This Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry features tender marinated chicken breast, crisp snow peas, and garlic tossed in a savory soy and oyster sauce. It's an easy Chinese chicken stir fry that's perfect for busy weeknights and delicious served over steamed rice!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender, flavorful chicken: Marinating the chicken helps keep it juicy and flavorful.
- Crisp snow peas: Adds freshness, crunch, and color to the dish.
- Easy to make: Just 20 minutes of prep and cooking, plus 30 minutes of marinating time.
- Great with rice: Serve over steamed jasmine rice for a delicious, satisfying meal!
Snow Peas vs. Snap Peas
Snow peas and snap peas are very similar, but they're not exactly the same! Both have edible pods and contain fiber, vitamin C, and other nutrients.
Snap peas are actually a cross between snow peas and garden peas (also called sweet peas).
The biggest difference is their appearance and texture. Snow peas have flatter pods with small peas inside, while snap peas are plumper, with larger peas.
Snap peas also tend to taste sweeter, while snow peas have a milder flavor. Both are tender and crisp, making them great for stir fries!
You can learn more about different Chinese vegetables in my Chinese Vegetables Guide!
Chicken Breast vs. Chicken Thighs
I usually make my stir fries with chicken thighs, but for this recipe I used boneless, skinless chicken breast!
Chicken breast is leaner and cooks quickly, making it a great choice for this dish. Chicken thighs are a little richer and more forgiving if cooked longer.
Both work well! Just slice the chicken into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly, and make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165Β°F before serving.
How to Make Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry (Step by Step)
This easy chicken and snow peas stir fry comes together quickly once the chicken is marinated and your ingredients are prepared!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ΒΌ cup light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 8 ounces snow peas
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- Salt, to taste
1. Marinate the Chicken
Slice the chicken breast into thin, even pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with cornstarch, light soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly.
Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. You can also marinate it overnight for extra flavor.
2. Cook the Garlic
Heat the cooking oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.
Add the crushed garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it!
3. Stir Fry the Chicken
Add the chicken along with its marinade and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes, until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving as much sauce in the pan as possible. The chicken will finish cooking when you return it to the pan.
Because the marinade has touched raw chicken, make sure the sauce comes to a full boil during cooking.
4. Cook the Snow Peas
If the pan looks dry, add a little more cooking oil.
Add the snow peas and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes, until they turn bright green and become tender-crisp.
5. Combine Everything
Return the chicken to the pan and add the oyster sauce and optional black pepper.
Stir fry everything together for another 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165Β°F. Make sure the sauce is thoroughly cooked as well.
Taste and add salt if needed.
6. Serve
Remove from heat and serve immediately!
This chicken and snow peas stir fry is especially delicious with a bowl of hot steamed jasmine rice.
Storage and Reheating
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Can I Freeze Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry?
Yes! You can freeze this stir fry in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months for the best quality.
Keep in mind that snow peas may lose some of their crisp texture after thawing.
How to Reheat
Stovetop: Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leftover stir fry and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated thoroughly.
Microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in short intervals, stirring between each, until heated throughout.
Reheat leftovers to 165Β°F. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use snap peas instead of snow peas?
Yes! Snap peas are sweeter and have thicker, rounder pods than snow peas, but they're a great substitute in this recipe. You may need to cook them a little longer to reach your preferred tenderness.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Absolutely! I often use chicken thighs in my stir fries because they're flavorful and stay juicy. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this recipe. Just slice them into bite-sized pieces and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Can I prepare this stir fry ahead of time?
Yes! You can slice and marinate the chicken ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator overnight. You can also wash and trim the snow peas in advance.
When you're ready to eat, all you need to do is stir fry everything together!
Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry Recipe
Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry β marinated sliced chicken stir fried with crunchy snow peas and garlic in a tasty sauce! This dish is perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Chicken marinade
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ΒΌ cup light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 garlic, crushed
Stir fry
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 8 ounces snow peas
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- With a knife, cut chicken in to slices. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken marinade ingredients (chicken, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey). Combine well and then set it aside to marinade for at least half hour. You can marinade up to overnight but remember to put it in the fridge.
- In a cooking pan or wok, add cooking oil, and let it heat up on medium high. Add garlic and allow it to cook for about a minute.
- Add chicken along with all the marinade sauce, and stir fry for about 2 minutes or until chicken is no longer translucent, and immediately remove chicken from heat by placing in a big plate or bowl and set aside (try to keep sauce in pan).
- Add a little more cooking oil if your pan is too dry. Then, add snow peas and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the snow peas start turning bright green and tender.
- Return the chicken back in to pan, and add oyster sauce, and black pepper, salt, and stir fry everything for about another 1-2 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
- Remove from heat and serve!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Eleulife Wok Pan with Lid, 13 Inch Carbon Steel Wok with Spatula, Nonstick Woks and Stir-fry Pans, No Chemical Coated Flat Bottom Chinese Wok for Induction, Electric, Gas Stove, All Stoves -
L.k.k Panda Brand Oyster Sauce 18oz
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Wan Ja Shan Vegetarian Mushroom Oyster Sauce, 33.8 fl. oz. VEGAN. NON-GMO. NO MSG ADDED. 100% Naturally Brewed. No Chemical Soy Sauce.No Caramel Coloring.
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Marukan Genuine Brewed Rice Vinegar, 24 oz
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Kadoya Pure Sesame Oil, 22.10 Fluid Ounce
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Wan Ja Shan Organic Aged Soy Sauce, 33.8fl.oz
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 281Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1444mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 39g
The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information. Keep in mind that if there is a marinade, often times not all the ingredients will be consumed.
More Delicious Snow Peas Recipes
If you enjoy cooking with snow peas, here are a few more delicious stir fry recipes to try!
- Beef and Snow Peas Stir Fry: Tender slices of beef with crisp snow peas in a rich, savory sauce. Better than takeout and ready in under 30 minutes!
- Shrimp and Snow Peas Stir Fry: A lighter combination of juicy shrimp and crisp snow peas that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Pork Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Mushrooms: A hearty stir fry with tender pork, earthy mushrooms, and vibrant snow peas.
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Jacques Thesing says
I would love to have 2 improvements:
1. Make the recipes scalable. So being able to adjust the number of people and automatically adjust the amounts.
2. Make change to metric possible, gram, kilo, pound etc
It would greatly improve the usability. I am a fan of your recipes πβΊοΈ
Tina Tsai says
Hi Jacques! Thank you so much for the kind words and suggestions! π I have some good news... I actually just added both features to my recipe cards! π You can now adjust the servings to automatically scale the ingredients and switch between US and metric measurements. I hope this makes my recipes easier to use! Thanks again for the feedback and for following my recipes! π₯°
Amanda says
I was craving chicken and snow peas and this was so much better then my look Chinese restaurant!! I sent the recipe to my sister and will be added to my favorites, for sure!
TinaTsai says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that!!