Chicken In Soy Sauce With Vegetables
⏲ ~26 min total · prep 18 · cook 8 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 45 min total🔥 12.2g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (or tamari), divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 green onions, sliced on the bias
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Toss the chicken pieces with 2 tbsp of the soy sauce, the garlic, and the ginger; marinate 20 minutes at room temp — longer isn't better here, the soy starts to cure the surface.
- Heat the avocado oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, add the chicken in one layer, and leave it untouched 3 minutes so it browns, then stir-fry 3-4 minutes more until golden on all sides. Move it to a plate.
- Add the mushrooms and bell pepper to the empty skillet and cook 4 minutes, stirring twice, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it cooks off and they start to brown at the edges.
- Nestle the bok choy cut-sides down and let them sear 2 minutes until the cut faces char in spots and the stems turn glossy.
- Return the chicken and any juices, pour in the remaining soy sauce and the water, and simmer 4-5 minutes, turning the chicken, until it reads 165°F inside and the sauce has reduced enough to leave a glossy trail when you drag the spatula through it.
- Pull the skillet off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and green onions, and serve straight from the pan while the bok choy still has snap.
Why this recipe works
- Thighs hold up Boneless thighs stay juicy through a hot stir-fry where breast would dry out. They also brown faster, which matters when the pan does the seasoning.
- A short soy marinade Twenty minutes at room temperature seasons the surface of the meat. Longer is worse here, since soy begins to cure the outside.
- Vegetables staged by density Mushrooms and peppers cook first, bok choy goes in last, cut-sides down. Each vegetable gets the heat it needs and nothing turns to mush.
Tips for making this recipe well
Leave the chicken alone
Three minutes untouched in a shimmering pan builds the brown crust. Early stirring steams the meat instead of searing it.
Watch the marinade clock
Twenty minutes at room temperature, then it goes in the pan. Soy left on raw chicken any longer starts to cure the surface and the texture turns slippery.
Cook the mushroom liquid off
Creminis release a lot of water. Wait until it cooks off and the edges brown before the bok choy goes in, or the whole pan steams.
Cook to temperature
After the sauce goes in, the chicken needs 4 to 5 minutes to read 165°F inside. The sauce itself is ready when a spatula dragged through it leaves a glossy trail.
Tamari works the same
The recipe calls for a third cup of soy sauce, and tamari swaps in one for one. Use it if you need the dish gluten-free.
Serving suggestions
Serve it straight from the skillet in shallow bowls with the sauce spooned over. The bok choy should still snap, so carry the pan to the table as soon as the green onions go in. At 12.2 net carbs per serving this is one of the heartier dinners on the site, and the pan juices are worth chasing around the bowl with a fork. A few extra green onion slices on top keep the finish sharp.
Storage and meal prep
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. The bok choy softens as it sits and loses its snap by the second day, though the flavor holds. Reheat in a skillet over medium rather than the microwave, since a hot pan revives the sauce gloss. A splash of water loosens the sauce if it has tightened overnight, and the mushrooms hold up better than the greens do.
Variations worth trying
- Tamari Swap the soy sauce for tamari in the same amount. Nothing else changes.
- Breast meat Chicken breast works if you prefer it. Pull it at 165°F promptly, since lean white meat dries out faster than thighs.
- Extra mushrooms Double the creminis and give them an extra two minutes before the peppers go in. A 12-inch skillet can take it.
- More bok choy A fourth or fifth baby bok choy fits fine. Sear them in shifts if the pan crowds, cut-sides down first.
Frequently asked questions
Soy sauce or tamari?
Either works, in the same third cup. Tamari keeps the dish gluten-free and tastes a touch deeper.
Why only 20 minutes of marinating?
The soy seasons the surface fast, and past 20 minutes it starts to cure the meat. A short soak at room temperature also takes the chill off before searing.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes. Cut it the same size and pull it at 165°F without lingering, because breast dries out sooner than thigh.
Why did my mushrooms turn gray and watery?
The pan was crowded or the liquid never cooked off. Give the creminis room and wait for the water to evaporate before adding the bok choy.
How do I know the sauce is ready?
Simmer until dragging the spatula through leaves a glossy trail that fills back slowly. That usually takes 4 to 5 minutes with the chicken back in the pan.
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