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Made with tender slices of chicken and crisp asparagus tossed in a sweet and savory honey-lemon sauce, this Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry is an easy 15-minute dinner that uses just a handful of simple ingredients. It is light, fresh, packed with protein, AND picky-eater approved.
Looking for more asparagus recipes? Don't miss Asparagus Frittata, Asparagus Salad, and Air Fryer Asparagus.
Kristen's Keys for Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
While this chicken stir-fry recipe is simple to make, a few small tricks will help ensure the best results.
- Slice the chicken thin. Thin slices cook quickly and allow more surface area for the sauce to cling to the chicken. A helpful trick is to place the chicken in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before slicing, as slightly frozen chicken is much easier to cut into thin, even pieces.
- Look for firm, vibrant green asparagus with tight tips. Thin to medium stalks work best because they cook quickly while staying crisp.
- Prep everything before cooking. Stir fry moves fast, so have the chicken sliced, asparagus chopped, and sauce mixed before you turn on the stove.
- Don't skip the lemon. Adding both the zest and juice of a fresh lemon to the stir fry sauce brightens the flavors and helps to highlight the natural freshness of the asparagus.
- Use a large skillet or wok. The key is using a pan large enough that the chicken and vegetables aren't crowded. This allows everything to cook quickly, and sear, rather than steam.
How to Make Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry
Prep the ingredients, saute the chicken, add the asparagus, and finish with the sauce. Sauté me right beside you, reminding you what to watch for so everything turns out just right.
Step One: Prep Ingredients Before Turning on the Heat
This stir fry cooks quickly, so having everything ready before you grab your skillet prevents overcooking the chicken and asparagus and gets this meal on the table fast.
- Slice Chicken. For the most tender stir fry chicken, slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips, about ¼-inch thick.
- Chop Asparagus. Hold an asparagus stalk in from both ends and bend it gently, it will snap right where the tough portion ends. Use that as a guide to trim the rest of the bunch, then cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces for quick, even cooking.
- Prepare Stir-Fry Sauce. In a small bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cornstarch together until the cornstarch has fully dissolved.
Step Two: Cook Chicken
Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over high heat for about 1 minute, or until glistening. Once heated, add the chicken in a single layer and cook until lightly browned and nearly cooked through.
Avoid overcrowding the pan. If needed, cook the chicken in batches so it sears instead of steaming.
Step Three: Add Asparagus
Add the prepared asparagus to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes. We are looking to just begin to soften the asparagus, yet want it to retain a bright green color.
Step Four: Add Sauce
Give the prepared sauce a quick stir again to ensure evenly incorporated. Then add it to the skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. This will just take 1-2 minutes.
Step Five: Serve
Serve this Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, Instant Pot Quinoa, or cauliflower rice, for a wholesome meal that you will want to make over and over again!
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: Simply use Tamari or your favorite gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce.
- No Cornstarch? Use an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
- Other Vegetable Options: Broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, or sugar snap peas all work well in addition to the asparagus or in place of the asparagus. Keep in mind that if you double the amount of veggies, you will want to double the sauce so everything is well-seasoned.
- Swap the Protein: Deveined shrimp, thinly sliced pork loin, thinly sliced steak, or even firm, crumbled tofu can be used in place of chicken.
More Quick & Easy Stir Fries
Stir fries are a staple on busy weeknights. They are versatile, flavorful, and cook fast. After trying this asparagus chicken stir fry, browse all my healthy stir fry recipes, or check out a few favorites below.
Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry
Video
Ingredients
Honey Lemon Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ~ 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ~1 large lemon
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
For the Stir Fry
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends discarded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ tablespoon oil, avocado, canola, or peanut oil
Instructions
- Remove any fat or grizzle from the chicken, then cut widthwise (against the grain) into strips no thicker than ¼-inch. Tip: Pop the chicken into the freezer for 10-15 minutes, to make it easier to thinly slice.
- Remove the woody ends of asparagus by holding one piece from both ends and gently bend the stalk. It will naturally snap where the woody bottom starts. Use this piece as a guide as to where to cut the remaining bunch. After discarding the ends, cut the asparagus into 1-inch chunks.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch, until the cornstarch is dissolved. Tip: Zest the lemon before juicing.
- Heat ½ tablespoon oilin a large wok or skillet over high heat for 1 minute, or until glistening. Once heated, add the sliced chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned and almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the asparagus to the skillet and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until just nearly crisp-tender.
- Give the prepared sauce a quick whisk, then add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and is coating the chicken and asparagus. This will just take 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2026.
Recipe was easy and family loved it.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Another of Kristen's recipes my whole family enjoyed. Easy and healthy!!!
Love hearing you all enjoy this! Thanks for sharing.
The asparagus with chicken cooked according to your recipe is very good, thank you
You are incredibly welcome, Ligia! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.
Is the nutrition information per serving or the entire recipe? I'm trying to calculate points for WW.
Hi Rhonda. The nutrition is for one serving (4 servings in total).
Truly going to try this week ! Thank you
Could I substitute maple syrup for the honey? I have a family member with an allergy to honey.
Thanks!
Yes, but for this recipe I would use agave syrup for a more mild flavor overall.
Very good!!! Nice way to use up asparagus!!