Stir-Fry Chicken and String Beans

Flush off the success of my Vegetable Lo Mein triumph, I’m diving back into the Asian food foray with this Stir-Fry Chicken and String Beans and folks, I’m happy to report that we’ve got another winner!!

And this one is even easier! Perfect for busy weeknights! If you put a pot of rice on just as you start, dinner can be achieved in under 30 minutes!

After you’ve thinly sliced your chicken breasts, you toss them in a simple pantry-friendly marinade and let ‘em soak while you cut the ends off the beans and throw together an equally easy stir-fry sauce.

Then it’s just a matter of stir-frying everything and…

Tada! You’ve got yourself a real gem of a dish that is guaranteed to please and so much better for you than ordering in take-out. Tender slices of chicken and crisp green beans coated in a light but flavorful sauce, yum! This is definitely going into my regular rotation and I think that once you try it, you will be making this on repeat too (and fingers crossed there are leftovers, because this is so, so delish the next day, heated up or cold, straight from the fridge!)

Next up, maybe moo shoo or homemade egg rolls or chow mein. I’m totally open to suggestions—let me know your take-out cravings!

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Stir-Fry Chicken and String Beans

Makes 4-5 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade

• 4 tablespoons water

• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

For the stir-fry sauce

• ¾ cup water

• 2 teaspoons sugar 

• 2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• Pinch or two white pepper

• 3 teaspoons cornstarch

For the Stir-Fry

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• About 1 ½ pounds string beans, ends trimmed

• ¼ cup water

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

The Recipe

1. For the marinade and chicken: Mix together the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the sliced chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

2. To make the stir-fry sauce: in a small bowl whisk together the water, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and cornstarch and set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the chicken in a single layer. Let cook for about 1 minute and then use a metal spatula to turn, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. When chicken is cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.

4. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. When very hot,. add the string beans. Let cook on one side without turning for about 1-2 minutes to sear a little bit and then sauté for another minute or two. Add the ¼ cup water and cover the skillet for 2 minutes, allowing the beans to steam until they’re crisp-tender but not mushy. Try not to overcook. Remove the lid and add the sliced garlic, sautéing for about 30 seconds. Add the rice wine vinegar and cook for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken back in and let cook for another minute or two to allow chicken to reheat and sauce to thicken. Serve immediately, preferably over rice.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from various attempts at perfecting stir fries over the years.