Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chicken Almond Ding
Toasted almonds and water chestnuts give this chicken stir fry plenty of crunch. The sauce wraps around the chicken and vegetables with a savory sweetness, leaving each bite a little different. A spoonful over rice is inviting when you're in the mood for something glossy and full of texture.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 14 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- Asian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Mix the sauce first
Whisk the broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and hoisin before you start cooking. Once the garlic and vegetables go in, the pan moves quickly and the sauce needs to be ready.
2. Keep the vegetables bite-size
The vegetables cook only until crisp-tender, so smaller pieces help everything finish evenly. Bigger broccoli florets or thick pepper pieces may need the full time in the pan.
3. Save the almonds for the end
Stir the toasted almonds in after the sauce has thickened. That keeps their crunch and lets them coat lightly in the sauce without softening too much.
Get to know the ingredients
Chicken breast
Cut the boneless skinless chicken breast into 1 inch pieces so it can brown and cook through in the short time given. Season it generously in the pan with salt and pepper.
Water chestnuts
Drain the sliced water chestnuts before they go into the pan with the vegetables. They bring the clean, crisp crunch that makes the texture of this dish more interesting.
Cornstarch
The cornstarch is whisked into the sauce mixture before cooking. Once that mixture boils, it thickens quickly, so keep stirring and stop when the sauce looks glossy and coats the chicken and vegetables.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Chicken Almond Ding
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the toasted almonds and serve right away. Rice is optional, but the sauce is ready for it if that’s how you want to plate it.
A little more help as you go
A little help before you start
Have the garlic minced, vegetables cut, water chestnuts drained and almonds toasted before the chicken hits the pan. The cooking time is short, and pausing mid-pan can push the vegetables past crisp-tender.
Watch the garlic
The garlic only cooks for 30 seconds before the vegetables are added. Give it a quick stir, then move on so it flavors the oil without burning.
A few questions you might have
Do I add the sauce before or after the vegetables cook?
Add it after the vegetables are crisp-tender. The sauce only needs to boil briefly to thicken, so adding it too early would change the timing for the vegetables.
Why do the vegetables get a little water in the pan?
The 2 teaspoons of water help the vegetables cook through while they stay crisp-tender. It’s a small amount, so the pan still stays hot enough for a quick stir-fry feel.
When is the chicken done enough to move on?
Move on once the chicken is cooked through and browned. The pieces should already be fully cooked before the garlic, vegetables and sauce go into the pan.
Can I use any mix of vegetables listed?
Yes. Use assorted mixed vegetables such as small broccoli florets, snow peas, bell peppers and sliced mushrooms. Keep an eye on the size of the pieces because that affects the 4 to 5 minute cooking time.
What makes the sauce thicken so fast?
The cornstarch does the thickening. Since it’s already whisked into the broth mixture, it only needs to come to a boil and cook briefly before the sauce tightens up.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
