Easy Ground Chicken Stir Fry Recipe (One-Pan Dinner)

Name: Ground Chicken Stir Fry (Easy One-Pan Dinner)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound ground chicken; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (fresh, grated); 1 medium yellow onion (thinly sliced); 1 cup carrots (shredded or julienned); ½ cup chicken broth; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons water; 2 cups broccoli florets; 1½ cups snow peas; 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into strips); 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh squeezed, half a lime); 2 stalks green onions (sliced); ½ tablespoon sesame seeds; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; garlic chili oil (to taste); sriracha (to taste)

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Ground Chicken Stir Fry is a quick, one-pan dinner you can have on the table in about 30 minutes. It is fresh, filling, and easy enough for the busiest weeknight.

Lean ground chicken with broccoli, snow peas, and carrots in a simple soy and ginger sauce.

Overhead view of Ground Chicken Stir Fry in a skillet with broccoli, snow peas, red bell pepper, and sesame seeds.

Table of Contents

This is the dinner I make when the week gets busy and I still want everyone to eat their vegetables. My husband likes it best with extra chili oil.

Recipe Highlights

Ready in about 30 minutes
Everything cooks in one pan
A great way to eat more vegetables
Works with any ground meat you have
Mild for kids, easy to spice up

Ingredient Notes

Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.

Ingredients needed to make Ground Chicken Stir Fry.

GROUND CHICKEN – Ground turkey, pork, or beef all work as a one-to-one swap. For fattier meat, drain the extra grease after browning.

Ground Meat	Fat Level	Quick Tip
Chicken (this recipe)	Lean	Cooks fast, no draining needed
Turkey	Lean	Swap one-to-one for the chicken
Pork	Higher	Richer; drain the extra fat
Beef	Higher	Drain the fat before the sauce

GINGER – Grate it fresh from a knob of ginger. A jar of pre-grated ginger works when you are short on time.

VEGETABLES – Use any quick-cooking mix you like. Snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, bok choy, or cabbage all work.

SOY SAUCE – Regular or reduced-sodium both work. Tamari or coconut aminos keep it gluten-free.

CORNSTARCH – Whisk it with the water before it goes in the pan, and the sauce stays smooth.

LIME – Add it off the heat at the very end so it stays fresh. Use the juice of a whole lime if you love citrus.

How To Make Ground Chicken Stir Fry

Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Stir fry sauce whisked together in a glass bowl.

Ground chicken browning in a skillet with grated fresh ginger.

Sliced onion and julienned carrots added to the browned chicken.

Sauce and chicken broth poured into the skillet with the chicken and vegetables.

Broccoli, snow peas, and red bell pepper added to the pan.

Finished Ground Chicken Stir Fry topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

Cook the ground chicken in a large skillet until no longer pink.
Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and carrots, and cook until they soften.
Stir in the sauce, broth, and cornstarch slurry, then add the rest of the vegetables.
Simmer until the vegetables are tender, then finish with lime, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Close-up of Ground Chicken Stir Fry with broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and ground chicken topped with sesame seeds.

Leftovers and Storage

STORE – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

FREEZE – This one tastes best made fresh, so I keep leftovers in the fridge instead of the freezer.

REHEAT – Warm it in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.

MAKE AHEAD – Chop the vegetables and mix the sauce up to a day ahead. Store them separately so dinner comes together fast.

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Serving Suggestions

OVER STEAMED RICE – Spoon it over white or jasmine rice so the sauce soaks in. For a heartier bowl, serve it over Fried Rice.

WITH NOODLES – Pile it on lo mein or rice noodles for a quick noodle bowl. My Shrimp Lo Mein is another easy one to try.

IN LETTUCE CUPS – Spoon the chicken and vegetables into crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, hand-held dinner.

FOR MEAL PREP – Portion it into containers with rice for grab-and-go lunches all week.

A wooden spoon lifting a scoop of Ground Chicken Stir Fry with broccoli, carrots, and ground chicken over a plate.

Recipe Success Tips

PREP AHEAD – A bag of precut stir-fry vegetables gets this on the table in about 15 minutes. Either way, chop and measure everything before you start so the cooking goes smoothly.

SWAP THE MEAT – Use ground turkey, pork, or beef in place of the chicken. For higher-fat meat, drain the extra fat before adding the sauce.

TENDER-CRISP VEGETABLES – Add the broccoli, snow peas, and pepper near the end, then cook just until they are tender-crisp.

MAKE IT SPICY – Stir in red pepper flakes or black pepper as it cooks for a little warmth. A drizzle of garlic chili oil or sriracha at the table lets everyone set their own level.

Chopsticks holding broccoli and ground chicken above a bowl of Ground Chicken Stir Fry served over rice.

Commonly Asked Questions

Is Ground Chicken Stir Fry Spicy?

Ground Chicken Stir Fry is mild as written, with no heat at all. The spice is completely optional. For a little warmth, stir in red pepper flakes or black pepper while it cooks. A drizzle of sriracha or garlic chili oil at the table lets everyone set their own level.

Can I Use a Different Ground Meat?

Yes, any ground meat works in this stir fry. Ground turkey, pork, or beef all swap in one-to-one for the chicken. The main difference is cook time and fat. For higher-fat meat like pork or beef, drain the extra grease after browning so the sauce does not turn greasy.

Can I Use Maple Syrup Instead of Brown Sugar?

Maple syrup works as a one-to-one swap for the brown sugar. Honey does too. Each one adds the same gentle sweetness that balances the soy sauce. Start with the amount in the recipe, then taste the sauce and adjust before it goes in the pan.

Can I Use Frozen Vegetables?

Yes, frozen vegetables work well here. Add them straight from the freezer, no thawing needed. They release a little water as they cook, so give them an extra minute or two and let the liquid cook off before serving. A 12-ounce bag stands in for the fresh mix.

How Do I Get the Sauce to Thicken?

The cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce as it simmers. Once the slurry and broth go in, let the stir fry bubble for a few minutes. The sauce thickens just enough to coat the chicken and vegetables. If it still looks thin, simmer a minute longer with the lid off.

Do I Need a Wok to Make the Ground Chicken Stir Fry?

Ground chicken stir fry cooks just fine in a large skillet. A wok is nice but not required. What matters is a wide pan with room to spare, so the chicken and vegetables have space to cook instead of crowding together. A 12-inch skillet or sauté pan is the easiest swap.

More Easy and Delicious Recipes

Here are a few more easy dinners my family comes back to.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers – Juicy baked chicken patties topped with a cool, crunchy pickle slaw.

Ground Beef Stroganoff – Creamy, comforting noodles ready in about 30 minutes.

Steak Rice Bowl – Tender steak over rice for a fast, filling bowl.

Two plates of Ground Chicken Stir Fry served over white rice with a small bowl of sauce and fresh ginger nearby.

Maike Corbett

Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.