Recipes › Kiwi (Fuzzy) › Kiwi Chicken Stir-Fry
Kiwi Chicken Stir-Fry
A quick weeknight stir-fry where kiwi does double duty — as a natural meat tenderizer in the marinade and as a sweet-tart addition to the sauce. The result is exceptionally tender chicken in a glossy, fruit-forward sauce that's unlike any stir-fry you've had before.
Kiwi (Fuzzy) is in season now. More kiwi (fuzzy) recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe kiwi, 2 mashed for marinade, 2 sliced for sauce
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp soy sauceUse tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 scallions, sliced, for garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Contains: cereals gluten, sesame, soya.
Method
- Mash 2 peeled kiwi to a purée. Combine with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and honey in a bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.About 17 min
- Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until smoking. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade), shake off excess, and cook in batches without crowding for 4 minutes until browned all over.About 6 min
- Return all chicken to the pan. Pour reserved marinade over and stir-fry for 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the chicken.About 2 min
- Remove from heat. Stir in sliced kiwi gently — they'll warm through in the residual heat without turning mushy. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve over steamed rice.About 2 min
Tips
- Kiwi contains the enzyme actinidin, which breaks down protein — don't marinate for more than 30 minutes or the chicken will turn mushy.
- High heat is essential for stir-frying — a wok over a gas burner is ideal.
- Add the sliced kiwi off heat so it warms through without losing its texture.
Ring the changes
- Add snow peas and bell pepper strips in step 3 for a more vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
- Make it vegetarian by swapping chicken for extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed.
Keeping it
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot wok or skillet to preserve texture.
In the app this recipe finds you
Log what you've picked and GrowMore CookMore matches it to 2,482 more recipes like this one, tells you what's ready before the frost gets it, and keeps the freezer honest. Free to start.
More from the same crop
A dazzlingly vibrant, electric-green sorbet that captures fresh kiwi at its most intense. Blended with lime juice and a simple syrup, it freezes into a smooth, scoopable dessert that's refreshing, tangy, and a stunning palate cleanser between courses.
20 min · easy · Kiwi (Fuzzy)Individual mini pavlovas — crisp outside, marshmallowy inside — piled with whipped cream and sliced kiwi. The bright acidity of kiwi cuts through the sweet cream and meringue perfectly, and the vivid green against the white looks stunning. An elegant dessert that's less intimidating than a full pavlova.
1 h 20 min · medium · Kiwi (Fuzzy)