Panda Express String Bean Chicken copycat brings the takeout favorite home with tender chicken breast, crisp green beans, onion, and a light ginger soy sauce. It cooks quickly in a wok or wide skillet after a short marinade.
Why You'll Love This Panda Express String Bean Chicken Recipe
This Panda Express String Bean Chicken copycat gives you the same takeout-style flavor for a lot less than ordering it at the restaurant. You can make it anytime fresh green beans are in the produce aisle, without waiting for a menu rotation.
Making it at home also lets you use only the oil you need, while keeping the chicken tender and the green beans tender-crisp.
- Takeout flavor at home: The ginger soy sauce gives this dish that Panda Express-style flavor.
- Budget-friendly copycat: Making it at home costs less than ordering several servings from Panda Express.
- Available anytime: No waiting on menu rotations when you can buy fresh green beans year-round.
- Control the oil: At home, you can use less oil while still getting that takeout-style flavor.
- Fast skillet dinner: Once the chicken is marinated, the stir fry cooks quickly in a wok or wide skillet.
Ingredients Overview
Chicken breast, fresh green beans, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, and sesame oil build the flavor for this copycat stir fry. Mirin adds a mild sweetness to the sauce, but dry white wine can be used instead, or you can leave it out if needed.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Panda Express String Bean Chicken
Marinate the chicken, stir fry it until lightly browned, then cook the green beans just until bright and tender-crisp. The mild ginger soy sauce thickens quickly in the skillet, lightly coating the chicken and green beans without turning the stir fry soupy.
Use the step-by-step photos below as your visual guide.
Step 1: Whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and Mirin together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Add the marinade to the sliced chicken. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Wash and trim the string beans, cut them into 2-inch pieces, then slice the onion into slivers.
⚠️Pro Tip - Discard Used Marinade
Discard any marinade left in the bowl after the raw chicken has soaked. The thickening sauce is mixed separately later, with fresh sauce ingredients and cornstarch.
Step 3: Sauté the marinated chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. It will finish cooking later.
Step 4: Add the remaining vegetable oil to the skillet or wok. Add the green beans and minced garlic, stir fry for 2 minutes, then cover and cook on low for 2 minutes.
💡Pro Tip - Don't Overcook the Green Beans
The string beans are ready when they are still bright green with a little crunch. They will keep cooking from the heat of the pan.
Step 5: Stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and Mirin to make the thickening sauce. Add it to the skillet with the slivered onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the green beans and thicken the sauce.
Step 6: Return the browned chicken to the skillet or wok. Add the remaining toasted sesame oil and stir fry for 1 minute, until the chicken is cooked through and coated in sauce. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Panda Express string bean chicken over steamed white rice for a classic takeout-style bowl. If you want to build out the meal, add Chinese steamed buns or subgum wonton soup.
For a full Panda Express copycat dinner at home, pair it with Panda Express beef and broccoli, Panda Express orange chicken, Panda Express kung pao chicken, Panda Express chow mein, or Panda Express super greens.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few easy ways to adjust this stir fry with what you have on hand.
- Chicken options: Chicken breast is closest to Panda Express, but boneless chicken thighs also work well.
- Mirin substitute: Use dry white wine instead, or leave it out if you need to keep the sauce simple.
- Vegetable swaps: Add mushrooms, baby corn, snow peas, or a fresh stir fry vegetable blend.
- Rice bowl version: Serve the chicken and green beans over rice and spoon extra sauce over the top.
Tips for Success
A few stir fry habits make the chicken tender and the green beans tender-crisp.
- Slice the chicken ¼ inch thick: Thin enough to cook quickly, but thick enough to stay tender in the hot skillet.
- Use high heat: A hot wok or wide skillet helps the chicken brown and keeps the green beans from steaming too long.
- Do not crowd the pan: Cook the chicken in batches if needed so it browns instead of releasing too much liquid.
- Keep the beans tender-crisp: Pull them from the heat while they are still bright green because they continue to soften after cooking.
- Add sesame oil near the end: Toasted sesame oil has the best flavor when used as a finishing oil instead of cooking too long.
Storage Options
Leftovers keep well for quick lunches, though the green beans will soften as they sit.
- Refrigeration: Store leftover string bean chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or warm it in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
- Freezing: Freezing is not my first choice because the green beans lose their crunch, but the flavor will still be good for freezer lunch portions.
Related Recipes
- Mall Bourbon Teriyaki Chicken
- Orange Teriyaki Sauce
- Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
- Rice Cooker Jasmine Rice
Frequently Asked Questions
Panda Express String Bean Chicken Breast is a stir fry-style entree with chicken breast, string beans, onion, and a mild ginger soy sauce. This homemade version uses the same idea with fresh green beans, sliced chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, and a light soy-based sauce.
Panda Express String Bean Chicken has a mild ginger soy-style sauce. In this homemade version, the chicken is marinated first, then a separate thickening sauce is added later so the stir fry lightly coats the chicken and green beans.
Yes, use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce and choose a gluten free hoisin sauce. Always check labels on bottled sauces because ingredients can vary by brand.
Budget Dinner Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Panda Express String Bean Chicken
Equipment
- Deep Saute Skillet or
- Flat Bottom Wok
Ingredients
Stir Fry Marinade for the chicken
- 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon Mirin or any dry white wine
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger fresh
Panda Express String Bean Stir Fry
- 1½ lbs chicken breasts about 4 small, skinless, boneless, and cut into thin slices diagonally and marinated
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil to sauté the chicken
- 1½ lbs string beans or green beans
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ medium onion slivered
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot
- 2 tablespoon Mirin or dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken Marinade
- Prepare the marinade by whisking the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and Mirin together in a small bowl.2 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoon Mirin, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 cloves minced garlic
Panda Express String Bean Chicken Stir Fry
- Add the marinade to the bowl of sliced chicken. Cover and let chill for 30 minutes.
- Wash and trim the the string beans and cut into 2" pieces and slice the onion into slivers and set both aside.
- Saute the marinated chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or wide skillet on high until light golden brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate for later. They will not be fully cooked.1½ lbs chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the remaining vegetable oil to the skillet or wok and bring to high heat. Add the cut string beans and minced garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes, then cover for 2 minutes on low heat.1½ lbs string beans, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Make a slurry of the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and Mirin and add to the skillet with the slivered onions. Cook for 1 minute stirring to coat the string beans and thicken the sauce.½ medium onion, ¾ cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon Mirin
- Return the browned chicken slices back to the skillet or wok. Add the remaining toasted sesame oil and quickly stir fry on medium for 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Notes
- Always add sesame oil very last, as a finishing. Heat can make it taste bitter.
- Don't over cook the chicken slices.
- Don't over steam the string beans, you want them to be bright green and with a tiny bit of crunch still, as they will continue to cook after removing from heat.
Nutrition
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