Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

A Chinese restaurant around the corner from the building I used to work in, had a dish called chicken and green beans.  I ordered it almost every time I ate there over a three year period.  Since that time, I have been trying to recreate my own version of that dish.  This recipe had a surprising number of trials before I found the right combination of ingredients.  I was finally happy with the way this one turned out last night.  I think we found a keeper!

Green beans are a pretty tough vegetable.  I found that steaming the green beans prior to adding them to the stir fry results in a much more desirable texture. 

Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry  

1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and halved

1 lb chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 T olive oil         

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ t ground ginger

½ t freshly ground black pepper

1 t cornstarch

¼ c water

¼ c reduced-sodium soy sauce*

2 T honey

Preheat skillet and add oil.  Steam green beans in a steamer pan for about 10 min or until tender when pricked with a fork.  While the green beans are steaming, add chicken and garlic to hot skillet and sprinkle with ginger and pepper.  Sauté chicken and garlic until browned on the outside and juices are clear.  Add green beans to skillet.  Mix water, cornstarch and soy sauce.  Pour over chicken and green beans.  Add honey and stir until incorporated and sauce begins to thicken.  Serve over your favorite rice.  

Serves 4

* For those on a gluten-free diet, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.