Chicken, Green Bean, and Shiitake Stir-Fry
By Jessica RudolphPublished on September 16, 2026
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This recipe also works with boneless chicken breasts. Add an additional ÂĽ teaspoon pepper flakes for a spicier dish. Serve with rice.
Instructions
- Combine 1½ pounds chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine; and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil in bowl. Combine ¼ cup hoisin sauce, ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce in separate bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces green beans, halved,and 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, cover, and cook until mushrooms release their liquid and green beans are bright green and beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until vegetables are spotty brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet and toss to combine. Add sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken and vegetables are evenly coated and sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
A great stir-fry delivers tender meat, crisp-tender vegetables, and a glossy sauce that clings to every bite, all from a single skillet in minutes. The keys to success are preparation and managing the heat. We started by combining the chicken with soy sauce, cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil, a technique known as velveting that seasons the meat and gives it a slick coating, locking in moisture so it stays juicy through the high-heat sear. Cooking the chicken first and setting it aside prevented it from overcooking while the vegetables got their turn. We covered the green beans and shiitakes at the outset so that they steamed briefly and softened, then uncovered them to drive off the liquid and develop spotty browning for deeper flavor. Garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes went in only at the end, where a quick hit of heat released their aromas without scorching them. A premixed sauce of hoisin, soy, and black vinegar tied everything together, thickening almost instantly thanks to the cornstarch clinging to the chicken.
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