This almond chicken is a stir fry of chicken thigh pieces, assorted vegetables and crunchy almonds, all tossed in a savory sauce. A remake of the take out favorite that tastes even better than what you’d get at a restaurant!
I love to recreate my family’s favorite Asian dishes at home, including chicken fried rice, beef and broccoli, and this easy almond chicken stir fry.
Whenever I call for take out, I have to get an order of the almond chicken. I love the combination of fresh veggies and chicken with the flavor of almonds. I’ve found that this dish is quite easy to make at home, and can easily be customized to your tastes.
How do you make almond chicken?
Start by cooking mushrooms, zucchini, onions and bell peppers in a pan until they’re just tender. Remove the veggies from the pan, then add the chicken in a single layer. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Return the vegetables to the pan with the chicken, then pour the sauce over the top. Simmer until the sauce has just thickened. Stir in the almonds, then serve and enjoy.
HOW DO YOU COOK CHICKEN FOR STIR FRY?
The best way to cook chicken for stir fry is to season it generously with salt and pepper, then sear it in a neutral flavored oil in a hot pan until the meat is golden brown and cooked through. Be careful not to overcrowd your pan; if you add too much meat at once, the chicken will steam and will not get that desirable golden brown crust. I typically cook my meat in batches for the best results.
Tips for the perfect stir fry
- Be sure to cut your chicken into similar sized pieces so that everything cooks at the same rate.
- You can use any type of almonds that you have on hand. Most Chinese restaurants use whole or halved blanched almonds, but you can also do sliced or slivered almonds if that’s easier to find.
- Almond chicken stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, which makes it great for meal prep.
- This dish contains hoisin sauce, which is a sweet and savory condiment that can be found in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores.
- Serve your almond chicken over steamed rice for a complete meal.
Almond chicken flavor variations
While this dish is great as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: Swap out the chicken thighs for chicken breast. You can also use other types of meat such as thinly sliced steak, shrimp or tofu.
- Nuts: While this dish is made to accentuate the flavor of the almonds, the flavors also work really well with cashews.
- Vegetables: You really can add any veggies you like to this stir fry. Some great options include broccoli, carrots, bok choy, baby corn, bamboo shoots or celery.
Once you see how easy it is to make this almond chicken at home, you’ll never have to call for take out again!
More Asian food favorites
Almond Chicken Video
Almond Chicken
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 5 teaspoons vegetable oil divided use
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 cup zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 3/4 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds whole, halved, sliced or slivered
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Instructions
For the stir fry
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes or until just softened.
- Add the zucchini, mushrooms and green bell pepper to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the vegetable mixture from the pan; wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
- Add the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil to the pan. Add the chicken in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste. You may need to work in batches if the chicken doesn't all fit.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the vegetable mixture back to the pan with the chicken.
For the sauce
- Whisk together all the sauce ingredients until well combined.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce is just thickened. Stir in the almonds, then serve.
Angela says
Your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger. If don’t have fresh ginger, but have dried ground ginger can I use that instead if so how much would I need to use?
Sara says
You’d use 1/3 of a teaspoon!
Jacque Hooper says
One of my favorite recipes when eating out, but now from the comfort of my own home! So delicious with the perfect amount of crunch! Definitely, a new favorite stir fry recipe!
Natalie says
Mmmm..the sauce is so good!! Stir fry’s are great & easy to make! Love the veggies, too.
Colleen Jayne says
My family loved this, such yummy flavors. I used EVOO and it came out delicious!
Betsy says
Love this! Absolutely perfect with our favorite bacon & egg fried rice! Definitely need to make this again when we’re craving Asian take out!
cyndy says
This was a delicious hit with my whole family for dinner tonight. We served it over brown rice and it was amazing. Adding this one to the regular rotation!
Beth says
Yummy! Looks so delicious and tasty! I’m so excited to make this! My family and I are going to love this!
Biana says
This recipe sounds like exactly what I need on a busy weeknight! Saving to make soon.
Lima Ekram says
What a great recipe – I love the idea of adding almonds to the chicken!
Alison says
This almond chicken reminds me of take-out only healthier and more delicious! So simple!
Tara says
What an amazing weeknight meal! I love all the contrast in textures and flavors with the vegetables and almonds. So easy too!