Stir fry is one of the fastest genuinely good dinners you can make at home, provided the pan is hot enough — that's the one variable that makes or breaks it.
Searing the chicken and vegetables separately before combining keeps everything from steaming into a soggy mess.
Get the pan smoking hot before anything goes in — a stir fry cooked at moderate heat steams instead of sears, and that's the biggest difference between homemade and restaurant results.
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Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and sear 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining oil, garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds. Add broccoli, bell pepper and carrot, stir frying for 4-5 minutes until crisp-tender.
Return chicken to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss for 1-2 minutes until it thickens and coats everything. Serve over rice.
Restaurant woks reach much higher heat than a home stove — get your pan as hot as possible before adding anything, and don't overcrowd it, which drops the temperature and steams the food instead of searing it.
Fresh vegetables give a crisper texture, but frozen works in a pinch — thaw and pat dry first, since extra moisture will thin out the sauce.
Slice it thin and against the grain, and don't overcook it during the initial sear — it finishes cooking slightly when tossed back in with the sauce.