Name: Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5 dried red chilies; 20 oz skinless boneless chicken breast ((sliced into quarter inch thick slices) (560g)); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 oz green beans ((trimmed) (170g)); 1 inch ginger ((peeled and thinly sliced)); 2 cloves garlic ((minced)); 1 tsp corn starch (+ 2 tbsp water); 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp plum sauce; 1 tbsp Shao Hsing cooking wine; 1 tbsp soy sauce; ¼ tsp ground pepper

Less than 30 minutes Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry with dried chilies for heat. Quick, easy, and tasty. Can’t get better than that!

As I was going through my pots and pans inventory last week, I came across my wok which I had stored away for almost a decade. There were various reasons for not using it, two of which were the smaller sink and ceramic cook top stove in our current house. It was a real pity because a carbon steel wok is actually the best kind of pan for stir fries. Having seen the wok again, I decided to give it a second try and I am so glad I did!

A Seasoned Wok

Since the wok is already seasoned with use, I merely gave it a hot water wash and heated it on the stove. After that I wiped a thin layer of oil all over the wok and it was ready for use. This Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry was the first dish I cooked using my rediscovered wok and I absolutely love it. The family immediately noticed the difference. There was more heat and flavor intensity with a hint of smokiness in the stir fry. It is one of those things that you are not fully aware of why and how it was missing until you re-encounter it.

Cranking up the Stove

In Malaysia where the climate is almost constant throughout the year, most of the heavy weight cooking is done outside in the “wet” kitchen on a huge gas stove. This is to minimize greasing up the kitchen. I cranked up my electric stove and I must say it did a pretty good job. I did have to open the windows but since it is now warm outside, that was not a problem at all. It is likely that I will continue to use this wok all through the summer months and even into fall until it gets too cold for the windows to be opened. By then, it is time to get back to heavier stews and baked foods.

If you do not have a wok, use a stainless steel pan. Do watch it closely though as a regular pan has a wider surface area in contact with the heating element. This can cause the the food to burn if left in the same spot for too long.

Two-Stage Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry

Now, back to this delicious Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry. There are two stages to this stir fry. The first step is to fry the green beans on its own until just cooked. The second step is to fry the chicken with the cooked green beans added back only towards the end. This is to prevent over cooking of the green beans. A few dried chilies are added to give the slightly sweet plum sauce marinade a hint of spiciness.

Similar Tools Used in Making This Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry

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Classic Series Carbon Steel Wok, 14-inch
Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok Stir Fry Pan, 12-inch
Stainless Steel Professional Wok Turner Spatula