Description
Panda Express String Bean Chicken copycat brings beloved restaurant favorite home with tender marinated chicken and crisp string beans in savory soy-garlic sauce ready in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
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- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
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- 2 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
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- 1 tbsp sesame oil (for marinade)
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- 2 tsp cornstarch (for marinade)
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- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
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- 1 lb string beans, trimmed and halved
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- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
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- 1 tbsp minced garlic
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- ½ cup chicken broth
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- 1 tbsp soy sauce (for sauce)
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- ½ tsp sesame oil (for sauce)
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- 2 tsp cornstarch (for sauce)
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- ¼ cup water for steaming
Instructions
Combine chicken with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, and Shaoxing wine. Mix to coat completely. Marinate 30 minutes or overnight.
Whisk together chicken broth, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tsp sesame oil, and 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok over high heat until smoking. Cook chicken until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining oil to wok. Add beans and sauté 1-2 minutes undisturbed to get slight char.
Add ¼ cup water, cover, and steam 1-2 minutes until beans are crisp-tender and bright green.
Uncover, add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add Shaoxing wine to deglaze pan.
Stir sauce, pour into wok. Return chicken. Toss 30 seconds until sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve over rice.
Notes
Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for most tender, flavorful results.
String beans and green beans are interchangeable – use whichever you have.
High heat is essential for proper stir-fry with good sear on chicken and beans.
Don’t overcrowd wok or chicken will steam instead of sear properly. Stir sauce before adding to wok since cornstarch settles to bottom.
For gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce. Add red pepper flakes or chili oil for spicy variation. Store leftovers refrigerated up to 5 days in airtight container.
Reheat on stovetop or in microwave – add splash of water if needed. Perfect for meal prep – portion into containers with rice for easy lunches.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: American-Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 667mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 25mg