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Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry

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LIZ DELLA CROCE

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Whip up this Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry for a quick, flavorful meal that’s ready in minutes. Packed with tender chicken, crunchy cabbage, and a savory sesame sauce, it’s a healthy dinner perfect for busy weeknights!

Sesame chicken and napa cabbage stir fry.

Quick and easy stir-fry recipes are the perfect dinner for the busy week-night cook. I love the fact that you can squeeze in several servings of vegetables without offending even the pickiest of eaters, and this Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry is delicious. Our family loves Asian inspired flavors including Filipino Chicken Adobo, Asian Chicken Soup with Cabbage and Healthy Asian Chicken Chopped Salad. Cabbage is a nutritional powerhouse just loaded in nutrients and fiber. Not to mentions it’s dirt cheap and works well with any number of flavors. Break out the wok and try it yourself!

Ingredients

  • Chicken: Accessible, affordable, low-fat protein that works with almost any flavor profile.
  • Onion: I use a yellow onion, which is mild in flavor and caramelizes nicely with the other veggies.
  • Red pepper: Slightly sweet in flavor, adds almost a bit of citrus to the stir fry.
  • Napa cabbage: Also referred to as Chinese cabbage, it’s full of fiber and nutrients, it remains a bit crunchy when cooked and absorbs flavors wonderfully.
  • Ginger: Fresh ginger is sweet, while also being a bit spicy and peppery.
  • Garlic: Nutty, earthy, and aromatic.
  • Soy sauce: Salty, umami flavor that is classic for stir-fry.
  • Rice wine vinegar: A type of vinegar made from fermented wine, it has a sweet, acidic taste.
  • Chicken broth: Helps to fill out the sauce and is e
  • Sesame oil: Deep, rich, nutty flavor that elevates and enhances the sauce.
  • Scallions: Adds a great, fresh flavor and bit of crunch to the finished stir fry.

How to Make Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

Start your Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry by chopping your cabbage very thin, slicing the bell pepper and onion, and cutting the chicken into cubes.

First, heat oil in a hot skillet or wok and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

While the chicken is cooking, start on your sauce. First freshly grate ginger and garlic into a small bowl using a microplane.

Then stir in the soy sauce and rice vinegar.

Followed by the chicken broth and sesame oil.

It’s optional, but I highly recommend also adding some red chili paste to the sauce. It adds wonderful heat without it being overly spicy.

In the same pan you cooked the chicken, heat some oil over medium-high and grate some garlic into the pan.

Sauté the onion and bell pepper with the garlic for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.

Then add the cabbage and continue sautéing for another 8-10 minutes.

Pour sauce over vegetable mixture and stir so everything is coated.

Add the chicken back to the pan, stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes until warmed through.

Sesame chicken & Napa cabbage stir-fry.

Serve over your choice of brown or white rice, and top with fresh scallions. Enjoy!

Easy Substitutions

  • Make it vegan or vegetarian. Switch out the chicken for tofu, mushrooms, or broccoli.
  • Swap out the veggies. Swap something out for carrots, broccoli, different kinds of cabbage, water chestnuts. The possibilities are endless with stir fry!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What makes a good stir-fry?

Make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding anything to it, and make sure your meat has been thawed before cooking.

What can I serve with stir-fry instead of rice?

You could serve it alongside a salad, or with chow mein noodles instead of rice.

How do I store leftovers?

Kept in an airtight container, leftover stir fry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Sesame chicken and Napa cabbage stir-fry.

More Stir-Fry

Like It, Eat It, Share It!

Did you try this stir fry and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

Liz eating sesame chicken and Napa cabbage stir-fry.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner to make this week, your search is over. My Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir Fry is sure to be a hit for the whole family.

Your fork is waiting.

Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

4.69 stars average
This quick and easy Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir Fry is the perfect solution for the busy week-night cook.
Print Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
CourseMain Dish
Serves4
Ingredients Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté chicken breast until browned, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
    1 pound chicken breasts
  2. In the same pan, sauté onion and red pepper for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add sliced cabbage to pan and continue sautéing for 8-10 minutes until cabbage is softened.
    1 large onion, 1 red pepper, 1 head napa cabbage
  3. Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together ginger, garlic, chili garlic pasta, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, and sesame oil.
    2 tablespoons ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  4. Add sauce to vegetable mixture and throw the chicken back in as well. Cook for about 3 minutes more, to warm chicken through, and sprinkle with diced scallions. Serve with rice.
    4 scallions

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 13.8gProtein: 27.2gFat: 5.1gSaturated Fat: 0.6gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 696mg

Video

Liz’s Notes

This recipe is super versatile – some weeks I use chicken, others I use shrimp and it’s also great with pork. You can also swap out cabbage for green beans or zucchini or even asparagus!

Have you tried this?

Let us know how it was!
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Hi, I’m Liz!

Hey there, I’m Liz Della Croce and I’m thrilled to have you here! My aim is to motivate and ignite your passion for cooking amazing meals for your loved ones. I believe in the power of real, wholesome ingredients that are bursting with flavor and won’t break the bank. Whether it’s a traditional Lebanese recipe from my family or a culinary creation from across the globe, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover that nutritious food can be exciting, affordable, and easy to prepare.

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4.69 from 29 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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11 responses to “Sesame Chicken & Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry”

  1. Dana Pettit Avatar
    Dana Pettit

    This was both easy and delicious! I did 2 things differently though. 1) I velveted my chicken before starting the dish, then added it to the wok at the end. 2) I added a tablespoon of cornstarch, to make the sauce thicker. Tossed in some peanuts too! Really good. And like you said, you really can add anything to this! Mung bean sprouts would be good, puffed tofu…etc etc. Will go into my dinner rotation! Loved it!

    Reply
  2. tracey Avatar
    tracey

    So delicious! I made according to the recipe, except cut the chicken pieces into smaller pieces. Wrapped in rice paper for a spring roll type of situation–oh my goodness, so yummy!!!

    Reply
  3. Diane Avatar
    Diane

    This was tasty – the flavors are nice. Next time though I’d add some cornstarch to the sauce, to make the dish less watery.

    Reply
  4. Jo-Ann Avatar
    Jo-Ann

    I liked it!..it was very good. I added carrots, and may add broccoli in the future. The next time I make this I’ll decrease the rice vinegar, a little too much for my taste. I used 1/2 a large Napa cabbage, but wish I had added more…Thank You for a recipe I’ll use again!

    Reply
  5. Mardi Lopez Avatar
    Mardi Lopez

    It was pretty good, albeit a bit too vinegary for us. I will play with it and report back. Thank you for sharing. Oh I served it over Chinese noodles because we are riced out.

    Reply
  6. Brad Avatar
    Brad

    T’was pretty tastey. My nappa cabbage was huge so I only did 3/4 but it really breaks down so I could have done the entire thing.

    Trying to stay away from nightshades so I used shredded carrots instead of peppers.

    Will make again.

    Reply
  7. Jo Avatar
    Jo

    Excellent, full of deliciousness! Used half TB of Gochujang. For those who aren’t familiar, it is a red chile paste that also contains glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, salt, a thick, sticky condiment that’s spicy and very concentrated and pungent in flavor. I had a gelatinous homemade chicken broth which also contributed deep flavor. Loved the ginger! Added eggplant. I agree, this is a keeper!

    Reply
    1. LJ Avatar
      LJ

      Is Gochujang gluten free?

      Reply
      1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
        Liz DellaCroce

        I would check the specific brand you use to be sure, because some are and some are not.

        Reply
  8. Calvert Avatar
    Calvert

    This is a great recipe, especially since I had a half of a Napa cabbage left and, during these times of stay at home due to coronavirus, we can’t afford to waste anything. I made a minor change by adding some broccoli. Other things to consider, which I will do next time, is to add some sesame seeds before serving and, although many will disagree, it does not even need the chicken so it could be vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth. This is a keeper either way.

    Reply
    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!

      Reply
Liz Della Croce eating black bean dip

Hi, I’m Liz!

Welcome to The Lemon Bowl®!

I’m Liz Della Croce, a healthy food blogger dedicated to sharing nutritious, flavorful recipes made with seasonal ingredients and whole foods. Inspired by my Syrian and Jewish heritage, as well as my travels, I create easy dishes and practical tips to help you embrace a healthy lifestyle every day.

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