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Stir-frying

炒chǎo

Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.

Core cooking technique

Chicken and broccoli in a stainless-steel skillet with visible space between the pieces.
Chicken and broccoli in a stainless-steel skillet with visible space between the pieces.
On this page

Before you start

Cut ingredients and mix the sauce before heating the pan. Drain washed vegetables. Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat food.

For this method

This example uses sliced chicken and vegetables. Follow your recipe for amounts; different vegetables need different preparation.

Step by step

  1. Organize the cooking order

    Keep chicken, vegetables, aromatics and sauce separate. Prepare dense vegetables as your recipe directs.

    Look for: Everything is ready beside the stove.

  2. Cook the chicken first

    Spread chicken across the hot, oiled cooking surface. Let it set briefly before turning; transfer it out before cooking the vegetables.

    Look for: Separate pieces rather than a wet mound.

  3. Cook the vegetables

    Add the aromatics and vegetables in the recipe's order. Stir and turn so cooking is even.

    Look for: Vegetables approach the texture you want.

  4. Bring it together

    Return the chicken. Add sauce; if using starch slurry, stir it again and add gradually.

    Look for: Sauce coats the ingredients without becoming gluey.

Signs of success

Check texture and sauce coverage, then verify chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) with a food thermometer before serving. A browned surface does not establish a safe internal temperature.

Troubleshooting

The pan fills with liquid
Wet vegetables or a crowded cooking surface can slow frying.
Drain vegetables well; use smaller batches next time.
The sauce turns too thick
Too much slurry was added at once.
Stop adding slurry. Next time add gradually and reassess.

Put it into practice

Sources & method notes

  1. Chicken Stir Fry (opens in a new tab)

    Made With Lau / Daddy Lau · Instructions 1, 4–8; On broccoli

    Preparation and staged cooking in a chicken-and-vegetable example. Timing and blanching are recipe-specific. Troubleshooting interprets these preparation and sequencing instructions.

    Accessed 2026-09-05

  2. Safe minimum internal temperatures (opens in a new tab)

    FoodSafety.gov · Poultry

    Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer. Appearance alone is not a safety test.

    Accessed 2026-09-05