Quick & easy Chinese inspired stir fried chicken and green beans! Tender chicken, vibrant veggies, and a savory sauce – ready in minutes for a low-glycemic, low carb, delicious meal.
Whether you're managing diabetes or simply looking for a healthy and delicious meal, this low-glycemic adapted stir-fry doesn't skimp on flavor, and is sure to become a new favorite.
Best of all, it comes together in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy schedules.
What Makes This Recipe Special
When it comes to Chinese-cuisine inspired dishes, Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans is a favorite. Not only is it packed with protein and fiber, but it only has 14 net carbs per serving.
Now, with our fast and easy string bean chicken copycat recipe you can have real restaurant quality, one-pot entrée in your own home at a fraction of the cost, even on a busy weeknight! You will love that it's also:
- Simple and Customizable: This recipe uses readily available ingredients and requires minimal prep work. Feel free to personalize it by adding your favorite vegetables, spices, or protein source.
- Diabetic-Friendly, Low Carb, and Keto! The combination of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables like green beans makes this dish a perfect choice for those managing blood sugar levels.
- Fast and Flavorful: This stir-fry comes together in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you don't have much time to cook.
String Beans VS Green Beans - What's the Difference?
Snap beans, green beans, and string beans are all the same vegetable, just different names! They are categorized into two groups, bush beans and pole beans, based on their growth habit.
In the past, green beans had a fibrous string running down the pod, which is why they were called "string beans." Today, most varieties of green beans have very little to no "string," and the terms "green bean," "snap bean," and "string bean" are used interchangeably.
Jump to:
- What Makes This Recipe Special
- String Beans VS Green Beans - What's the Difference?
- Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans Ingredients
- How To Make Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans
- Substitutions and Variations
- Tips for Success
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Diabetes Friendly Recipes
- Diabetes Resources
- Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans
- Want To Save This Recipe?
Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans Ingredients
The marinade has been adapted to cull the key glucose spiking ingredients like hoisin sauce, sugar, and cornstarch from the recipe.
I've exchanged them with ingredients that won't spike blood sugar levels: sugar substitute, soy sauce, Chinese Five Spice blend), and xanthan gum or arrowroot for optional thickener.
Adding the xanthan gum or arrowroot to the marinade ingredients will thicken the sauce and allow it to coat the chicken, but it's optional. You'll love the final dish even without a thickened sauce.
I used chicken breast that was boneless and skinless, but chicken thighs are as good. And, don't let Mirin be off putting, as any dry white wine can be substituted.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans
There are three easy steps to make this green bean and chicken stir fry.
Prepare the low carb Asian marinade, brown the marinated chicken, and then sauté the green beans and onion. Toss together and serve!
By sauteing the chicken and vegetables separately you get perfectly cooked green beans as well as juicy tender slices of chicken breast. Neither get over cooked!
Prep Green Beans, Marinade, and Chicken
- Slice the chicken breast into thin slices about 2" long. Set into a bowl that comfortably holds them.
- Wash and trim the green beans and cut into 2"- 3" pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the marinade by whisking the soy sauce, sugar substitute, Five spice blend, sesame oil, fresh grated ginger, Mirin (or any dry white wine), and the xanthan gum or arrowroot together in a small bowl. The xanthan gum is optional.
- Add the marinade to the bowl of chicken. Toss and cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
PRO TIP: Slicing chicken breast thinly can be slippery work. It's easier if you freeze the chicken for about 30 minutes, or when still only partially defrosted. Less chance of the knife slipping and cutting yourself also.
Sauté The Marinated Chicken Breast
- Using a wide skillet or a wok, bring 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to high heat. Sauté the marinated chicken until light golden brown on both sides of the slices, about 3 to 5 minutes tops. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate or bowl for later.
Stir Fry The String Beans
- Add the last teaspoon of vegetable oil to the skillet or wok and bring to high heat. Add the prepared green beans and minced garlic. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then cover with a lid for an additional 2 minutes on low heat.
- Uncover and add the slivered onion, chicken broth, soy sauce, and Mirin. Cook for 1 minute stirring to mix. If you included the xanthan gum to the marinade, the sauce will also thicken now.
PRO TIP: The green beans are done when they are still bright green and still have a crunch to them. They will continue to cook even after the wok is removed from the heat.
Toss String Beans With Chicken And Sauce
- Return the browned chicken slices back to the skillet or wok, and add the toasted sesame oil. Stir fry on medium for 1 minute to heat the chicken back up. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
PRO TIP: Sesame oil adds amazing flavor, but it can turn bitter if heated to hot. That's why you add it at the end of the cook, right before removing the final dish from the heat.
Substitutions and Variations
Use this stir fry recipe as an inspiration for variations. Below are some delicious substitutions to make your stir fries unique and delicious.
- Soy sauce alternatives - Feel free to substitute the soy sauce with Bragg's amino acids, or Low Sodium soy sauce.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts, but be sure to adjust the cooking time as thighs take slightly longer to cook through.
- Vegetable Options - Drain a can of miniature corn ears, a can of miniature corn ears, or toss in a bundle of Enoki mushrooms.
- Look for various combinations of pre-cut vegetables for stir frying in your produce department. Some have snow peas, broccoli, etc. Replace the green beans with one of these combos for variety.
Tips for Success
- Marinating the chicken for at least 15 minutes helps to tenderize it and infuse it with flavor.Always add sesame oil very last, as a finishing, except for marinating.
- Use high heat to cook the chicken and vegetables quickly, ensuring they remain crisp-tender and retain their vibrant colors.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. This can lead to uneven cooking and soggy vegetables. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
Serving Suggestions
This Chinese stir fried green beans and chicken taste as good as the Panda Express restaurant version, but without the blood sugar spike! The meal is low-glycemic, low carb, and keto. Garnish with chopped peanuts or sesame seeds for added crunch and flavor.
If you're wanting to add rice as a side, you have a variety of options:
- Brown basmati rice (GI: 50-55)
- Quinoa (GI: 53)
- Cauliflower rice (GI: 10)
- Konjac (Shiritaki) rice (GI: 0)
PRO TIP: Cooked brown basmati rice refrigerated for 24 hours and then reheated has a lower glycemic index than freshly cooked rice. Tossing with unsweetened vinegar while hot and then refrigerating will reduce the glycemic index of rice also.
Related Recipes
- Red Pepper Gouda Soup
- Sugar Free Blueberry Cheesecake
- Sugar Free 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Fluffy Lupin Flour Pancakes
- Common Misconceptions about Diabetes
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are my two favorite stir fry pans when making this Chinese inspired stir fry.
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Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate any leftover stir fried string bean chicken breast in covered containers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave for 2 - 3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe serves 6, but our recipe card has a sliding conversion tool, allowing you to downsize the recipe in increments of two. Hover your mouse over the servings number (6 in this recipe card) and it will allow you to slide the servings to the left to 4, 2, or to the right to 8, 10, 12, etc.
Xanthan gum is made from a bacteria (Xanthomonas campestris) found on the leaf surfaces of green vegetables, including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, rutabaga and turnip. The bacteria is fermented, then dried and ground into powder.
Xanthan gum is 100% keto-friendly and doesn't have any net carbs in it.
Xanthan gum can actually lower blood sugar levels. It has zero sugar, glycemic index of 0, and zero net carbs.
More Diabetes Friendly Recipes
Diabetes Resources
- How You Can Lower Down the Glycemic Index of Cooked Rice
- Xanthan Gum - Is This Food Additive Helpful or Harmful?
- Rx List: Xanthan Gum
- American Diabetes Association: https://diabetes.org/
- International Diabetes Federation: https://idf.org/
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: [https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/a1c.html]
Stir Fried Chicken and Green Beans
Equipment
- Flat Bottom Wok green
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Soy sauce regular or lite
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar substitute monk fruit or allulose
- ⅛ teaspoon Five Spice blend or ground star anise
- 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger, fresh grated
- 2 tablespoon Mirin or any white wine
- ⅛ teaspoon Xanthan gum or arrowroot powder - Both OPTIONAL
For The Stir Fry
- 1½ lbs Chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil divided
- 1½ lbs Green Beans, fresh trimmed and cut in half
- 1 teaspoon Garlic minced, about 3 cloves
- ½ cup Onion slivered, about ½ onion
- ¾ cup Chicken broth regular, reduced salt or fat, or homemade
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Mirin or any dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast into thin slices about 2" long. Set into a bowl that comfortably holds them. Set aside.
- Wash and trim the green beans and cut into 2"- 3" pieces. Set aside.
Prepare The Marinade
- Prepare the marinade by whisking the soy sauce, sugar substitute, Five spice blend, sesame oil, fresh grated ginger, Mirin (or any dry white wine), and the xanthan gum together in a small bowl. The xanthan gum is optional.3 tablespoon Soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon Sugar substitute, ⅛ teaspoon Five Spice blend, 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame oil, 2 tablespoon Mirin, 1 teaspoon Ginger, fresh, ⅛ teaspoon Xanthan gum
- Add the marinade to the bowl of chicken. Toss and cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.1½ lbs Chicken breast
For the Stir Fry
- Using a wide skillet or a wok, bring 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to high heat. Sauté the marinated chicken until light golden brown on both sides of the slices, about 3 to 5 minutes tops. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate or bowl for later.1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- Add the last teaspoon of vegetable oil to the skillet or wok and bring to high heat. Add the prepared green beans and minced garlic. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then cover with a lid for an additional 2 minutes on low heat.1½ lbs Green Beans, fresh, 1 teaspoon Garlic
- Uncover and add the slivered onion, chicken broth, soy sauce, and Mirin. Cook for 1 minute stirring to mix. If you included the xanthan gum to the marinade, the sauce will also thicken now.½ cup Onion, ¾ cup Chicken broth, 2 tablespoon Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Mirin
- Return the browned chicken slices back to the skillet or wok, and add the toasted sesame oil. Stir fry on medium for 1 minute to heat the chicken back up. Remove from heat and serve immediately.1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for at least 15 minutes helps to tenderize it and infuse it with flavor.Always add sesame oil very last, as a finishing, except for marinating
- Use high heat to cook the chicken and vegetables quickly, ensuring they remain crisp-tender and retain their vibrant colors.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: This can lead to uneven cooking and soggy vegetables. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
- Thickening the marinade/sauce is OPTIONAL Xanthan gum has a negligible effect on blood sugar, and arrowroot has a glycemic index of 14, which is very low.
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