Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Oct 1, 2026 
Whenever those cravings for takeout take over, I absolutely love making this easy and delicious Chinese chicken with garlic sauce recipe. Every bite is filled with unbelievably juicy and tender bits of chicken that are coated in a thick garlic sauce, making this dish the perfect quick weeknight meal.
By now I’m sure you are well aware that quick and easy dinners definitely do not have to be boring. In fact, some of my favorite meals are ready in under 30 minutes, and this Chinese chicken with garlic sauce dish is just that… Deliciously amazing. Like my Instant Pot sesame thighs recipe, it features juicy, tender that are chicken that are marinated in a fabulously thick stir fry sauce and then tossed with chopped fresh bell peppers. But this recipe delivers big garlic flavor! All you need to do is throw all of the ingredients together into a big pan along with the savory sauce, and let it cook! I love to serve this classic Chinese-inspired takeout dish over a generous portion of fluffy white rice, and top it off with a final sprinkle of sliced scallions and some nutty sesame seeds!
TK – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I love finding ways to make Chinese food at home and this is exactly what I needed! thank you for sharing!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Quick and Easy to Make – For maximum tastiness, the chicken sits cozy in the stir fry sauce for at least 30 minutes, but ideally up to 8 hours. So you can even prep it in the morning before work, let it marinate all day, and stir fry it up in minutes for dinner.
Better Than Takeout – Who doesn’t love a classic comforting takeout dinner?! Well, I sure do. However, making your favorite takeout meal at home is so much better for you… And your wallet! Like these Instant Pot Asian chicken thighs, this Chinese chicken dish is filling, delicious, and incredibly simple to put together.
Easy to Customize – There are so many wonderful ingredients you can add to this dish to make this dinner your own. I love to add in broccoli florets, serve it over noodles, or even add in some sweet chili sauce for added textures and flavors.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Boneless chicken breasts – I always use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs to make this recipe. Breasts are usually a little leaner and tender, while thighs are juicy and loaded with those rich meaty flavors.
- Garlic cloves – Do not skimp out on the garlic! I use lots and lots of fresh garlic to make that signature, bold garlicky sauce. Honestly, the powdered variety really doesn’t stand a chance here.
- Dark soy sauce – For those salty, umami notes, you have got to use a dark soy sauce. It also gives the sauce that deep color that we all love in our takeout.
- Honey – To balance out the saltiness and meatiness from the rest of the ingredients, a drizzle of honey is the perfect touch. It adds just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the dish.
- Cornstarch – Just a smidge of cornstarch makes the world of a difference here! It’s kind of like my secret weapon because it thickens up the sauce beautifully!
- Bell peppers – I love to use a variety of colored bell peppers, red, yellow and green! They add a gorgeous pop of color and a sweet crunch to every bite.
- Sesame oil – Again, just a drizzle of sesame oil goes a long, long way. It’s ideal for getting those Chinese-inspired flavors. However, any neutral-flavored high heal oil works just as well.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Chop and marinate – To start of this delicious dish, I cut the chicken into equally sized chunks, this way they all cook through around the same time. Then I toss them into a zip bag and pour in all the sauce ingredients: garlic, soy sauce, honey and cornstarch. I shake, shake, shake it all up and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours. Whatever you do, make sure to let the chicken chill and marinate for AT LEAST half an hour before cooking.
More prep – When I’m close to ready to cooking the chicken, I heat up a wok or pan. Then, I dice up the peppers into coarse chunks along with the fresh scallions.
Sear – I add a drizzle of that rich sesame oil into the pan along with the peppers. I let that sizzle and fry up for a couple of minutes.
Cook the chicken – Once the bell peppers are slightly softened and blistered, I throw in the chicken chunks along with the sauce, and I let them cook for about 10 minutes. Watch as the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, just add a splash of water to thin it out.
Garnish – Finally, I like to top off this dish with some more scallions and sesame seeds!
Expert Tips
Cut the chicken into even pieces – Try to cut the chicken into roughly 1-inch pieces so they all cook in about the same amount of time. Otherwise, you can wind up with dry little pieces while you’re waiting for the bigger chunks to cook through. Ew!
Give the chicken time to marinate – I like to give the chicken at least 30 minutes to soak up all that garlicky goodness. However, if I’m thinking ahead, I’ll prep it a few hours early and stick it in the fridge. More time in the marinade = more flavor!
Fresh garlic is a must – This is chicken with garlic sauce, after all, so we aren’t holding back! I use 8–10 fresh garlic cloves here. It sounds like a lot, but trust me, it works. And this is definitely one recipe where I wouldn’t swap in garlic powder.
Keep some crunch in the peppers – The bell peppers only need a couple of minutes in the hot pan. I want them cooked just enough to blister the edges, but still have a pop of freshness. Remember, they’re going to keep cooking once everything else goes into the pan.
Let the cornstarch work its magic – There’s already cornstarch in the marinade, so you don’t need to add more or make a slurry. Once the sauce gets hot and simmers for a few minutes, it naturally thickens for that glossy take-out stir fry texture.
Hold the salt until the end – Dark soy sauce is already pretty salty, so I don’t add extra salt until I’ve tasted the final dish. You can always add more, but you definitely can’t take it back out!
Recipe Variations
- Coconut aminos – You can swap the soy sauce with coconut aminos if you’re after something with a little less sodium, but equally dark in color.
- Agave – Instead of honey, you can use agave or even rice syrup!
- Spicy – Craving some heat? Add in a dash of cayenne pepper, sriracha sauce, or garnish it with crushed red pepper flakes.
- Veggies – Boost up the veggies by adding in some broccoli florets, snap peas (my personal favorite), sliced mushrooms, carrots or baby corn.
- Protein – The delicious chicken stir fry marinade is fantastic to make beef or pork with garlic sauce! Or make it as a vegan dish by using cubed extra firm tofu.
Serving Suggestions
I love to pair this stir-fried garlic chicken with sides that really serve up every single last drop of this rich sauce. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this dish:
- With a serious side of fluffy white rice, Thai fried rice, or my Hibachi rice recipe
- With some rice noodles or this absolutely delicious homemade pork lo mein.
- If you’re watching your calories, serve it with my roasted cauliflower rice.
Storing
Leftover stir-fried chicken and peppers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to heat it up in the pan over medium low heat or in the microwave in short bursts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! It’s great for meal prepping; simply chop your veggie ingredients and keep them stored in separate containers in the refrigerator for a few days. Chop and marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. Then cook per the recipe instructions, and dinner is ready in about 15 minutes!
Alternatively, the entire chicken with garlic sauce can be cooked, cooled, and refrigerated for a complete make-ahead meal.
The best way to be sure that the chicken is cooked is by using a meat thermometer. Once it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll know the chicken is ready… Or just pull out one piece and cut it in half.
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More Easy Weeknight Dinners
Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 2 – 2.5 pounds boneless chicken breast or boneless thighs
- 8-10 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 bell peppers any color
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- 1 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into 1 inch chunks. Place the chicken pieces in a large zip bag. Pour in the minced garlic, soy sauce, honey, and cornstarch. Zip the bag and shake to coat. Then refrigerate and marinate for at least 30 minutes, but up to 8 hours.
- When ready to cook, place a large saute pan (or wok) over medium-high heat. Chop the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces. Chop the scallions.
- Add the sesame oil to the pan. Once hot, add the bell peppers. Sear for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken and marinade. Stir and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. (If the sauce thickens too much, add a couple tablespoons of water.) Taste, then season with salt if needed.
- Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with a side of rice.
I followed this recipe to the 1/2 ounce, sounded great! Did not add salt at the end…this meal had great flavor, but was so salty, we couldn’t finish. (and we love our salt). I think next time, if I do, use half the soy and use water for the difference.
Chinese food is my favorite!! This meal is so delicious!! It was easy to make & great wit rice or chow mein!
This is one of my favorite easy weeknight meals!
So yummy! Totally agree that marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes really amps up the flavor.
I love finding ways to make Chinese food at home and this is exactly what I needed! thank you for sharing!