Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry (GF)

Who here is on the lookout for a new way to cook chicken? I raise my hand! Today’s Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry is a wonderful change-of-pace from our ordinary chicken meals. Loaded with vegetables and a sweet/sour sauce, your family will love this!

Packed with so much flavor, this is one Asian-style meal where you will never miss the soy sauce. This makes it safe for those who have a soy allergy or sensitivity. My husband was thrilled with our dinner!

Fresh vegetables prepped and ready for the stir-fry

In addition to being soy-free, it is also naturally gluten, nut, and dairy-free making this a delicious meal for those with multiple dietary restrictions!

If you want to change this to vegetarian/vegan, leave out the chicken and increase the number of mushrooms and other vegetables. Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and you’ve got a fantastic, quick vegetarian meal!

Also, it couldn’t be easier to make. The only thing that takes time is prepping and chopping the vegetables. And you can take a short cut for this courtesy of your local grocery store … many produce sections have pre-prepped veggies ready to use in recipes. The second area to check is the salad bar where they have many chopped vegetables you can use. Both of these options will save you time and effort.

Be sure you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go in bowls because once you start cooking, it will move quickly. Having everything handy makes all the difference when making this dish.

When you’re getting ready to make this stir-fry, be sure your knife is very sharp by using a steel to realign the blade. A steel is a long, metal rod with slight ridges along the shaft. It takes a little practice to get comfortable with the steel (go slowly in the beginning) but soon you’ll be a pro at using it to hone the edges of your knives.

Using a steel helps keep your knives sharp longer so you don’t have to have them professionally sharpened as often. Ultimately this saves you from having to buy new knives as often – you can maintain the ones you have and pass them along to the next generation!

If you don’t like some of the vegetables listed in the recipe, feel free to switch them out for others you love. Adjust the cooking time as needed based on the density of the vegetables. Cook them to slightly crisp and always start with the densest vegetables first (like carrots or cauliflower), then add in additional vegetables as you go along, leaving the most delicate for right at the end.

This recipe is good to cook all year long – use whatever seasonal vegetables you prefer. If they are very tender, like snow peas, add them right at the end so they don’t overcook.

I have a deep skillet with high sides that looks a lot like a wok. It makes it easy to make recipes like this one and many other things. It can fry like a flat pan or poach like a deep skillet. Take a look and you might be surprised at how versatile it really is!

This pan does come with a lid but I have what is called a universal lid, that fits pans from 8-inches to 12-inches (20cm to 31cm). Because it is flat, it easily stores under my stove, much simpler than heavy lids with large handles on them. I highly recommend having one in your arsenal.

I hope you give this Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry a try and love every single bite. It is so great for so many people with dietary restrictions – we loved it!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry:

• Sauce: chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, honey, cornstarch, salt
• Stir-Fry: olive oil, chicken, broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, mushrooms, red bell peppers, scallions or green onions, red pepper flakes, cooked rice (for serving)

PRO Tip:

Balsamic vinegar has a definite sweetness to it that makes it perfect for many uses. If you do not have any balsamic, you can us apple cider or champagne vinegar in its place. Taste the sauce to be sure there is enough honey in it to balance the more intense flavors of these alternate vinegars.

How to make Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry:

1. Combine the chicken stock, vinegar, honey, and cornstarch; whisk so the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.
2. In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken strips, cooking until cooked through and brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
3. To the same pan after you’ve finished cooking the chicken, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat over med-high heat to shimmering. Add the vegetables except the green onions and cook, stirring and tossing often until they begin to soften. Add the scallions and pepper flakes. Cover and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Uncover and pour in the sauce mixture and add the chicken. Cook until the sauce is boiling and thickened, and the chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately over the cooked rice.

PRO Tip:

You can use any vegetables you like in this recipe. Try to get an array of colors and shapes when you are cutting them. But also try to keep them bite-size for ease of eating. Adjust the cooking time as needed for denser or more delicate vegetables.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Large, deep nonstick skillet
• Chef’s knife
• Knife sharpening steel
• Mixing bowls
• Universal lid for skillet

Gluten-Free Tips:

Watch your chicken stock and be sure it is gluten-free. Sometimes they may add gluten ingredients – always read the labels carefully and check with the manufacturer if you have any questions.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more specific than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Continue to Content

Balsamic Honey Chicken Stir-Fry (GF)

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This easy and quick meal uses the classic stir-fry techniques and blends them with Italian flavors creating a sweet and sour sauce that your family will love. This recipe is gluten, dairy, nut, and soy-free, making it safe for many with dietary restrictions. Every bite is absolutely delicious!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• About 3 to 4 cups hot cooked rice, for serving

Sauce

• 3/4 cup (177ml) gluten-free salted chicken stock
• 2-1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or white balsamic
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal brand

Stir-Fry

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1-1/4 lb (567g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into slender strips or bite-size pieces
• 1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
• 1/2 small head red cabbage, sliced into strips
• 1 bunch scallions, green tips and roots trimmed, cut into 1-inch (3cm) pieces, separating the white and green pieces, reserving both
• 8 white or cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed and quartered
• Red pepper flakes, optional
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• Additional sliced green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the rice and keep warm until serving. You can start the stir-fry while the rice is cooking.

2. Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. Season with the salt, stir, and set aside.

3. Cook the Chicken: Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add half of the chicken strips, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and repeat with the remaining chicken. Cover the plate with a piece of aluminum foil to keep it warm.

4. Cook the Vegetables: When all the chicken is done, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the same pan and warm over med-high heat. Scrape up any browned bits – they are pure flavor! Add them to the sauce if you can.

5. Add the broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cabbage, and white parts of the onions. Toss to coat in the oil. Cook, tossing often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. Cover, and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

6. Stir the sauce mixture again until there are no lumps and the honey and cornstarch are dissolved. Uncover the pan, and pour the sauce mixture in and add the cooked chicken pieces. Add the green parts of the scallions. Cook, tossing until the sauce boils and is thickened and the chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately, over the hot cooked rice and sprinkle the top with more green onions.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Recipe adapted from a Lidia Bastianich recipe

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1166Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 690mgCarbohydrates: 174gFiber: 9gSugar: 22gProtein: 68g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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