The perfect healthy dinner for low-energy evenings: frozen vegetable stir fry with a creamy sesame garlic sauce. It’s quick, simple, and satisfying.
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We all have nights when cooking feels like too much. Even as a dietitian, I have those evenings. Takeout can be tempting, but it’s often higher in fat, sodium, and calories than a simple home-cooked meal. This frozen vegetable stir fry is my go-to when I want something fast, flavorful, and healthier than takeout.
What makes this recipe a lifesaver is the luscious sesame garlic stir fry sauce paired with no-prep frozen vegetables. It’s easy to pull together and tastes like you spent more time on it than you did.
Why you’ll love this meal
Nutritious: Frozen vegetables are often frozen at peak ripeness, so they retain fiber and micronutrients. This dish delivers a solid dose of vegetables without extra prep.
Protein-packed: Skinless, boneless chicken breast keeps the meal high in protein so you’ll feel full and satisfied.
Meal-prep friendly: Stir fry and rice store and reheat well, making this a great option for batch cooking.
Fast: Ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Delicious: The sesame garlic sauce makes the frozen vegetables crave-worthy, week after week.
Ingredients
You’ll need just a few staples:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups frozen vegetable blend (California style or your favorite mix)
- Sesame garlic stir fry sauce (store-bought or homemade — recipe below)
- Cooked rice, for serving
- Optional garnishes: sliced green onions and sesame seeds
If you make the homemade sesame garlic sauce, you’ll also need soy sauce, tahini, water (or low-sodium chicken broth), garlic, green onions, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili crisp. It takes a few extra pantry items but comes together in minutes.
Make it easier
For a no-chop version, swap cubed chicken for ground chicken or lean ground pork.
Step-by-step instructions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the sesame garlic stir fry sauce until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the cubed chicken to the pan in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
4. Add the frozen vegetables to the hot pan, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir, cover again for 2–3 minutes, and repeat until the vegetables are defrosted and tender. If excess liquid remains, cook uncovered 1–2 minutes to evaporate it.
If you’re short on time, you can add the vegetables to the chicken in the pan, but watch carefully to avoid overcooking the chicken.
5. Return the cooked chicken to the pan, pour in the stir fry sauce, lower the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is warmed through. Avoid cooking longer than necessary—tahini-based sauces can thicken or separate if overheated.
6. Serve the stir fry over cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or other preferred toppings.
Dietary adjustments
Low sodium: Use low-sodium soy sauce or a low-sodium store-bought sauce.
Higher fiber: Stir in a cup of frozen shelled edamame for extra fiber and protein.
Vegetarian/vegan: Replace chicken with cubed tofu or tofu nuggets. For a vegan sauce, swap honey for maple syrup or brown sugar.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
Lower carb: Reduce the rice portion or mix rice with cauliflower rice.
More healthy dinners
Try other healthy recipes like bang bang tofu bowls, quinoa and arugula salad, skillet eggplant Parmesan, cheeseburger quesadillas, stuffed pepper casserole, chicken sausage pesto pasta, tortilla quiche, or cheeseburger bowls for variety.
Storage instructions
Leftovers: Store the stir fry and rice separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Meal prep: Portion into single-serve containers; they can be stored together or separately and kept for up to three days. The sauce may absorb into the rice over time but remains tasty.
To reheat: Combine rice and stir fry in a microwave-safe dish and heat 60–90 seconds, stirring halfway through, until warmed through.
Top tip
Because this sauce contains tahini, lower the heat after adding it and only cook until warmed through. Overheating can cause the sauce to thicken or separate.
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Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry With Sesame Garlic Sauce
Equipment
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large non-stick skillet with lid
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups frozen vegetable mix, I used California style blend
Sesame Garlic Stir Fry Sauce
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water or low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, sliced small
- 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chili crisp, adjust to taste
For Serving
- 3-4 cups cooked rice
- sesame seeds and green onion, for garnish
Instructions
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Whisk all sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth and set aside.
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Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
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Cook chicken in the skillet, 3–4 minutes per side, until done. Remove and set aside.
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Add frozen vegetables, cover, and cook until defrosted and tender, stirring occasionally. Drain excess liquid if necessary.
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Return chicken to the pan, add the sauce, reduce heat to low, and warm through for about 5 minutes.
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Serve over rice and garnish as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.