I’m trying to be better at eating foods I never really cared for. Being an adult with a kid has changed me. I always have him try things he doesn’t like to see if his taste change so now I’m working better at putting my money where my mouth is! Bell peppers have never really been my thing. Yes I do cook with them and I will eat them when diced small, but larger strips like this are a major turn off for me. I have to say I actually really enjoyed them pan fried like this. The whole dish is really good and super quick to make and freezes well.
Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry
(Adapted from Whisk it Real Gud)
Chicken
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into cubes
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup vegetable oil plus 2 tbsp or more as needed
Vegetables
2 bell peppers sliced
1 cup steamed green beans in a bag See notes below
1/2 tbsp garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp ginger (optional)
Seasonings
1 tsp garlic powder (add more for taste)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 1/4 cup sweet chili Sauce
In a large bowl add the diced chicken and a tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic powder and ½ tsp salt and pepper and rub it into the chicken. Add cornstarch. Mix until all pieces of chicken are coated in the cornstarch.
In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until glistening. Working in small batches, add the chicken. Do not overcrowd the pan. You’ll have to turn often so the chicken can cook evenly. If the pan seems dry, add more oil as needed. Once the chicken is done, put it to the side and cook the second batch until crispy or until your desired texture.
Add the bell peppers and saute until soft or until you get your desired tenderness. Next, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the chicken, green beans, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, ginger and crushed red peppers to the skillet. Stir until combined and the chicken and green beans are coated in the chili sauce. Serve immediately over rice.
Notes
Use either fresh, frozen, a bag of steamed green beans or canned green beans to make this. If using fresh, make sure to trim the ends.
Use you favorite store brand sweet chili sauce or use my Thai Sweet Chili Recipe
If you are using fresh green beans, they will take longer to cook down if they aren’t sautéed first. Check out how to properly cook the green beans here.
Use room temperature chicken. Clean the chicken (this is debatable but it’s up to you) and pat the chicken down with paper towels. Please don’t cook the chicken until you pat it dry.
I suggest you use chicken thighs to make this because their packed with juicy flavor and they don’t dry out at high temperatures.
To achieve crispy chicken, make sure you turn the chicken as it cooks every so often, until the chicken is golden brown.
If using canned green beans, add them a few minutes before the stir fry is done (cook until warmed through)
For frozen green beans, let them thaw first and gently pat down with paper towels before you add them to the stir fry. Cook the green beans until heated through.
A bag of steamed frozen green beans should either be microwaved inside its bag or let it thaw inside the bag. Remove them from the bag and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Add the green beans after you add the sweet chili sauce and cook the beans until heated through.
I like to cook the bell peppers until they’re soft but feel free to cook until your desired tenderness.
Looks good for May BB