This Chicken and Green Beans is the perfect weeknight dinner recipe and great for meal prep. Bring the flavors of your favorite Asian restaurant home with this stir fry string bean chicken that's made in just 30 minutes!
If you're looking for a quick and healthy, flavor-packed version of your favorite take-out dish, this chicken and green beans stir fry is just the recipe for you! Made with pantry staples and fresh ingredients, this delivery-inspired dish is sure to be a recipe staple in your family's dinner rotation.
With a sweet and savory sauce, crisp green beans, and juicy chicken, chicken and green beans hits all the flavor notes. It's an easy quick-cooking stir-fry too, so you'll have a delicious takeout inspired dinner on the table in about 30 minutes...without the delivery fees!
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If you're excited about this takeout-inspired dish, try these other easy dinner recipes. We especially love serving them with this 3 Ingredient Rice.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick Dinner Idea: With just a handful of easy ingredients and easy preparation, this flavor-packed stir fry is ready to serve in 30 minutes.
- Easy to Customize: Try using any of your favorite protein and veggie combinations. Shrimp, steak, or even sliced pork work great here. Add in whatever vegetables you like or happen to have on hand - this is the perfect "clean out the fridge" recipe, too.
- Affordable: Using pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients, this recipe feeds a family without breaking the bank.
- Nutritious and Flavorful: A flavor-packed sauce, fresh green beans and lean chicken make this a delicious, well-rounded meal you can feel good about.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below.
- Chicken Broth: The foundation for several components in this recipe - it's mild in flavor and helps to build the base of the sauce and cook the green beans until they're perfectly crisp.
- Soy Sauce: Creates a savory depth of flavor in the sauce.
- Oyster Sauce: Adds another umami note to the sauce and helps to give it that signature "brown sauce" color and texture.
- Hoisin Sauce: Brings a tangy, deep, sweetness to the sauce.
- Garlic and Ginger: Key aromatics in Asian-cooking, these give the dish plenty of fresh, base flavor. We especially love them with the green beans.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the sauce for that perfect velvety consistency
- Green Beans: Fresh and crisp, these veggies add bright color, flavor and texture to the dish.
- Oil: Key for cooking the chicken and achieving a nice browned crust.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: The protein in this recipe, these are lean, tender, versatile and easy to shop for.
Tools You'll Need
How to Make Chicken and Green Beans
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce, then set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth and cornstarch, then set aside.
- In a large skillet or stir-fry pan over high heat, bring the remaining chicken broth to a boil, then add in the green beans. Stirring often, cook until the beans are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, then add in oil and heat until hot and shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Season with Asian Seasoning or salt and black pepper.
- Add minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Then add in the green beans to the skillet, and cook 1 minute.
- Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken and beans, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet, and cook an additional minute or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- If desired, garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds. Serve over rice, noodles, or zoodles.
Expert Tips
- Slice chicken when it's slightly frozen. This will make it easier for your knife to slice thin cuts.
- Go against the grain. When slicing the chicken, cut against the grain. This will result in super-tender chicken pieces.
- Prep your ingredients. This stir-fry recipe is quick-cooking! Be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and at the ready to use once you start. It'll come together in no time at all.
- Double the sauce. If you like it extra saucy, double the sauce ingredients and add 1 teaspoon more of cornstarch.
- Serve with rice. This delicious dish should be served with something to soak up the delicious sauce - our favorite is this 3 Ingredient Rice.
Recipe Variations
- Add in your favorite vegetables. This is a great "clean out your fridge" dish - use whatever veggies you've got on hand. Crunchy bell peppers, mushrooms, sliced onions, and broccoli florets would all work. It's easy to customize, so use whatever your family loves!
- Use other proteins. Experiment with other proteins you have on hand, or just to switch up this dinner recipe. Strips of beef, shrimp, sliced pork or chicken thighs would be perfect here.
- Add flavor and texture. Add an extra garnish or ingredient to take this recipe to the next level - nutty toasted sesame seeds or crunchy cashews would be delicious!
- Switch up the sauce. Want a slightly different flavor profile? Try serving this with an easy peanut sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or even a spicy chili garlic sauce if you're feeling adventurous.
Storage Tips
If you've got leftovers, lucky you - you've got dinner for another night! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, when you're ready to enjoy. Don't forget to serve alongside fresh rice, noodles, or even quinoa!
FAQs
Definitely. Just be sure to keep an eye on them - they'll cook faster than fresh green beans and you'll want to reduce the cook time slightly, so they don't overcook and become mushy.
It starts with slicing the chicken against the grain before cooking. This helps the chicken to stay juicy. And then avoid overcooking the chicken - once it's stir-fried and no longer pink, it's ready.
You could go in a few different directions. Asian-inspired flavors work well: a creamy peanut sauce, a tangy sweet and sour, or a spicy red or green Thai curry, or chili-garlic sauce would all pair perfectly.
Feel free to use low-sodium chicken broth and soy sauce when making this recipe if you'd like to cut back on your salt intake.
MORE ASIAN-INSPIRED RECIPES
Chicken and Green Beans
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chicken broth divided
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil
- 1-1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
- Asian Seasoning or salt and black pepper amount as desired
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or stir-fry pan on high heat, bring the remaining chicken broth to a boil. Add the prepared green beans. Stirring often, cook until the beans are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. Add oil and heat over high heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until they are cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Season with Asian Seasoning or salt and black pepper.
- Add minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the green beans to the skillet, and cook 1 minute.
- Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken and beans, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour the cornstarch mixture into the skillet, and cook an additional minute or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- If desired, garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds. Serve over rice, noodles, or zoodles.
Video
Notes
- Slice chicken when it's slightly frozen. This will make it easier for your knife to slice thin cuts.
- Go against the grain. When slicing the chicken, cut against the grain. This will result in super-tender chicken pieces.
- Prep your ingredients. This stir-fry recipe is quick-cooking! Be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and at the ready to use once you start. It'll come together in no time at all.
- Double the sauce. If you like it extra saucy, double the sauce ingredients and add 1 teaspoon more of cornstarch.
- Serve with rice. This delicious dish should be served with something to soak up the delicious sauce - our favorite is this 3 Ingredient Savory Rice.
Laura Ashley
This is way better than the takeout version!! Yum!
Stephanie Elrod
Hey, this looks delicious. Is there a substitute for soy sauce? My husband has had to watch his sodium intake and even the low sodium can be too much.
Laura Ashley
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much! Yes, you could use coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce.
Meghan
Swapped out the green beans with some frozen broccoli and it was so quick and easy! Also soooo much flavor!
Laura Ashley
This is AWESOME!! Thank you so much for making and sharing how much you liked it! I love the swap with broccoli too!
Jules
We absolutely adored this recipe. It was gone in a nano second and so easy to make. It's already on the dinner menu again.
Laura Ashley
Thank you so much!! 🙂 I'm so happy it was a hit!
Kathleen
I love your words, "this is a great clean out the fridge dish" -- that is so true! I had half a red pepper, some broccoli and used that, it was delish!
Laura Ashley
Oh that is great!! I'm so happy it resonated with you too! Love that clean out and yummy dinner type of recipe!