Name: Baked Chicken "Stir-Fry"
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 Servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder; 1 teaspoon ginger powder; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 red bell pepper; 1/2 red onion; 8 oz mushrooms; 3 cups fresh broccoli florets; 1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1 packet brown gravy mix

Home » Casseroles » Baked Chicken Stir-Fry

All your favorite Chinese takeout ingredients baked together in a super simple "dump and go" recipe with a savory Asian-inspired sauce perfect over rice.

Before I tell you about this recipe, let me point out the MOST important thing about it... IT IS EASY! You don't have to brown the chicken or thicken a sauce or do anything extra. You just dump everything in a casserole dish and bake it!

Because we bake it uncovered the first half of cooking (and because the chicken goes on top of the vegetables), it actually browns a bit in the oven and gets some good color and flavor.

That yummy brown sauce is made in the dish as everything bakes together. We just let it rest about 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven and it thickens up just the right amount to serve over rice.

Baked Chicken "Stir-Fry" - All your favorite Chinese takeout ingredients baked together in a super simple "dump and go" recipe with a savory Asian-inspired sauce perfect over rice.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

By tossing the diced chicken in a little oil then baking it on top of the vegetables (uncovered), the chicken browns a bit and takes on better flavor.
As the vegetables bake, they will release their own juices, so when we mix in the gravy packet and soy sauce it makes a sauce that is super flavorful (and deals will all the extra water - we use it instead of letting it be a problem).
The simple spices used (nothing unusual or special - all stuff you likely already have), when combined with soy sauce and the flavors from the vegetables, take on an Asian vibe which totally works with this recipe.

I first made this recipe when I was searching for a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb substitute for my favorite Chinese takeout meals. I wasn't expecting too much so I was pleasantly surprised when I actually LIKED it!

It has all my favorite veggies (which you can change out to suite your tastes) and you can swap the chicken for other ingredients too (see below). This version has a few tablespoons of oil (it's just better with it) but you can totally leave it out if you're really cutting fat and calories.

Is this the absolute best copycat Chinese takeout recipe I've ever made? No. Nothing compares to frying chicken until crispy in a screaming hot skillet or wok then adding 10+ authentic Asian spices and ingredients. Is this the EASIEST Asian-inspired recipe I've ever made? YES. Is it healthy and delicious and something I like enough to have in my regular weeknight supper rotation? Also yes!

VEGETABLE VARIATIONS

Use whichever vegetables you enjoy best but make sure you have at least 6 cups. The water that cooks out of the vegetables helps to make the sauce. Here are some suggestions:

Green, yellow or orange peppers
White onions
Whole water chestnuts
Thinly sliced carrots
Zucchini or squash
Baby corn

PROTEIN VARIATIONS

You can make this with other meat following the changes below:

Shrimp - add the seasoning and oil to the vegetables (not the shrimp). Add the shrimp when you stir in the soy sauce mixture.
Pork - Use bite-sized pieces of pork tenderloin in place of the chicken (other cuts may be tough when cooked this way).
Chicken thighs - Sauté the seasoned chicken 5 minutes in a hot skillet before adding on top of the vegetables.

5 FAQ ON BAKED CHICKEN STIR-FRY

1. Should I use low sodium soy sauce? You certainly can, but you may need to add salt. I know it seems like this should be salty with the soy sauce and gravy mix but there are a LOT of vegetables to season here!

2. Why brown gravy mix and not chicken? Brown gravy mixes have a depth of flavor that chicken gravy mixes don't have and, when paired with the spices and soy sauce, really give the recipe some Asian zing.

3. Can I omit the water chestnuts? You can if you hate them BUT they give the dish a needed crunch. I'd suggest trying it with them, then, if you don't care for them, they're easy to eat around.

4. What type of mushrooms should I use? I use button or baby bella mushrooms but any can be used. You'll need 2-3 cups bite-sized pieces.

5. Why so much black pepper? As I mentioned in #1 about the salt and soy sauce, there are a lot of vegetables to season here so we need a lot of seasoning.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Since this is such a healthy meal, I calculated the info for you. Here are the highlights: Calories 166, Protein 15g, Carbs 12g, Fat 7g, Fiber 3g, Unsaturated Fat 6 g, Sodium 489mg (based on 8 servings)

NOTE: for some reason, Google doesn't like it when I enter the nutritional information in my recipe cards (something wonky with the coding in the plugin I use). You've probably noticed I don't include that info in my recipes and that's why. I get penalized in rankings because Google sees it as something that doesn't belong there.

Recipe for Baked Chicken Stir-Fry