This easy Chinese chicken and vegetable stir fry has everything you want for dinner in one skillet (or wok). A weeknight dinner favorite with chicken, veggies and noodles all tossed with a flavor-packed sesame soy ginger sauce.
I adapted this dish from a recipe called 7 Flavor Precious Chicken which I discovered many years ago at the checkout counter of my grocery store.
It was in a little recipe booklet published by Kikkoman that I browsed through as I waited for my turn to check out. There were lots of tasty looking, easy looking recipes in there, all calling for Kikkoman products (of course).
I bought the booklet and I cooked a bunch of the recipes. This chicken and vegetable stir fry with noodles became an instant favorite. It's ridiculously easy, packed with flavor, and a huge hit with my whole family. It quickly earned a place in our weeknight dinner rotation.
How to make Chinese Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry (7 Flavor Precious Chicken)
The main ingredients in this dish are chicken, noodles, snow peas, and carrots. The 7 flavors are: soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, scallions, ginger, red pepper flakes.
- Marinate the Chicken: Slice the boneless chicken breasts thinly and toss with the 3-ingredient marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil and corn starch. Set aside and let the chicken marinate for ten minutes.
- Make the Sauce: While the chicken marinates, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, white vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
- Slice and dice the veggies: I like to cut the carrots and snow peas into thin, long pieces but feel free chop them, if that's easier. Slice the scallions thinly, crosswise. Finely chop or grate the ginger root
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
- Stir Fry: While the pasta is boiling, heat up the oil in a large skillet or wok. Stir-fry the chicken for about 3 minutes and transfer it to a plate. Add carrots and snow peas to the pan and stir-fry them for a minute or so. Add scallions, ginger and red pepper. Stir-fry for one more minute. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the sauce.
- Finish: When the pasta is ready, drain it and put it in a large bowl. Heat the chicken and vegetables mixture, pour it over the pasta, toss and serve.
Have you ever noticed how the names of dishes on Chinese restaurant menus often evoke scenes or emotions, rather than describing what's in them?
In contrast American restaurants are often extremely literal in describing the dishes on their menu. American restaurant menus often include details like the name of the farm that the meat or vegetables were sourced from, plus every ingredient in the sauce, accompaniments and even the garnish.
I'm not knocking the American way. I like knowing all those things. But I'm also charmed by Chinese dish titles that tell a little story or set a little scene, like "Ants Climbing a Tree," bits of ground beef or pork clinging to bean thread noodles, or "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," a shark fin soup that is said to be so delicious that it can entice monks to give up their vow of vegetarianism or "Lion's Head Meatballs," over-sized meatballs (the lion's head) cooked with long shreds of cabbage (the mane).
I love the name "7 Flavor Precious Chicken." It evokes the sense of a very special chicken dish with lots of exciting flavors. And this dish is all that.
Other easy recipes for delicious Chinese dishes
- Chinese Orange Chicken
- Moo Shu Pork Lettuce Wraps
- Authentic Chinese Ham and Egg Fried Rice
- Chinese Fun Noodles with Beef.
Here's the recipe for this Quick Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles (7 Flavor Precious Chicken). If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!
Quick Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Description
A quick, easy, flavorful Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles. A whole balanced meal the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce (divided)
- 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 8 ounces vermicelli, linguini or spaghetti
- Salt, for the pasta water
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 ¼ lbs total), thinly sliced (¼-inch)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1⁄2 pound snow peas, stringed and thinly sliced, lengthwise
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced, crosswise
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
- 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Want To Save this Recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send this recipe straight to your inbox!
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, I tablespoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Toss chicken with marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes or so.
- Make the sauce In a small bowl, mix sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Set aside.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta al dente in salted water, per package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Cook the Chicken and Vegetables: While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate or bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok. Stir fry carrots and snow peas for a minute or two. Add scallions, ginger and red pepper. Stir-fry 1 minute longer. Remove the wok from the heat. Add chicken and sauce to the wok. Set aside until the pasta is ready.
- Once the pasta is cooked and drained and in a big bowl, set the wok over medium heat. Cook, tossing, until the chicken and vegetables are just heated through. Pour over the pasta and toss. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Main Couse
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Hi from Ottawa, Canada! Thank you so much for posting a wonderful recipe that’s easy to make without searching for rare/unusual ingredients. A definite, definite repeat!!!
Thank you!!!
Hello from cold, snowy Ottawa, Canada! I decided to give this recipe a try tonight and can easily say that it’ll become part of our regular routine!! Very wholesome, tasty and easy to make, especially using the “velveting” technique for the chicken!
Thanks so much for all of the recipes that you post - love reading them and then the commentary between folks that have made and yourself.
Please keep them coming!!!
I had posted a comment a few days ago but forgot to included my starred rating! Here it is!
You are very kind to come back for this. Thank you 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight. The flavors and textures were wonderful. Marinating the chicken in cornstarch, sesame oil, and soy sauce made it so moist and tender, and julienning the snow peas and carrots made them delightfully crunchy. Terrific combination.
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed!
Yum yum yum! This one is killer. Thanks Lisa!
This recipe is delicious! One of my roommates asked what Chinese restaurant I ordered it from and she was shocked when I told her I made it myself! It holds up well in the fridge and is as delicious cold as it is hot! I also like to add a little scrambled egg in it to make it taste like pad thai!
Thanks Sophie. I'm so glad you and your roommate enjoyed the 7 flavor precious chicken. And I love your idea of adding scrambled eggs!
That is such a wonderful dish and those photographs are breathtaking. Yummo.
Hi Lisa, Just wanted to let you know that I just love your blog. Your recipes and clever writing makes each post an enjoyable read. I look forward to more great posts from you.
Good luck in your journey and keep those post coming!!!!
Thank you so much Lois!! 🙂
Love the name! I agree that it evokes more emotion than listing off ingredients. Makes me think of the delicate balance between all the flavors - spicy, sweet, earthy, etc.
Hi there. I think this is a beautiful dish and was thinking of making it for a potluck but I noticed your recipe says 'serve immediately.' Do you think it'll do well served room temp a few hours after I make it?
Thanks!
Yes, I think it will be fine! Just give it a toss before you serve it, to make sure everything is sauced. You might also want to sprinkle on some fresh chopped scallions just before serving - for a fresh touch. Enjoy!