A fast, easy, and healthy dinner recipe, this flavorful Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry comes together in just 20 minutes!
Hands down, one of our weekly go-to recipes is always some variation of an Asian inspired stir-fry. Fast, easy, and full of protein and other nutrients, you really can’t go wrong! This week I made my Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry. Of course, green beans can easily be swapped for asparagus, carrots, red peppers, or any other crunchy veggie you happen to have on hand. That’s the best part about stir-fries, you can use almost anything you have in your fridge!
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: High in protein and low in calories, chicken breast is an affordable and accessible way to get protein in your diet.
- Green beans: Even when cooked, they’ll keep a bit of a crunch and snap that’s satisfying, while tasting somewhat grassy.
- Chicken broth: Adds volume to the sauce as well as mild or full-bodied flavor.
- Hoisin sauce: Salty like many Asian sauces, hoisin also adds a nice bit of sweetness to the sauce.
- Soy sauce: A great base for Asian-inspired sauces, it adds a great salty, umami flavor to the dish.
- Rice wine vinegar: Less bitter than regualr vinegar, it’s mild and even somewhat sweet in flavor.
- Ginger: Using fresh ginger will add a bright, somewhat peppery and sweet flavor that pairs wonderfully with the garlic.
- Sesame oil: A strong nutty, toasted flavor that is reminiscent of Asian cuisine.
- Garlic: Pungent and strong in flavor, it sweetens up a bit once the sauce is added to the stir-fry.
How to Make Chicken and Green Bean Stir-fry
Start your Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry by washing and trimming your green beans, and cutting and seasoning your chicken breast.
Then in a large wok or skillet, heat up some oil to prepare to cook. If you want an extra punch of flavor, use sesame oil instead of canola!
Once your wok is hot, add the chicken and cook until golden-brown. Remove and set aside.
While chicken is cooking, make your stir-fry sauce. Start by adding the soy sauce into a bowl or measuring cup.
Then add the sesame oil.
And your rice vinegar.
Followed by the hoisin sauce.
Use a microplane or grater to freshly grate in the garlic, or use minced.
I also like to use freshly grated ginger, but you could use ginger paste as well.
Finish with the chicken broth and, if you’re feeling spicy, a bit of chili paste.
Then in the same pan used to cook the chicken, add your green beans and toss until they begin to soften and brighten in color.
Add the chicken back to the wok and stir with the green beans.
Pour in the sauce and stir to evenly coat chicken and green beans. Let simmer until green beans finish cooking.
Serve your Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry over rice or noodles, and garnish with fresh scallions. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long should you cook green beans?
You want to cook green beans until tender but still crisp. Depending on the method (boiling, sauteeing, or roasting) the timing will vary. Usually anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Watch the color, remove from heat once the green color starts to dull.
What does cornstarch do to raw chicken?
Coating your chicken in cornstarch before cooking gives it a bit of a crispy coating when it cooks. It’s a method I like to use sometimes, but not with all recipes.
How long does leftover stir-fry keep?
Kept in an airtight container, it’ll keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
More Easy Dinners
- Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
- Lazy Day Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage
- Shrimp and Broccoli Penne
- One-Pan Italian Sausage Pasta
- Sausage Pesto Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Peas
Did you try this stir-fry and like it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your snack.
My Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry is sure to be a hit with the whole family. Did you make it as the recipe says or did you swap out a vegetable? Let me know in a comment!
Your chop sticks are waiting.
Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups green beans (trimmed and cut in 1 in. pieces)
- ¼ cup chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (optional)
- scallions and brown rice – to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat a wok or deep frying pan over high heat and spray with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle chicken cubes with salt and pepper and stir-fry until brown, about 7-9 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from wok and set aside.
- Add green beans to the pan and toss until they start to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients: chicken broth through chili paste. Pour mixture into the wok and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Stir-fry until green beans are tender.
- Add chicken back to the wok and toss until heated through.
- Sprinkle with scallions and serve over brown rice if you wish.
good
Delicious! I marinated the chicken and added onions. I used sweet chili sauce instead of chili paste, if I use it again, I will reduce the hoisin sauce because of the sweetness. I am delighted I now have a healthy, low fat recipe to make one of my favorite take out foods at home, thanks for posting.
That sounds fantastic!!!
Aloha!
I made this for dinner tonight…so tasty! I used thighs and Instead of rice wine vinegar I used one tablespoon of Shaoxing cooking wine. Delicious flavors! Will definitely make this again and try with different veggies. Thank you for sharing!
oooo that sounds amazing! so glad you liked it!
I made this just barely following the recipe for guidance and it was just fabulous. I often dont have all the ingredients but make due. I’d make this again. Everybody loved it.
So glad you enjoyed it!!
I would love to give it a try! Looks delicious!
Just made this for dinner tonight. I used sugar snap peas and chicken thigh. Yum!
That sounds incredible!! :)
Stir-fries are great weeknight meals because they’re so easy! Love the green beans in here!
What, if anything, can I sub for the chili paste?
Sriracha?
how much is the serving size?
thanks
Sorry about that – just edited the recipe to include! It’s 2 cups. :)
Do I use just regular sesame oil or toasted sesame oil?
Will be making this tonight!
Thanks.
I prefer toasted but either works!
Used toasted. It was great. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad!!
What ingredient can substitute the hoisin sauce? Can it be left out? Thank you.
You can definitely leave it out or just use oyster sauce!
I left out the hoisin and the dish was still amazing. Great flavor! I’m adding this to my recipe binder
So glad!! :)
Thank you for the nice recipe, Liz.
Of course!!
Such a healthy and seasonal recipe, I love it Liz!! Stir fry is the BESTTTT.
Isn’t stir fry the best?? Thanks lady!