String Bean Chicken

4.92 from 93 votes

This quick String Bean Chicken Stir-fry recipe emulates what you might get at your local takeout restaurant (it'll be better than takeout, though, trust me!), with plenty of dark brown sauce to soak into a plate of steamed rice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade:

12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the rest of the dish:

1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
white pepper (to taste)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
1 pound string beans (ends trimmed and cut in half)
3 cloves garlic (sliced)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken in a bowl, mix well with your hands so the chicken absorbs all the marinade liquid, and set aside.
Prepare the sauce by mixing together ½ cup stock or water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil, a pinch of freshly ground white pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
When ready to cook, preheat your wok over medium high heat until it’s almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and sear the chicken until it's just browned. If your wok is as hot as it should be, the chicken should not stick. Turn off the heat while you transfer the chicken to a separate bowl. Leave any oil/fat in the wok.
With the heat at medium-high, add 2 additional tablespoons oil to the wok, then the string beans in a single layer. Sear the string beans on one side, about 1 minute. Stir-fry the beans for 30 seconds, and then add ¼ cup water to the wok. Cover the wok and allow the green beans to steam for 60-90 seconds (still on medium high heat).
Add the garlic and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Spread the Shaoxing wine around the wok to deglaze it, stir-frying for 15 seconds. Then stir up your sauce mixture to make sure the cornstarch is well incorporated, and add the sauce to the wok. Bring it to a simmer.
Add the chicken back to the wok and stir-fry everything together for another 30 seconds. The cornstarch in the sauce mixture will thicken it. When the sauce is at the consistency you'd like, plate and serve immediately with rice.

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