Spicy Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

Tonight’s recipe is based on Claire Saffitz‘ recipe on the Bon Appetit website, which I found delicious. Like many stir fry dishes, this one is easy to prepare and full of flavor. Instead of serving it with rice I opted to make it with thin rice noodles (like the ones used for Phad Thai), a wonderful change-up. I also added oyster sauce to the dish to increase the umami aspect as a contrast to the spicy red pepper flakes and sour rice vinegar/rice wine combination. The sauce was a nice thickness – coating the chicken and green beans nicely and soaked into the rice noodles completely. Try this recipe and see for yourself, this simple dish has a lot going on!

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Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

9 oz chicken breast, cut into ½ inch strips (approximately 1 medium breast)
5 oz green beans
4 oz thin rice sticks
2 tsp garlic, minced (approximately 1 large clove)
1 tsp garlic, slivered (approximately 1 small clove)
2 tbsp shallot, sliced
2 tsp ginger, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp rice cooking wine, divided
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tbsp peanut oil, divided
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1½ tbsp oyster sauce
sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
green onion, sliced thinly

Instructions

Cook the rice sticks according to their instructions.
In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and soy sauce to the chicken.
Toss to coat and set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat a large skillet or wok over High/Medium-High heat.
Add half the peanut oil and swirl to coat the pan.
When shimmering, add the chicken in a flat even layer.
Cook chicken approximately 2 minutes until browned.
Flip the chicken pieces and cook on the opposite side another 2 minutes until browned.
Remove the chicken to a clean bowl.
Deglaze the pan with half the rice cooking wine and chicken broth, scraping up the brown bits and reduce the mixture to half its original volume, approximately 2 minutes.
Pour the reduction into a separate bowl and reheat the pan.
Add the remaining peanut oil and heat until shimmering.
Add the green beans, shallots and minced garlic.
Stir fry the vegetables for 2 -3 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned and the green beans brighter green.
Add the slivered garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Reduce the heat to Medium and add the remaining rice cooking wine, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and reduction made earlier, stirring to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces back to the pan, tossing to combine and heat through approximately 2 minutes.
Add the sesame oil and cooked rice sticks, tossing to combine with the chicken and green beans.
Serve and garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onion.

Notes

This dish has a bit of heat from the red pepper. If you prefer less spicy dishes, use ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes or omit completely.

Cook the rice sticks according to their instructions. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and soy sauce to the chicken. Toss to coat and set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Heat a large skillet or wok over High/Medium-High heat. Add half the peanut oil and swirl to coat the pan. When shimmering, add the chicken in a flat even layer.

Cook chicken approximately 2 minutes until browned. Flip the chicken pieces and cook on the opposite side another 2 minutes until browned.

Remove the chicken to a clean bowl. Deglaze the pan with half the rice cooking wine and chicken broth, scraping up the brown bits and reduce the mixture to half its original volume, approximately 2 minutes.

Pour the reduction into a separate bowl and reheat the pan. Add the remaining peanut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the green beans, shallots and minced garlic. Stir fry the vegetables for 2 -3 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned and the green beans brighter green.