer- store for up to 3 months

Reheating

Thaw completely if frozen; if your meal prep containers permit, you can heat on low heat in the microwave until thawed and heated through.

Heat until steaming hot; do not reheat more than once.

Variations

Swap the protein, veggies and carbs to get your perfect stir fry. Use:

1 lb protein- chicken, shrimp, pork, tofu; this works out to 4 oz per person
4 cups vegetables– bagged stir fry mix, green beans, snow peas, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, bok choy, or your favorite vegetable; this works out to 1 cup vegetables per person
2 cups cooked rice– or swap for cauliflower rice, quinoa, brown rice; this works out to ½ cup cooked carb per person.

Nutrition