This Cilantro Chicken Stir Fry is a quick and easy dinner recipe that is filled with fresh veggies, loads of cilantro and super tender chicken.
We love to serve this over a bed of rice with a few wedges of lime and my Cream Cheese Wontons or Chicken Egg Rolls.
If you’ve never had an easy and delicious chicken stir fry, let this be one that you consider beginning with. The sauce is to die for, and the flavors and textures are amazing!
Chicken Stir Fry with Cilantro
There are a LOT of good things going on with this cilantro chicken stir fry recipe. It has tender chicken thighs, red bell peppers for flavor and color, honey roasted peanuts for added crunch, and an amazing tangy sauce to go with it!
But what really takes this stir fry over the top… cilantro. The fragrance, the color, the fresh pop of color. It’s lovely!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to whip up Cilantro Chicken Stir Fry. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken Thighs – boneless, skinless
- Peanuts – honey roasted
- Bell Pepper – bright color such as red or orange
- Garlic – fresh minced
- Green Onion – fresh sliced
- Soy Sauce – regular or low sodium
- Sriracha Sauce
- Sesame & Peanut oil
- Corn Starch
- Cilantro
How To Make Cilantro Chicken Stir Fry
With the simple homemade sauce, and chicken thighs which are SO JUICY when cooked, you’ll be in love with this quick recipe.
I’ll walk you through the recipe step by step!
Cook Chicken
Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, then add the chicken. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 2 minutes.
Add Vegetables
Add the peanuts, red bell pepper, garlic, and ginger to the skillet, stirring and cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
Make the Sauce
Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, sesame oil and cornstarch in a small dish and whisk to combine.
Add the sauce and green onions to the skillet and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Remove the chicken from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve the chicken over hot cooked rice with a lime wedge or two on the side. Enjoy!
PRO TIP: Wait till just before serving to stir in the cilantro. It’s delicate and will wilt under the heat of the stir fry, so stir it in just before serving and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Honey Roasted peanuts can be substituted with a savory roasted peanut.
- Red bell pepper can be swapped out for any other color – green, yellow, orange, etc.
- If you don’t have a wok, a heavy-bottomed frying pan like cast iron works really well!
Make Ahead and Storage
Refrigerate: After cooling, transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days for best taste.
Freezer: After cooking and cooling, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in a frying pan for a few minutes to crisp up the peanuts again.
Common Questions
Yes! Cilantro and green onions are actually some of the most common herbs in Chinese food.
There is no need to boil the chicken, it cooks in the hot oil. Boiling beforehand would strip the chicken of flavor and juicy texture.
Make sure your pan is pre-heated and HOT before cooking the chicken. Cooking it too long will dry it out and make it tough and chewy.
Using chicken thigh meat is the best for stir fry because it cooks more juicy and tender than chicken breasts.
More Chicken Stir Fry Recipes
We LOVE a good easy chicken stir fry around here. Here are a few of our tried and true family favorites!
- Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry
- Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
- Green Bean Chicken Stir Fry
- Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
This is such an easy beginners chicken stir fry recipe with homemade sauce. I hope you like it as much as we do!
Cilantro Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. peanut oil
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced fresh
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 cup cilantro, freshly chopped
- Serve over hot cooked rice and lime wedges on the side
Instructions
- Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add the peanuts, red bell pepper, garlic and ginger to the skillet, stirring and cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Meanwhile combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, sesame oil and cornstarch in a small dish and whisk to combine. Add the sauce and green onions to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Remove chicken from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve the chicken over hot cooked rice with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
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Barbars
I love cilantro but most of my friends do not. Love that you like it. I’ll have this tasty dish all to myself1
Shawn
I guess I didn’t realize how many people out there had a strong passion against cilantro, but I do love it! 🙂
Psych Nairo
On the cilantro, I totally hear you!! I add them to all my meat dishes. Thanks for the recipe!!
Adina
I have the same thing with spring onions and tomatoes, I tend to panic if there are only a few left there and I rush to buy new ones. Cilantro is somehow a kind of acquired taste for me, I used to hate it, now I use it but quite economically, I am still learning to like it, one day I’ll get there… 🙂 Your stir-fry sounds delicious!
Shawn
Thanks Adina! 🙂