This post features my easy gluten-free stir-fry recipe and affiliate links.
OK, I admit it. I used to buy stir-fry sauces to make stir-fry for my family. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but if I had known how easy and tasty it was to make my own gluten-free stir-fry sauce, I would have stopped buying store-bought stir-fry sauces long ago.
The store-bought sauces taste okay, but they are expensive, and all too often, they contain unrecognizable ingredients that I typically steer clear of. Plus, hidden gluten is everywhere, so better safe than sorry.
When I make my own gluten-free stir-fry recipe now, I make everything from scratch, so I know exactly what I’m putting in my food and what I’m feeding my family.
If you’re looking to make a simple, delicious, and filling stir-fry recipe for your gluten-free family, here are a few of my tips:
(1) Use quality chicken. I buy organic chicken breasts from Costco. Quality matters, as does what you feed your family.
(2) Coat chicken pieces with cornstarch. The cornstarch surrounds the chicken and allows it to cook more evenly in the oil. When I coat the chicken first, I find it tastes tender and juicy. If you don’t like cornstarch, use tapioca starch instead. It works just as well, although it can sometimes be a little stickier to work with.
Sometimes the chicken will stick to the pan. It’s okay. Once we add the stir-fry sauce, all the sticky bits will loosen and become part of the flavorful stir-fry sauce.
(3) Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. There are no rules for making your own kitchen sink stir-fry. If your kids like carrots and celery, use those vegetables instead. I do want to add, however, that the onions and garlic give so much flavor to this mixture, so try not to “lose” those if you can.
(4) Always make your own stir-fry sauce. As I mentioned above, when you make your own stir-fry sauce, you know everything you put in it. And it’s so easy to do anyway, so why bother spending the money on store-bought stir-fry sauces?
(5) Time your veggies. Crunchier vegetables will need more time to cook. So add carrots to your mixture before adding something like red pepper. If you like your vegetables with a crunchy bite, you’ll want to cook them longer. The exception to this rule is mushrooms. They need a while to cook down.
(6) I love to serve my stir-fry over rice, but of course, you could serve it over cauliflower rice. I love that Trader Joe’s sells riced cauliflower in a bag. You have to heat it up, and add a little salt and pepper, and it’s a great low-carb way to enjoy stir-fry.
Easy Gluten-Free Stir-Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. avocado oil
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 Tbsp. corn starch
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 15 large mushrooms stemmed and diced
- 1 red or orange pepper diced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
Sauce:
- 1 cup gluten-free chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp. gluten-free soy sauce or tamari okay to sub coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp. raw honey
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl add all sauce ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
- Coat chicken with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch (either in a bowl or zip-top bag). Add chicken to hot oil, mixing often, until cooked for about 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Add onion to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until onion starts to soften. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add red or orange pepper and garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add broccoli and cook for another minute.
- Add chicken to vegetable mixture and then pour the stir-fry sauce over the entire mixture and stir continuously for one minute over medium high heat. This will help the sauce thicken and fully coat the chicken and vegetables. Lower heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy immediately a top rice or cauliflower rice.