This Healthy Chicken Stir Fry for Weight Loss comes with optional veggie add-ins (so you can add more or swap veggies). And at just 351 calories and 45.4g of protein per serving (2 big cups!) you can enjoy it guilt free.
I’ve supplied you with meal prep and leftover storage tips. So you can enjoy healthy meals all week long, or easily store you leftovers in the freezer for hectic weeknights.
I love this recipe because it’s packed full of flavor, and low enough in calories to serve with rice and still be under 500 calories per serving. But there are many reasons to love this recipe for chicken stir fry…
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Stir Fry:
- Low Calorie – just 351 calories for 2 heaping cups!
- Protein Packed – with 45.4g of protein you’ll be full and happy for hours!
- Fat Burning – packed with fat burning ingredients, this recipe will help you lose weight fast!
- Veggie Add-Ins – add more veggies (for a really huge serving) or swap out the ones you don’t like.
- Homemade Sauce – this homemade stir fry sauce is low calorie, and can be made low sugar too!
Healthy Chicken Stir Fry for Weight Loss
To make this stir fried chicken easy, I have provided you with this table of contents. You can click on the section you want to jump to, and it will bring you right there.
However, you may miss great low calorie tips, ingredient swaps and tips on making these easy stir fry recipes gluten-free and or low sugar. I do recommend reading through, and promise you will find valuable resources in each section.
What You’ll Find in this Article:
Ingredients in Low Calorie Chicken Stir Fry
It’s easy to make this asian stir fry chicken recipe gluten free or low in sugar.
For gluten free, simply swap out the soy sauce for Tamari. It tastes exactly the same, just without the gluten.
And for lower sugar recipes (which will also be lower carb too) you can swap out the maple syrup and the brown sugar for keto maple syrup.
Chicken Stir Fry Ingredients:
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce – or choose Tamari for a gluten-free recipe
- Maple Syrup – you can cut calories and sugar with Keto maple syrup!
- Light Brown Sugar – you can also swap this out for Keto maple syrup!
- Rice Vinegar – this gives the dish a wonderful flavor
- Toasted Sesame Oil – get high quality for best flavor
- Ginger – fresh is best… and so good for gut health too!
- Garlic – gotta love garlic! Adds so much flavor for zero calories!
- Corn Starch – to thicken up the homemade stir fry sauce.
- Olive Oil Spray – helps cut calories… it’s just a light mist of oil.
- Chicken Breasts – or thighs or a combo of both.
- Red Onion – any onion will work, but the red onion adds color to the stir fry.
- Bell Peppers – I like get all 3 colors, but pick your favorite.
- Sesame Seeds – adds a little garnish and healthy omega 3 to the recipe!
If you don’t like onions or bell peppers, you can swap them out for your favorite veggies. And if you want a bigger serving, add more veggies and it won’t change the calories by much!
Optional Veggie Add-Ins:
- Broccoli florets
- Carrots peeled and sliced into rings
- Snap peas
- Cauliflower florets
- Green onions sliced
How to Make Low Calorie Chicken Stir Fry
I love this chicken stir fry with vegetables! It takes just 25 minutes to make (including prep time) and is perfect for busy weeknights!
I have also supplied you with a meal prep guide below, and leftover storage tips. This way you can make the most of this low calorie recipe.
How to Make Low Calorie Chicken Stir Fry:
- To a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and spray with olive oil.
- Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
- Add the bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots to the pan with the chicken. Cook for 9 minutes until the veggies start to soften, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Pour in the sauce to the chicken and veggies and continue to cook for an additional 1 minute until thickened.
- Top with sesame seeds and serve hot.
Meal Prep and Leftovers
It’s easy (and smart!) to meal prep this low calorie recipe for chicken stir fry! And it makes for an easy dinner anytime!
You have two ways to meal prep. You can meal prep before you cook the chicken stir fry recipes, or after.
I have supplied you with directions for both. I prefer to cook it all up, package the vegetable and chicken stir fry into individual portions, and freeze it for later. So I will cover that first. And below the photo, I’ll review making this an uncooked prepped freezer dinner.
How to Meal Prep and Store Chicken Stir Fry Leftovers:
- Cook the chicken stir fry according to the directions. Along with any rice or cauliflower rice you may be serving it with. Cool completely.
- Lay your clean meal prep containers out (this recipe makes 6 servings) and scoop the rice into one half of the container.
- Next, scoop 2 cups of the chicken and veggie stir fry into the other half, cover and seal.
- Freeze, or pop in the fridge for later. (Will last 1 month in the freezer and 4 days in the fridge)
- To reheat from frozen – remove the lid and add 1 tablespoon of water to the rice (this helps it fluff up). Microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot in the center.
- To reheat from chilled (fridge) – remove the lid and microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot in the center.
If you want to make a meal prepped freezer dinner (prep it all and freeze before cooking) you can do that as well. It is important to note that the veggies will cook much faster in this case. The freezer will soften them up for you!
Modifications for Uncooked Freezer Dinner:
- Make the sauce according to the directions and place in a small bag or freezer safe container. Set aside.
- Slice the veggies and place them in a separate bag or freezer safe container.
- Finally, cube or slice the chicken, and add it to another bag or freezer safe container.
- Add all 3 bags (or containers) to a freezer bag and place in the freezer. (will hold for 1 month in the freezer)
- To Cook – defrost completely (I recommend moving from the freezer to the fridge 8 hours before cooking). Cook the chicken for 7 minutes before adding in the veggies, then cook the veggies for just 3 minutes and add in the sauce.
Healthy Chicken Stir Fry for Weight Loss Recipe
If you skipped ahead you may have missed the meal prep tips and leftover storage section. Plus modification on making this recipe for chicken stir fry gluten-free and or low sugar.
More Low Calorie Stir Fry Recipes:
Low Calorie Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or gluten free Tamari
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated or minced
- 2 cloves of garlic grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Olive oil spray
- 2 lbs chicken breasts sliced or cubed into bite sized chunks
- 1 red onion sliced
- 3 bell peppers sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Optional Veggie Add-Ins:
- Broccoli florets
- Carrots peeled and sliced into rings
- Snap peas
- Cauliflower florets
- Green onions sliced
Instructions
- To a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and spray with olive oil.
- Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
- Add the bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots to the pan with the chicken. Cook for 9 minutes until the veggies start to soften, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Pour in the sauce to the chicken and veggies and continue to cook for an additional 1 minute until thickened.
- Top with sesame seeds and serve hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition and Calories in Chicken Stir Fry
The nutrition and calories below are based off 1 serving (2 cups) of the chicken stir fry recipe above.
You can cut more calories, sugar, and carbs by swapping out the maple syrup and the light brown sugar for keto maple syrup.
Important Note: As a reminder, at Lose Weight By Eating the goal is to make healthier, all-natural versions of your favorite recipes… not all will be “diet worthy” depending on the diet you are on. But they will be healthier versions to help curb your cravings.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add lots of different veggies to chicken stir fry. Here are a few favorites:
1. Bell peppers
2. Sliced onions
3. Broccoli florets
4. Carrots
5. Snap peas
6. Cauliflower florets
7. Green onions
I like use chicken breast in chicken stir fry, but chicken thighs are also good, and so is a combination of both. Just make sure to get boneless, skinless chicken. The skin will get soggy in the sauce and can be unappealing.
Some chicken stir fry recipes are packed with calories, unhealthy fats, and way too much sugar. You’ll want to look for a healthy stir fry sauce, and really pack in the veggies to make a healthy chicken stir fry recipe.
A combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil is ideal for chicken stir fry. You can add heat with a bit of sriracha hot sauce or red pepper flakes. And you can cut the calories and sugar with an all-natural sugar substitute like keto maple syrup.
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Article History:
- Originally written and published October 19, 2022 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on June 8, 2023 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on September 27, 2023 by Audrey Johns
