This scallion oil chicken is tender and juicy, seasoned to perfection and tastes absolutely phenomenal. It comes together in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect easy and healthy weeknight dinner the whole family can enjoy.
Team it up with some Schezwan potatoes or serve it with your favorite Asian noodles or rice to make it a hearty meal!
I've been trying a lot of Asian inspired recipes lately. My Tom Yum Gai and Cilantro Chicken Soup are on repeat in my household now that we're officially into soup season, and recently, I also made the most ridiculously easy and flavorful Scallion Ginger Oil, which was absolute perfection.
The flavors were SO good, I just knew I HAD to try something featuring it, and here we are!
Quick Look: Scallion Oil Chicken
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 15 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 2.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Chicken thighs, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Marinate → pan-sear → top with scallion oil → serve.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Pair with steamed jasmine rice, coconut lime rice, fried rice, noodles, stir-fried vegetables, or use as a protein to build your egg roll in a bowl.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- With just around 20 minutes of cooking time and barely any prep time, this recipe has got to be one of the most fuss-free Asian recipes out there.
- Just like my crispy chili chicken, it's great for meal prep too!
- This chicken with scallion oil sauce is going to be on repeat on your dinner menu for a long time!
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: I used boneless chicken thighs here. They have the most flavorful and tender meat, which is exactly what I needed. You can use chicken breasts or even tenders if you have those at hand.
Scallions: Fresh scallions are the hero ingredient here. You'll need 3-4 stalks for this recipe. I like to use leftovers to make a nice Korean green onion salad.
Aromatics: I used both ginger and garlic here for that extra bit of savory flavor. If you want, you can use either of the two- just make sure use use them fresh, or just use some homemade ginger garlic paste.
Seasonings: To season, I just used some red pepper flakes and salt, and a bit of brown sugar to balance it all out with the sweetness.
Oil: Feel free to use olive oil, canola oil or any other cooking oil of your choice. If you can, use sesame oil as it has a beautiful authentic Asian flavor.
Soy sauce: Just a dash, for that nice bit of color and some savory, umami flavor.
Apple cider vinegar: For that fruity, tangy flavor. You can use regular vinegar or hot pepper vinegar, depending on what you have at hand.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you love a kick of heat, add a pinch of cayenne or some chopped peppers into the mix. I love adding a pinch of my Homemade Peri Peri Seasoning sometimes!
- If you don't have vinegar, add some lemon juice or lime juice for acidity.
- To make a gluten free version of this recipe, swap the soy sauce with tamari.
- You can also swap the olive oil for some Lemon Infused Olive Oil to bring another layer of citrusy flavor to the dish.
How to Make Scallion Oil Chicken
In a bowl, combine the chicken with the minced garlic and ginger, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and seasonings.
Mix well, cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and sear the chicken on both sides over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a serving platter and top with scallion oil.
💭Top Tip
You can make the scallion oil up to a week in advance and refrigerate it. Spoon it over your favorite Asian foods and this tender chicken too!
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To bulk up the dish, add some thinly sliced veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots or even some Bok choy or broccoli florets along with the chicken. I do this sometimes when I make spicy orange chicken and Teriyaki chicken.
- For some extra flavor, sometimes I end up spooning some homemade chili garlic oil or chili crunch oil over the chicken, and you can try that too!
- Make sure you cook the chicken on medium heat and use a good quality pan or skillet to ensure that the meat is evenly cooked.
- If you want the dish to have a bit of a saucy texture, you can add a spoonful of cornflour into the marinade.
- For some extra Asian flavor and a bit of texture, top the dish with some toasted sesame seeds or a sprinkle of sesame salt right before you serve.
- A dash of oyster sauce or teriyaki sauce can also amp up the flavors of the dish. If you have either of these, definitely add them to the mix!
How to Serve Scallion Oil Chicken
Team up this scallion oil chicken with some Coconut Lime Rice or serve it with a Asian style veggie side like Teriyaki Veggie Stir Fry or Air Fryer Bang Bang Cauliflower. If you want to keep it simple, you can also pair the chicken with a simple salad like Asian Spicy Cucumber Salad.
I love serving this chicken on a bed of my favorite Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
You absolutely can! Just keep in mind that the cooking time for bone-in chicken will be different. Use a meat thermometer to check for the doneness of the meat, just to be safe.
You can try this recipe with lean beef too, and it'll turn out just as delicious. Again, just note the cooking time.
If you have some leftovers, allow them to cool down completely and then transfer them to a clean, airtight container. Refrigerate this for up to 3 days, and reheat it in the microwave, pausing at every 30 second interval.
You can also meal prep this dish if you want to. Simply add the chicken and all the other ingredients for the marinade in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze it for up to 6 months. Make sure you thaw it overnight before you pan fry it.
More Flavor-Packed Asian Mains
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this scallion oil chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Scallion Oil Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 3-4 green onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken with the minced garlic and ginger, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and seasonings.
- Mix well, cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan and sear the chicken on both sides over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a serving platter and top with scallion oil.
Notes
- To bulk up the dish, add some thinly sliced veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots or even some Bok choy or broccoli florets along with the chicken.
- For some extra flavor, sometimes I end up spooning some Homemade Chili Garlic Oil or Hot Tomato Oil over the chicken, and you can try that too!
- Make sure you cook the chicken on medium heat and use a good quality pan or skillet to ensure that the meat is evenly cooked.
- If you want the dish to have a bit of a saucy texture, you can add a spoonful of cornflour into the marinade.
- For some extra Asian flavor and a bit of texture, top the dish with some toasted sesame seeds right before you serve.
- A dash of oyster sauce or teriyaki sauce can also amp up the flavors of the dish. If you have either of these, definitely add them to the mix!
