This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Bok Choy Chicken – This easy bok choy stir-fry recipe with chicken and ginger in a light Chinese brown sauce is one of my go-to meals for a healthy, delicious dish. It’s packed with flavor, but light enough for any day of the week.
Bok Choy And Chicken
Bok choy is a healthy Chinese cabbage with mild, bitter white stems and crisp green leaves. There are so many ways to cook it, like garlic bok choy, for example.
If you’ve ever been to a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably noticed that they usually offer a few options for vegetable stir-fries—plain, garlic, or with oyster sauce. You pick your veggie, and then decide how you want it cooked.
Adding protein like chicken, shrimp, or pork to vegetables is a pretty common thing. This Bok choy chicken recipe is a perfect example—it’s basically a stir-fry with tender chicken and crisp bok choy, all coated in a delicious sauce. Check out my video guide and tips below to make this recipe perfect every time!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredients For Bok Choy Chicken
- Chicken breast – If you prefer, you can definitely use chicken thighs instead!
- Bok choy
- Ginger
- Oil
For marinade:
- Cornstarch
- Sauce
Ingredients For Bok Choy Chicken Sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Sugar
- Water
- White pepper
- Wine – I used Shaoxing wine, but if you don’t have it, Chinese rice wine or dry sherry works just as well.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
Bok Choy Recipe Variations
I love the combo of bok choy and chicken, but the great thing about this recipe is you can switch things up with different ingredients! Here are some ideas:
- Shrimp: If you’re in the mood for seafood, swap in shrimp! It pairs perfectly with baby bok choy—check out my recipe for Baby Bok Choy with Shrimp!
- Mushroom: If you’re a fan of earthy flavors, try adding mushrooms. My Garlic Mushroom Bok Choy recipe is a great option.
- More vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies like napa cabbage, regular cabbage, carrots, or any other green leafy vegetables you like to boost both the nutrients and color.
- Tofu: For a plant-based version, tofu is a perfect substitute. It’ll soak up all the delicious flavors and make the dish hearty!
How To Make Bok Choy Chicken
First, toss the chicken with the marinade ingredients and let it sit for about 10 minutes. While that’s happening, mix up all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl—just give it a good stir to combine everything!
Now, grab your bok choy and chop it up into bite-sized pieces.
Heat up about half a tablespoon of oil in your wok until it’s nice and hot. Toss in the chicken and stir-fry it quickly until the chicken turns opaque or white on the outside. Once that’s done, dish it out and set it aside. This step helps lock in the juices, making the chicken super tender and smooth!
Heat up the rest of the oil in the wok until it’s nice and hot. Toss in the ginger and stir-fry it until it starts to smell amazing. Then, throw the chicken back in and give it a few quick stirs. Add in the bok choy and mix everything together so it’s all coated and well combined.
Pour the sauce into the wok and keep stir-frying until the bok choy is cooked but still has that nice crunch. You don’t want to overcook it, so just keep an eye on it.
Once it’s all cooked, just plate it up and serve right away with some fluffy steamed white rice. You’re ready to enjoy!
Secrets To Perfect Crisp Bok Choy
When it comes to cooking vegetables, there are two key things to remember:
- Don’t overcook your veggies! Bok choy should stay crisp and crunchy, not soggy. It’s all about keeping that texture.
- Aim for a vibrant green color when cooking. If it turns purple, you’ve overcooked it. The stems and leaves should have a nice glossy shine to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, after rinsing with cold water to remove the dirt trapped inside the stems and leaves, you can eat the vegetables. It’s completely safe.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of 41 powerhouse fruits and vegetables, it ranks number 2 under the label “Chinese cabbage.” It’s a superfood loaded with vitamin C, anti-oxidants such as Sulforaphane and Carotenoids.
If you’re not using oyster sauce, you can go for a vegetarian oyster sauce (made from mushrooms). It doesn’t need to be added, but it definitely helps bring out the best in the dish.
This recipe is only 267 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Bok Choy Chicken
This meal is best served with other main dishes (such as Braised Pork Belly (Dong Po Rou)). For a wholesome Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Bok Choy Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into thin pieces
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 8 oz (230g) bok choy, sliced into pieces
- 1 inch (2.5cm) ginger, peeled and sliced into pieces
Marinade:
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce:
- 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, or Chinese rice wine
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the ingredients in marinade for 10 minutes. Combine all the ingredients in the Sauce in a small bowl, stir to blend well.
- Cut the bok choy into pieces.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a wok until the oil becomes hot. Add the chicken and quickly stir-fry until the surface of the chicken turn opaque or white. Dish out and set aside. This step seals in the juice in the chicken, so the texture is tender and velvety smooth.
- Heat up the remaining oil in the wok until hot. Add the ginger into the wok and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the chicken back into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add in the bok choy and stir to combine well.
- Transfer the sauce into the wok and continue to stir-fry until the bok choy is cooked but remain crisp. Do not overcook.
- Dish out and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcook your veggies! Bok choy should stay crisp and crunchy, not soggy. It’s all about keeping that texture.
- Aim for a vibrant green color when cooking. If it turns purple, you’ve overcooked it. The stems and leaves should have a nice glossy shine to them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t use oyster sauce. Is there a replacement or does it need to be added?
You can use fish sauce.
Thanks for the great recipe and simple instructions! I made this for the first time a week ago, and am making it for the third time this week as I write this tonight! My family loves it, my grandkids even finished their bowls and asked for more!
Awesome please try more recipes on my site!
I just found your site and tried this recipe. It was delicious! I added cashews, hot pepper, and cucumbers. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Hi Lynn, awesome please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Where’s the garlic?
Delicious recipe. Very flavorful. I added 1/2 T fish sauce. I wasn’t sure what to use for cooking oil. I wondered if I could use sesame oil. Instead, I used avocado oil. Next time, I will shred the chicken rather than slice it. The bok choy took longer to cook than I expected. I put a lid on the pan and turned to something else. Thought it would be ruined when I returned but it was perfect. I found I had to add a little water. It may have diluted the flavor a bit, but it allowed me to get the flavor from the chicken and ginger that had fried onto the pan.
Great recipe. I am from florida and its really hard to find baby bok choy. (and even harder to grow it) All we usually have in the grocery store is the huge heads that are full grown which aren’t as appealing as the babies. I like to add fish sauce to the stir fry also. On a side note, when i asked my brother if he knew what bok choy was he said it was a Klingon phrase for “BEAM ME UP!”
Hi Scott, lol. Thanks for trying my recipe. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Check to see if any Asian markets exist in your area, they will usually carry Baby Bok Choy as well as other wonderful Vegetables .
I always wanted to learn to cook bokchoy , it’s a vegetable I really like, so I’m very thankful for your recipes
Thanks bok choy are great.
Every other week I go to the grocery store and pick a fruit or vegetable from the grocery store that I know nothing about, and make a meal out of it. Last week’s vegetable was baby bok choy! This recipe was DELICIOUS. Saving it! Never cooked with oyster sauce either, so added bonus. The sauce was delicious and I never thought to use corn starch in a chicken marinade, but it worked and worked well!
Hi Michelle, thanks for trying my bok choy chicken. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Do I use red or white wine? This is my 1st time cooking bok choy & I don’t want to mess it up.
Chinese cooking wine. If not, just skip.
Can I use mirin instead of wine?
Yes you can.
Hi! i just came back to post a comment and noticed you say the recipe has garlic yet i cant see where you mentioned garlic in actual recipe. would it be with the ginger? anyway i just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. this is the third chicken recipe of yours i have tried and its my absolute favorite. i dont think i would ever cook chicken any other way. simply divine!
Garlic bok choy is another recipe I have on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/garlic-bok-choy/. This recipe uses ginger. All my recipes are great, please try more: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/