Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry With Sesame Garlic Sauce

The best healthy dinner for low energy evenings. Frozen vegetable stir fry with sesame garlic sauce is fast, easy, and delicious.

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You know those nights when you have almost no energy to cook? Even as a dietitian, I have them too.

And I know that these are the nights when takeout feels the most tempting. But takeout is higher in fat, sodium, and calories than what you’d usually cook at home. Delicious, but not always so nutritious.

That’s why I love this frozen vegetable stir fry. Most importantly, it’s smothered in the dreamiest sesame garlic stir fry sauce and it’s absolutely delicious. But it’s also super easy to make because it uses no-prep frozen vegetables!

If you want to chop less and reduce your time at the stove, you’ll want to bookmark this quick weeknight dinner.

Why you’ll love this meal

Super nutritious: Did you know that frozen vegetables are just as (if not more) nutritious than fresh because they’re frozen at peak ripeness? You’re getting lots of fiber and micronutrients in this easy meal!

High protein: This frozen vegetable stir fry uses skinless boneless chicken breast for protein so you’ll stay full for hours after eating.

Good for meal prep: Stir fry and rice is one of the best options for meal prep because it stores and reheats perfectly.

Quick: You can make this tasty meal in less than 30-minutes.

Tasty: The creamy sesame garlic stir fry sauce will have you craving frozen veggies week after week. Promise!

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this frozen vegetable stir fry:

• Chicken breast — skinless, boneless, and cut into cubes
• Salt and pepper
• Frozen vegetable blend — I used California Style blend but use what you like
• Stir fry sauce — you can use store bought or use the yummy recipe I provided
• Rice — to serve
• Optional garnishes — green onions and sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

If you want to make my sesame garlic stir fry sauce, you’ll also need soy sauce, tahini, water, garlic, green onions, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili crisp. It requires some extra ingredients, but it’s easy to make and comes together in just a few minutes!

Step-by-step instructions

In a medium bowl, add all ingredients for sesame garlic stir fry sauce. Whisk together with a fork until combined and smooth. Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat.

Add chicken to the pan and use tongs to distribute evenly, avoiding crowding. Add salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add frozen vegetables to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Stir, and cover again for 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all vegetables are defrosted and fork-tender. If needed, cook for 1-2 minutes uncovered to evaporate any excess liquid.

If you want to save time, you can add your vegetables right to the chicken. But the chicken can get a little overcooked this way, so make sure to watch it!

Add cooked chicken back to the pan with stir fry sauce and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce is just warmed through. The sauce can separate if cooked too long, so keep an eye on it.

Prepare your dinner bowls with rice. Spoon chicken stir fry over rice and top with sesame seeds, green onions, and other toppings as desired.

Dietary restrictions

Low sodium: Use low sodium soy sauce in your stir fry sauce, or find a low sodium option from the store.

High fiber: Add a cup of frozen shelled edamame to your stir fry mix.

Vegetarian: Swap chicken for cubed tofu or use my easy tofu nuggets. For a fully vegan meal, swap the honey in the stir fry sauce for brown sugar or maple syrup.

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce in the stir fry sauce, or use a store bought gluten-free sauce.

Lower carb: Serve over a smaller portion of rice, or mix rice with cauliflower rice.

Storage instructions

Leftovers: Store your stir fry mixture separate from your rice. Make sure both are kept in covered food containers in the fridge. They will stay good in the fridge for up to three days.

Meal prep: Portion your rice and chicken stir fry into single serve food containers (they can be stored together for meal prep). Cover and store in the fridge for up to three days. The sauce may absorb into the rice as it sits in the fridge, but it will still be super tasty!

To re-heat leftovers or meal prep containers, combine rice and chicken stir fry mixture and microwave for 60-90 seconds or until everything is heated through. Stir halfway if needed. Make sure you’re using a microwave-safe dish.

Top tip

Because the sesame garlic stir fry sauce contains tahini, it’s sensitive to over-cooking. If heated for too long, the sauce can become too thick or separate.

Make sure to reduce your heat once you’ve added the sauce, and do not cook longer than needed to heat through.