Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry With Garlic Ginger Sauce is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. This dish is a blend of succulent shrimp, tender chicken, and an explosion of fresh vegetables, all bathed in a savory garlic ginger sauce.
Who else loves stir fry? I often make it toward the end of the week just to use up any leftover veggies or protein I have hanging out in the fridge. It's such a great one-dish dinner and comes together so quickly it's perfect for busy nights.
I love this chicken and shrimp version so much. Served atop a bed of rice, it is a delicious dish that will become a staple in your dinner lineup. It's become one of my favorite stir fry recipes and, because it comes together quickly, is great for weeknight dinners. Served with rice or noodles, it's also a complete meal. Looking for another delicious Asian dish? Try this recipe for Boom Boom Shrimp, Pancit or this easy Sauteed Shrimp Recipe!)
In This Post
Why This Recipe Works
Stir-frying is all about speed and precision, and this recipe takes full advantage of that. Here's why this ginger shrimp stir-fry works so well:
- Perfect protein combo. The combination of shrimp and chicken creates a dynamic duo of flavors and textures. The shrimp adds a sweet, succulent element, while the chicken brings a tender, meaty quality to the dish.
- Delicious vegetables. This recipe boasts an array of colorful veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots. Not only do they provide a visual feast, but they also contribute to the dish's nutritional value and a satisfying crunch. Vary the vegetables based on what you have, or, omit the meat altogether and make this a vegetable stir fry for a super healthy meal.
- Garlic ginger sauce. The star of the show, the garlic ginger sauce, brings a burst of umami flavor with its combination of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. It elevates the entire dish, tying all the ingredients together with its savory goodness, and is perfect atop this chicken and shrimp stir fry recipe.
- Fast! The great thing about stir fry dishes is that they usually cook up quickly. This quick meal cooks in just about 15 minutes. If you meal prep a little bit by chopping your veggies and preparing the sauce ahead of time, you'll be able to have this on the table in no time.
- Customizable. Feel free to tailor this recipe to your preferences. Adjust the level of spiciness by adding or omitting hot serrano peppers. Swap out vegetables or protein to make it your own.
- Great for using up veggies! I often find myself making a stirfry at the end of the week. It's the best way to use up all of those leftover veggies you have lurking in your fridge!
Ingredients
There are a fair number of ingredients in this dish, but most of them are simple and easily found in your local grocery store. This is also a super forgiving recipe and you can swap out proteins or veggies for what you may have on hand with equally great results.
- Peanut oil. The chicken, shrimp, and veggies are sauteed in this delicious oil. If you don't have it, just try to use a neutral oil, but the peanut oil really adds so much flavor to the dish that it's worth trying to use it if possible.
- Shrimp and chicken. I love this combo together, but if you only have one or the other, feel free to just use it on its own.
- White onion. Combined with other fresh veggies, the onion gives this dish a delicious punch. (You can substitute red onion if that’s what you have.)
- Vegetables. I used a combination of mushrooms, carrots, red and yellow bell pepper, and chopped zucchini. Use any combination of these, or sub out other favorites or what you have in the fridge.
- Hot peppers. A few slices of serrano peppers add some great spice. But, if you’re not a fan of the spice, just omit them.
- Garnishes. A drizzle of sesame oil, chopped scallions, and toasted sesame seeds are a great finishing touch to the finished dish.
- Garlic ginger sauce. I could slurp this homemade stir-fry sauce up all day. A sweet and spicy sauce made from real ginger and garlic, with the added umami of soy, and other spices. Sometimes I like to double the batch just to have this on hand for other dishes or stir-fries.
How To Make Chicken And Shrimp Stir Fry With Garlic Ginger Sauce
Despite the long list of ingredients, this stir fry is actually quite simple to make. Prepare all your veggies ahead of time so you’re ready to toss them all into the pan when you need them!
- Cook the chicken and shrimp. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil or peanut oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add juicy shrimp to the hot pan and cook 3-5 minutes more, or until the chicken is lightly browned, the shrimp is no longer translucent, and both are cooked through. The shrimp cooks slightly faster than the chicken so that is why you want to add the chicken first.
Remove the chicken and shrimp from the pan and set them aside. If there's any excess moisture from the chicken and shrimp, wipe the pan clean.
- Cook the veggies. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan. Toss in the diced onions, sliced mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, and hot peppers (if using). Sauté the vegetables until they begin to soften, which should take about 4-5 minutes.
- Make the garlic ginger sauce. While the veggies are cooking, it's time to prepare the star of the show - the garlic ginger sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine minced garlic, minced ginger, chicken stock, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and ground white pepper.
Heat the sauce, stirring continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved. The aroma of ginger and garlic will fill your kitchen, creating an irresistible anticipation. - Combine and finish. Add the cooked chicken and shrimp back into the pan with the sautéed vegetables. Pour the fragrant garlic ginger sauce over the chicken, shrimp, and veggies. Heat everything over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and all the ingredients are well-coated. Drizzle with sesame oil to enhance the flavor profile. Finally, top the dish with finely diced scallions and lightly toasted sesame seeds for that extra burst of freshness and crunch.
- Serve. Your Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry with Garlic Ginger Sauce is ready to be enjoyed! Serve it over a bed of steaming white or brown rice or noodles for a complete and satisfying meal.
Variations & Substitutions
While the recipe as presented is already a star, here are some variations and substitutions to suit your taste and dietary preferences:
- Protein swap. Experiment with different proteins like ground beef or turkey, steak, tofu, or even a combination of your favorites.
- Vary the vegetables. Feel free to mix and match vegetables based on what's in season or available in your fridge. Snow peas, snap peas, broccoli, and green beans are excellent choices.
- Spice it up. If you love a bit of heat, increase the number of hot serrano peppers or add red pepper flakes to the savory sauce.
- Low carb options. For a low-carb twist, serve your stir-fry over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or even shirataki noodles.
- Soy sauce alternatives. Try using coconut aminos for a soy-free and gluten-free option.
- Oyster sauce addition. To deepen the umami flavor, include a tablespoon or two of oyster sauce in the sauce mixture.
- Try a completely different sauce! I LOVE the garlic ginger sauce here, but you could take this in a totally different (spicy!) direction with a simple Boom Boom Sauce (bonus, this one only takes five minutes to make!).
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This dish reheats well the next day. In fact, the flavors often develop more after a day or two in the refrigerator. Just store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can use frozen raw shrimp, but make sure to thaw and pat them dry with paper towels before cooking for the best results.
Jasmine rice or brown jasmine rice are excellent choices, but you can also go for other varieties like basmati or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. I like to make set up the rice to cook in the instant pot while I'm making the stir fry. By the time the stir fry is finished, the rice is too!
If you prefer a milder dish, omit the hot serrano peppers and ground white pepper. For a spicier kick, increase the number of hot peppers or add red pepper flakes to taste. And, if you're like me, a little drizzle of sriracha sauce or chili sauce is always a welcome addition if you're looking to add a little heat.
Absolutely! To transform this recipe into a vegetarian dish, skip the chicken and shrimp, and opt for tofu or tempeh as your protein source (or just omit the protein completely if you wish). Ensure you use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock in the garlic ginger sauce to keep it completely plant-based. You can also add a variety of colorful vegetables like broccoli florets, green beans, or baby bok choy to enhance the veggie-packed goodness.
Personally, I love the taste the peanut oil lends to this dish. But if you don't have any, or are allergic, you can substitute the neutral oil or peanut oil with options like avocado oil or olive oil. Just keep in mind that different oils may impart slightly different flavors to the dish.
While stir-fries are best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months. Just be aware that the texture of some vegetables may change slightly upon thawing, but the flavors will remain delicious.
You don't have to, but I love making my own sauce since it allows me to control the flavor (and sodium content) more than if I just rely on a sauce from the grocery store. I also find it much more delicious!
I hope you love this delicious and customizable stir fry recipe. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply craving a flavorful, homemade meal, this stir fry has got you covered.
So, fire up that large skillet, grab your ingredients, and let the savory aroma of this delicious stir fry fill your kitchen. If you do try this Chicken And Shrimp Stir fry With Garlic Ginger Sauce, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram - I love to see your creations!
Recipe
Chicken And Shrimp Stir Fry With Garlic Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
For The Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil (or neutral oil)
- ½ lb large shrimp
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 carrots sliced
- ½ red bell pepper sliced into thin strips
- ½ yellow bell pepper sliced into thing strips
- 1 cup zucchini chopped
- 1-2 hot serrano peppers (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup scallions (green onions) finely diced
- ¼ cup sesame seeds lightly toasted
For The Garlic Ginger Sauce
- 7 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
- 5 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chicken and shrimp. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and shrimp and cook in a single layer until the chicken is lightly browned, the shrimp is no longer translucent, and both are cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken and shrimp from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean if moisture from the chicken and shrimp remains.
- Cook the veggies. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add the onions, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini and hot peppers (if using) and cook them until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make the sauce. While the veggies are cooking, make the homemade stir fry sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Heat the sauce, stirring continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved and transfer it to a small bowl.
- Add the chicken and shrimp back to the pan with the vegetables, and add the sauce. Heat over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat.
- Drizzle the stir fry with sesame oil and top with scallions and sesame seeds.
- Serve over jasmine or brown rice, or noodles.
Notes
- This dish comes together quickly so make sure you have all your veggies chopped and ready to add to the pan before you begin cooking. Bonus points if you prepare the garlic ginger sauce in advance!
- Adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding more or reducing the amount of hot peppers in the dish.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Rita Johnson says
This was a quick delicious use of leftovers for us. I forgot the chicken broth but the family still loved it. Thank you Sarah for the recipe.
Sarah Jenkins says
You're welcome Rita! So glad you liked it!
Todd says
Can't wait to try this. While looking at the recipe for the sauce I was wondering about the amount of Chicken Broth. Is it 1-1/4 cups or tbsp?
Sarah Jenkins says
Hi Todd - so sorry, and thank you for alerting me to this! It should be 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth. Let me know how you like it!
Todd says
We finally had a chance to make this and it was amazing. My entire family include our two teenage boys really enjoyed. We used two serrano peppers and it had a nice kick but not to much.
Francesca says
For The Garlic Ginger Sauce
3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Hello, the sauce ingredients has 'white wine vinegar' listed twice. Can you please clarify ingredients & respective measurements?
Thank you
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks so much for that catch Francesca! I've updated the recipe. It should just be 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar for the sauce. Sorry about that!
Mary says
This was very good specially when served over hot rice. I loved the flavors mixed together.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Mary!
Sharon says
This recipe came out so delicious. The homemade sauce was so flavorful --absolute perfection! Seriously delicious stir fry
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Sharon - glad you enjoyed it!
Miranda says
This stir fry turned out so delicious! The heat from the serrano peppers was perfect, and that ginger sauce is loaded with flavor. Super simple too.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Miranda!
Layla says
Absolutely loved the ginger flavor in this stir fry! I made mine with extra chicken as I'm not a shrimp fan and it was such a hearty dish!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Layla!
Kat says
We love this recipe! I've made the sauce so many times changing up the main ingredients depending on what I have in the fridge to use up. It works well with frozen vegetables too.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Kat!