Ginger Chicken with Almonds

Delicious ginger chicken! Chicken strips, marinated in coriander and ginger, stir-fried with scallions and ginger, served mixed with mango chutney and topped with toasted almonds.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated December 06, 2021
Elise Bauer
Ginger Chicken with Almonds
Elise Bauer

My friend Steve-Anna sent me this wonderful recipe for ginger chicken and claimed that it was one of her all time favorites.

My father doesn't eat ginger if he can avoid it, so when I made it I just warned dad ahead of time that he might have to settle for yesterday's leftovers if he couldn't bring himself to touch it.

Well, everyone loved it! Even dad.

Strips of boneless, skinless chicken breasts are briefly marinated in ground coriander, ground ginger, vinegar and oil, then they are stir-fried with scallions and julienned ginger. They are mixed with a little mango chutney and sprinkled with toasted almonds before serving.

The whole dish can be made in half an hour, especially if you do a lot of the prep while the chicken is marinating.

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Including a little cornstarch in the chicken marinade is traditional in many Chinese stir-fries. The cornstarch helps keep the chicken pieces from drying out when cooked. You can skip it if you want, but the chicken will be more tender if you use it.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 - 2 pounds total)
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger plus ¼ cup julienned fresh ginger (see How to Peel, Chop, and Grate Ginger)
  • 4 teaspoons canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4 large scallions (or 6 small), trimmed
  • 1/2 cup mango chutney, large pieces chopped
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Method

  1. Slice chicken crosswise:

    into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces.

  2. Marinate chicken strips:

    Whisk the ground coriander, grated ginger, 2 teaspoons of the oil, vinegar, corn starch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, making sure there are no lumps of corn starch.

    Add the chicken and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  3. Prepare scallions:

    Thinly slice white parts of scallions. Julienne green parts; set aside.

  4. Stir together chutney, broth, and garlic:

    in a small bowl.

    ginger-chicken-almonds-1-a
    Elise Bauer
    ginger-chicken-almonds-2-a
    Elise Bauer
  5. Stir-fry:

    Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and julienned ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds.

    Add chicken and stir-fry until thoroughly cooked, 4 to 6 minutes.

    Add scallion greens and chutney mixture; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

  6. Serve:

    Transfer to shallow bowls with hot cooked rice (or without rice, for low-carb version). Sprinkle with toasted almond slices and serve.