Plum sauce chicken breast stir-fry with jasmine rice and side vegetables, using a short soy, rice wine, and baking soda velvet for tender chicken and a glossy sweet-savoury plum sauce finish.
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
20 min
Total time
40 min
Servings
4
Chef's Tips
Keep the velvet short so the chicken stays tender without taking on a soft, overtreated texture.
Let the pan heat fully before adding oil so the chicken sears more cleanly on stainless steel.
Stir the plum sauce mixture before it goes into the pan because the cornstarch settles quickly.
Keep the vegetables on the side if you want the plum sauce to stay glossy and concentrated on the chicken.
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Ingredients
Ingredients
Servings
4 servings1×
Scale
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Rice
Chicken Velvet
Plum Sauce
Side Vegetables
Instructions
Rice
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear.
- 2
Cook according to the packet or your usual method, then keep warm.
Chicken Velvet
- 1
Toss the sliced chicken with the soy sauce, rice wine, baking soda, and oil until evenly coated.
- 2
Set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce and vegetables.
Plum Sauce
- 1
Stir together the plum sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, cornflour, garlic, ginger, and mustard in a bowl until smooth.
Side Vegetables
- 1
Steam or boil the broccoli and carrots until just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 2
Drain well and season lightly with salt.
Stir-Fry the Chicken
- 1
Heat a stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add a light film of oil.
- 2
Add half the chicken in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for 45 to 60 seconds so it sears. Toss and cook until nearly done, about 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- 3
Return all the chicken to the pan, pour in the plum sauce, and toss for 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and coats the chicken.
- 4
Turn off the heat and scatter over spring onions and sesame seeds if using.
Serve
- 1
Spoon the rice into bowls or lunch containers.
- 2
Add the plum sauce chicken on one side and the broccoli and carrots on the other.
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Learn More
Everything you want to know about this recipe.
Plum Sauce Chicken Breast Stir-Fry
Plum Sauce Chicken Breast Stir-Fry
This plum sauce chicken breast stir-fry follows the same bento-style structure as the other velveted chicken recipes: rice first, a short chicken velvet, separate sauce, vegetables on the side, then a fast finish in the pan. That keeps the chicken tender and lets the plum sauce stay glossy instead of getting lost among extra liquid.
The flavour sits in a useful middle ground between sweet and savoury. Plum sauce gives the chicken fruitiness and sheen, while soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and a little mustard keep it from tasting like a one-note sticky glaze.
Why This Recipe Works
Why This Recipe Works
The short velvet matters because sliced chicken breast can toughen quickly in a hot pan. A little soy sauce, rice wine, baking soda, and oil help the chicken stay softer without turning the method into a full marinade-heavy stir-fry.
The sauce is mixed separately and goes in only at the end. That gives the chicken a better chance to sear first, and it keeps the plum sauce bright, smooth, and concentrated around the meat.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient Notes
Chinese plum sauce is the main flavour here, so use one you already like. Some brands are sweeter than others, which is why the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mustard help balance it.
Broccoli and carrots work well as side vegetables because they stay clean and simple next to the richer chicken. Keeping them separate also makes the meal prep boxes hold up better.
How to Make It
How to Make It
Start by cooking the rice and setting the chicken in its short velvet. While it rests, mix the plum sauce and steam or boil the vegetables until just tender.
Cook the chicken in a hot pan in batches so it can sear rather than steam. Once it is nearly done, return it all to the pan, pour in the plum sauce, and toss briefly until the sauce thickens and turns glossy around the chicken.
Tips, Storage, and Variations
Tips, Storage, and Variations
If the sauce looks too thick, add a very small splash of water and toss again. If it looks too loose, give it a few more seconds over the heat.
This is a good meal prep recipe because the chicken and rice reheat well. If you want a variation, the same method works with chicken thigh, and you can use sugar snap peas or green beans on the side instead of carrots.
Serving & Goal Fit
Serving & Goal Fit
One serving is one quarter of the recipe with rice and vegetables. For a training day, keep the rice portion as written or add a piece of fruit if you want a little more carbohydrate around the meal.
For a rest day, reduce the rice slightly and keep the vegetable portion the same. Chicken thigh, tofu, or shrimp can work as protein swaps, and broccoli, green beans, spinach, mushrooms, courgette, or tenderstem broccoli all fit as easy grocery variations.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bowl with rice, chicken, sauce, and vegetables
Calories 53527%
% Reference Intake*
Total Fat 7g10%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 83mg
Sodium 710mg
Total Carbohydrates 73g28%
Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars 14g16%
Protein 40g80%
* Reference intakes are based on an average adult's 8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal diet. Your needs may be higher or lower.
FAQs
Can I make this without rice wine?
Yes. Dry sherry is the easiest substitute, or you can use a little extra soy sauce plus water if needed, though the finish will be flatter.
Why use baking soda on the chicken?
A very small amount helps tenderize sliced chicken breast so it stays softer after high-heat cooking.
Can I cook the vegetables in the same pan?
Yes, but keeping them on the side helps the plum sauce stay more glossy and concentrated on the chicken.
Can I use chicken thigh instead?
Yes. Chicken thigh works well here, but breast benefits more from the short velvet.
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Chloe M.
· 29 Jul 2026I used dry sherry instead of Shaoxing and it still came out well. The chicken stayed much more tender than my usual stir-fry chicken breast.
Aaron D.
· 29 Jul 2026I kept the vegetables on the side and that helped the sauce stay glossy. Good use for a jar of plum sauce.
Nina P.
· 29 Jul 2026The plum sauce worked really well with the velveted chicken. It tasted like a better meal prep version of a takeaway lunch box.
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