Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce

This Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce is a delicious, weeknight-friendly stir fry loaded with golden, pan-seared chicken, and a savory, garlicky sauce. It's easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect served over a bowl of steamed rice.

Chicken with Garlic Sauce has always been one of my go-to orders at a Chinese restaurant, and this homemade version captures those same light, comforting flavors I love. The sauce is mildly garlicky with a touch of soy sauce and a little sweetness from brown sugar, making it milder than many other Chinese stir fries but just as satisfying.  

You'll also love my other easy, takeout-style Chinese chicken recipes: Chili Chicken Dry, Kung Pao Chicken and Indo-Chinese Manchurian.

Step by Step with Photos

1. Marinate the chicken with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

3. Stir-fry the marinated chicken in hot oil until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, sauté the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the scallions until fragrant.

5. Pour in the sauce and cook until it thickens.
6. Add the chicken back in along with the green scallion stems. Mix well and serve hot. 

📖 Recipe

Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce

This Chinese Chicken with Garlic Sauce is a quick, flavorful stir fry made with tender chunks of chicken, and a savory, garlicky sauce. It comes together in 30 minutes and pairs perfectly with rice for an easy weeknight meal.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Author: Qashang

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 ⅓ lb (600 g) boneless chicken cut into 2 cm cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose soy sauce or light soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1½-2 cups cups water start with 1½ cups add more if needed
• ½ chicken bouillon cube

Stir Fry

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5-6 garlic cloves finely diced
• 1 teaspoon ginger minced
• 4 scallions white parts sliced, green parts cut into 1-inch stems

Garnish

• Toasted white sesame seeds

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Instructions

• In a bowl, mix the chicken with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.
• In a small bowl prepare the sauce, whisk together soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch, brown sugar, water, and bouillon cube. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until fully cooked and lightly golden, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the garlic and ginger to the remaining oil. Sauté for 30-45 seconds until fragrant and just starting to turn golden (do not brown fully). Add the sliced white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in the sauce mixture. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
• Return the chicken to the pan. Toss to coat and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
• Add the green scallion stems and turn off the heat. They will soften in the residual heat without turning mushy.
• Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve hot with garlic rice or plain steamed rice.

Video

Notes

• You can add vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, broccoli, or snow peas for extra color and texture. Just sauté them after the aromatics until slightly tender, then continue with the recipe.
• If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water or broth.
• Soy sauce and bouillon already add salt, so taste the sauce before adding any extra.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and a review in the comments. You can also tag @chilitochoc on Instagram. I love hearing your feedback!

This recipe was originally published on Jan 24, 2020, and has been updated with new photos, clearer instructions, and an improved recipe on Dec 5, 2025.

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