Description
This Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry recipe features tender, velvetted chicken strips stir-fried alongside fresh garlic, ginger, and green beans in a flavorful sauce made from soy, oyster, hoisin sauces, and rice vinegar. Perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, it’s garnished with green onions and sesame seeds to add a delightful crunch and freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
For Velveting the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
For the Stir Fry:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 pound frozen green beans
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Velvet Chicken: Combine chicken strips with baking soda, cornstarch, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl. Marinate for 15-20 minutes to tenderize the meat. After marinating, rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry thoroughly to remove excess coating.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and optional cornstarch if a thicker sauce is desired. Set aside.
- Stir-fry Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through and lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Stir-fry Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil to the skillet. Sauté minced garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add frozen green beans and stir-fry until heated through and slightly tender, around 4-6 minutes.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over and continue stir-frying until the sauce thickens and everything is evenly coated, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Velveting the chicken makes it tender and juicy, a Chinese technique highly recommended for stir-fries.
- If you prefer fresh green beans, blanch them first for 2-3 minutes before stir-frying.
- Cornstarch in the sauce is optional; omit for a thinner sauce.
- Adjust soy sauce and oyster sauce quantity to taste for saltiness.
- This recipe uses frozen green beans for convenience, but fresh or fresh-frozen work equally well.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
