Is your weeknight dinner routine begging for a total overhaul? I totally get it. Sometimes you need something fast, vibrant, and packed with veggies that doesn’t require hours of fussing over the stove. That’s why I’m obsessed with this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers recipe. Seriously, it’s ready in under 25 minutes, and the colors alone make boring weeknights fun!
The secret sauce—which is spicy, sweet, and savory all at once—can sometimes feel a bit intense, but trust me on this: the bell peppers are non-negotiable. They add this amazing, subtle sweetness that just cuts through that dragon fire perfectly. This has been tested at my dinner table time and time again, and it always gets rave reviews. If you’re looking for a fantastic Asian chicken dinner that tastes authentic but cooks in a snap, you’ve found it here!
Why You Will Love This Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers Recipe
I know you’re busy, so let me tell you why this recipe is hitting my weeknight rotation hard. It’s fast, it’s flavorful, and it’s genuinely beautiful to look at on the plate. You won’t believe how easy it is to get this kind of amazing weeknight dinner on the table!
- It’s lightning fast! Total time is under 25 minutes, so it beats takeout almost every time.
- The sauce offers that perfect exciting ‘Dragon’ kick—spicy, salty, and just a hint sweet.
- It’s packed with color! We get lots of great veggies in without even trying hard.
- The chicken stays tender because we use super high heat, which is key for any good stir-fry.
Essential Equipment for Your Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Okay, listen up—you can technically use a big, heavy skillet for this, but if you want that authentic, slightly charred, perfectly textured result that makes Asian cuisine so incredible, you absolutely need a wok. It’s the secret weapon for this kind of flavor!
I know woks can look intimidating, but they’re just giant bowls designed for high heat! Don’t let that scare you off. Because the sides slope up, you can keep the cooked chicken warm up high while you sear the next batch of vegetables down low. This keeps everything from steaming, and steaming, my friend, is the enemy of a good stir-fry!
Here’s what you absolutely need on hand for this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers:
- A good quality Wok. Bigger is better so you aren’t overcrowding the base!
- Sharp knife and cutting board for slicing your chicken and peppers evenly.
- Tongs or a sturdy wooden spoon for tossing everything quickly over the high heat.
If you get that wok screaming hot before anything touches it—seriously, let it smoke a little—the chicken will sear beautifully instead of just stewing in its own juices. Trust me on the high heat; it’s how we lock in all that fantastic flavor!
Ingredients for the Perfect Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Getting the right ingredients ready before you start cooking Asian Cuisine Recipes is the most important part of the whole process—it’s called *mise en place*, and it keeps you calm when the wok is ripping hot! You don’t want to be frantically chopping peppers while your chicken is burning. Remember, this is a super quick dish, so everything needs to be measured and prepped right near your stove.
I’ve separated everything into two easy groups below. For the chicken, make sure you slice the breast pieces thinly and uniformly so they cook through at the exact same rate. That way, nobody gets chewy, just-cooked bits mixed with dry bits!
When you look at this list, you’ll see we are keeping the sauce simple but mighty. It’s that perfect balance, kind of like a sweet and spicy hug for your tastebuds—that’s the ‘Dragon’ part, and it’s addictive! You can check out my recipe for Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup if you want more adventurous Asian flavor profiles later!
Main Ingredients for Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
These are the stars of the show that give our dish body and color. Don’t skimp on the fresh garlic—it makes a huge difference!
- 1 lb chicken breast, sliced thinly against the grain
- 2 tbsp oil (I use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into nice, chunky strips
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips just like the red one
- 2 garlic cloves, minced super fine
The Flavorful Sauce Components
This little mix gives a massive punch! The honey is what prevents the chili sauce from taking over completely. It’s all about that beautiful, tangy sweetness that makes people ask for the recipe when they taste this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers.
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari if you need gluten-free!)
- 1 tbsp chili sauce (this is where your heat comes from!)
- 1 tsp honey
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Now that your ingredients are ready, it’s time to get cooking! Remember, this is a Chinese Cooking Recipes technique, meaning speed is everything once you start. We move fast, but we don’t rush the initial sear. If you follow these seven steps exactly, you’ll have an amazing family dinner ready in no time. This is where that high heat we talked about really pays off!
Prepping and Searing the Chicken
First things first: get that wok up on the heat! You want it hot—and I mean *really* hot—before you add your 2 tablespoons of oil. Let that oil shimmer a bit, maybe even smoke ever so slightly. That indicates it’s ready for the chicken.
Add your sliced chicken breast to the hot oil. Here’s the tip: don’t crowd the pan! If you use a single layer, the chicken will sear and brown instead of steaming. Stir-fry it continuously, tossing until it’s almost completely cooked through. This takes about 4 to 6 minutes usually. If you’re using my go-to keto chicken breast cuts, they cook really fast!
Adding Vegetables and Finishing the Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Once the chicken is looking good, push it slightly to one side of the wok. Now toss in your sliced red and green bell peppers and the minced garlic. Stir-fry these with the chicken for just about 2 minutes. We want the vegetables tender-crisp, not soggy!
Next, pour in all your sauce ingredients—the soy sauce, chili sauce, and honey—right over everything. Stir everything vigorously until the sauce bubbles up and gets really glossy, coating every piece of chicken and pepper in that incredible Dragon sauce. This only takes about 2 to 3 minutes max. Pull it off the heat immediately when it’s shiny; that’s how you know your Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers is ready to serve hot! For more ideas on quick Easy Asian Food, stick around!
Tips for Success with Your Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Even though this recipe moves fast, a few little tricks can elevate it from a simple weeknight meal to something truly special. These little nuggets of wisdom are what separate a good stir-fry from a spectacular one. Remember, we are aiming for that fresh, vibrant texture that characterizes truly Asian Recipes Authentic!
Here are my three must-know secrets before you dive in:
- Keep the Heat High, But Don’t Burn the Garlic! The wok should be smoking hot when the chicken goes in, giving you that perfect sear. However, garlic burns in about ten seconds flat. That’s why we add the peppers and garlic *after* the chicken is mostly cooked and push them to the side momentarily. Sear them quickly, then mix it all together. If the garlic turns brown instead of golden, you’ll get a bitter flavor, and we definitely don’t want that!
- Sauce Consistency is Everything. If your sauce looks too thin after you pour it in during the last step, don’t panic! All you need is a tiny cornstarch slurry—that’s just one teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with two teaspoons of cold water. Drizzle that in while stirring vigorously. It thickens up almost instantly, turning that watery liquid into that beautiful, glossy coating we look for in Dragon Chicken.
- Don’t Overcook Your Peppers. When I say add the bell peppers, I mean they should only cook for about two minutes total. They should still have a little bit of a snap to them—what we call *al dente*. If they get soft and floppy, you lose all that beautiful texture and color contrast against the chicken. We want vibrant red and green surprises in every bite, not mush!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Asian Cuisine Recipes
One of the best things about cooking Asian Cuisine Recipes is that they are wonderfully adaptable once you understand the core flavor components. Every pantry is different, right? So, if you are missing one specific item for this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers, you rarely have to run to the store. You can almost always swap something out without sacrificing the overall flavor profile.
The key here is understanding what role each ingredient plays. Is it heat? Is it salty depth? Is it sweetness? Once you know that, the substitutions become super easy!
Checking your Chili Sauce
The chili sauce is giving us that fiery kick that makes this dish “Dragon” worthy. If you don’t have the generic chili sauce called for, don’t panic! You have plenty of great options. Sriracha is a fantastic, readily available substitute; you might need just a little bit less since it’s often more concentrated.
If you want a deeper, slightly earthier heat, go for Sambal Oelek. It often has seeds in it, so add it slowly until you reach the spice level you’re comfortable with. Seriously, taste as you go! This is how you master stir-fries—you aren’t locked into one single bottle of sauce.
Soy Sauce Alternatives
Soy sauce is the salty, umami backbone of almost every stir-fry we make. If you have a sensitivity or you’re cooking for someone who avoids gluten, Tamari is your absolute best friend here. It’s soy sauce made without wheat, and honestly, the flavor is often richer and deeper, which I love in my Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers.
If you are out of soy sauce entirely, coconut aminos can work in a pinch for a 1-to-1 swap. Just know that coconut aminos are generally much sweeter than traditional soy sauce, so you’ll probably need to cut back slightly on that teaspoon of honey we added to balance the overall taste. But hey, that’s just more adjusting, which makes you a better cook!
Swapping Out the Chicken
While we specifically use chicken breast here because it cooks so quickly and stays tender in high heat, this recipe is fantastic with other proteins too, making it one of those versatile Easy Asian Dishes. Try using shrimp—just toss it in right at the very end because shrimp cooks in about 90 seconds flat! Or, if you prefer plant-based options, cubed firm tofu works wonderfully, but make sure you press the moisture out of it first so it can crisp up properly in the wok before you introduce the sauce.
Serving Suggestions for Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
This Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers is bursting with bold flavor, right? So, we need the perfect partner on the plate to soak up all that amazing sauce and cool down the chili dragon fire a little bit. If you’re stuck wondering what to serve alongside it, don’t worry! I have a few go-to Asian Food Ideas that make this a complete, satisfying meal without adding any extra fuss to your cooking time.
The key is simple starch that can handle being drenched in that sticky, glossy sauce. You don’t want anything too complicated stealing the show!
Steamed Rice is Always a Winner
This is the classic, right? Plain white rice—Jasmine or Basmati—is my first choice. It’s neutral, fluffy, and it just acts like the perfect little sponge for every drop of that chili-soy glaze. You can have rice going in the rice cooker while you’re slicing the chicken, and it’s ready at the exact same time.
If you want to make it slightly more interesting, try a quick trick: cook your rice with a splash of sesame oil right at the beginning. It gives the rice a subtle nutty perfume that complements the stir-fry beautifully. It feels fancy, but it takes zero extra effort!
Noodles for a Heartier Meal
If you’re looking for something a little more robust, noodles are the way to go. Chow Mein style egg noodles work fantastic, especially the thinner varieties. You just need to cook them according to package directions and then, here’s the trick, right before serving, toss maybe two tablespoons of the leftover sauce right into the noodles and toss them quickly off the heat.
This gives the noodles just enough color and flavor so they don’t taste plain next to the intensely flavored chicken, but they don’t compete for attention either. Remember, we’re aiming for those great Asian Food Ideas that keep dinner family-friendly!
Adding a Simple Side Green
Sometimes you just want to sneak in one more green thing, even though we already have peppers! A simple side of blanched broccoli or snap peas is brilliant. You boil them for just two minutes—literally—and then shock them in ice water to keep them bright green and crunchy.
Toss those cool, crisp veggies with just a tiny drizzle of extra soy sauce right before serving them alongside the Dragon Chicken. It adds great texture contrast and makes the whole plate look like it came straight out of a magazine picture!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Look, I know my family—we always manage to have leftovers, especially when the meal is this good! The great news about this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers is that it holds up remarkably well in the fridge, which is fantastic for quickly assembling Easy Asian Dishes for lunch the next day. But you have to store and reheat it the *right* way to keep that texture locked in!
The trick with any stir-fry is moisture management. You cooked it hot and fast to keep everything crisp; we want to respect that effort even when reheating!
Storing Your Leftovers Properly
Once the stir-fry has cooled down completely—and I mean totally room temperature—you need to get it into an airtight container. Don’t leave it sitting out for hours; that’s a recipe for disaster for any chicken dish!
I prefer glass containers because they stack nicely, but use whatever you have! Make sure the lid seals tight. Stored correctly in the refrigerator, this dish will stay perfectly good for about three, maybe four days. After that, the peppers start to lose their snap, and while it’s still safe, it won’t taste quite as fresh.
Pro tip: If you plan on having leftovers, try to scoop out the chicken and veggies *before* you put rice into the container with them. Mixing the starchy rice right into the saucy chicken makes the rice mushy by morning. Keep the rice separate for best results!
The Best Way to Reheat Dragon Chicken
When it comes to bringing this back to life, you have two main options based on how much time you have. The microwave is fast, but it usually leads to softer vegetables and sometimes rubbery chicken. It’s okay in a pinch, but I aim higher!
For the Best Texture (The Wok Method): If you have 5 minutes, forget the microwave. Heat your wok back up over medium-high heat. Add just a teaspoon of fresh oil—don’t use much, because the sauce already has liquid! Toss the leftover chicken and peppers in. Stir-fry for just 2 to 3 minutes until everything is heated through and that sauce starts to look glossy and active again. This revives the peppers’ texture wonderfully!
For Speed (The Microwave Method): If you are truly rushing, spread the leftovers out on a microwave-safe plate rather than piling it high in a bowl. Cover it loosely with a paper towel to prevent splatter. Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until it’s hot all the way through. It won’t be as crispy, but it will certainly be hot and delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Okay, I know when you’re diving into something new, especially when tackling various Chinese Cooking Recipes, some questions always pop up. We want this to be the easiest, most stress-free Asian meal you’ve ever made! These are the things people always ask me when they try this recipe!
Can I make this Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers ahead of time?
This is a tricky one because stir-fries love being fresh! If you can, I highly recommend doing your prep work ahead of time—slice the chicken, slice the peppers, mince the garlic, and mix the sauce completely. Store all those components separately in the fridge. Then, when dinner hits, it’s literally a 15-minute sear-and-serve job. If you cook the whole thing ahead of time, the vegetables will lose their crunchiness and just get soggy when you reheat them. Meal prep the components, not the final dish!
How do I increase the spice level in this Asian Food Recipe?
If you’re someone who likes things seriously spicy—like fire-breathing dragon hot—you have a few easy levers to pull here! First, definitely use a hotter chili sauce. If you used a mild one, upgrade to a Sriracha or a Sambal Oelek and increase that amount from 1 tablespoon to maybe 1.5 tablespoons. That’s the first step for any Asian Food Recipe enthusiast wanting more heat. Second, you can add a dash of dried chili flakes right when you sauté the garlic. It infuses the oil with spice right away, giving you a deeper background heat in the final sauce!
What other vegetables work well in this Easy Asian Food recipe?
You can absolutely throw in more veggies to bulk this up and make it even healthier—which is why I love it under the umbrella of Easy Asian Food! Just make sure they cook at a similar rate to your bell peppers. Things like sliced carrots (if you slice them very thinly!), broccoli florets, or snow peas are amazing additions. You just toss those in right when you add the peppers. Mushrooms are also wonderful for adding an earthy flavor!
If you want to use veggies that take longer to cook, like thicker broccoli stalks or whole baby corn, you should toss those in *with* the chicken early on so they soften up enough. Always check out my tips for things like vegetable egg foo young for more vegetable incorporation ideas!
About the Recipe Author
This recipe for Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers comes to you today from the test kitchen. It’s been tweaked and tasted by many folks, but I always make sure the core flavor profile is totally trustworthy. I truly believe that sharing these simple, vibrant Asian methods is the best way to get everyone excited about cooking dinner. I got my deep love for making quick Asian meals from my mentors, who always stressed flavor layering!
You can always find more of my culinary thoughts and adventures over on the main page, but for now, know that this dish is certified delicious!
By Hanna Foster, Adaptation Specialist at Recipes by Betty.
Dragon Chicken with Bell Peppers
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast sliced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chili sauce
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat.
- Stir-fry chicken until nearly cooked.
- Add bell peppers and garlic.
- Stir in sauce ingredients.
- Cook 2–3 minutes until glossy and hot.