If you’re in the mood for something absolutely delicious, flavorful, and easy to make for dinner, then you most certainly need to try this easy chicken green bean stir fry. I first shared this recipe back in 2020 when I was cooking up one of those clean-out-the-fridge dinners, and I couldn’t believe just how amazing it turned out.
This wonderful stir fry is packed with all the rainbow veggies, a slightly sweet sesame ginger sauce, and roasted cashews for a little added crunch. HOLY YUMMY.
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What kind of sauce goes in this chicken green bean stir fry?
Typical stir fry sauces are made of a few different components: soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, a sweetener like sugar or honey, and plenty of seasonings. They also usually contain a thickening agent such as cornstarch or arrowroot starch to make the perfect sauce.
In this chicken and green bean stir fry I make a lip-smacking delicious sesame ginger sauce that generously coats all the chicken and veggies perfectly and still leaves a little extra for serving over a bed of rice.
Ingredients in chicken green bean stir fry
Not only is this chicken green bean stir fry paleo-friendly, but it’s also gluten free, grain free and dairy free, which means it basically ticks every box out there. To make this green bean stir fry you’ll need the following:
- Chicken: we’re using lean ground chicken, but you can also use ground turkey. You’ll cook it in sesame oil with some garlic powder, salt & pepper.
- Veggies: this beautiful stir fry is packed with carrots, onion, red bell pepper & green beans. AKA a rainbow of veggies.
- For the sauce: that delicious stir fry sauce is made with low sodium soy sauce, garlic, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes & arrowroot starch (or cornstarch). These will be pantry staples for so many recipes!
- To garnish: I love topping my plate with roasted cashews, sesame seeds, and green onion.
Experiment with your fav proteins
What’s unique about this healthy chicken green bean stir fry is that it uses ground chicken or ground turkey instead of diced chicken breast (or thighs) so that it can simmer in that delicious sauce. It’s seriously better than takeout! Of course, you can also use:
- Diced chicken breast or chicken thighs
- 1 can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for a vegan option
- Or cubed or crumbled tofu for a vegan option
Out of green beans? Try these veggies instead
If you’re out of green beans or aren’t a fan, feel free to sub in any or a combo of the following:
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Snow peas
- Mushrooms
- Extra bell peppers
How to make chicken and green bean stir fry
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the stir fry sauce ingredients and then set it aside.
- Cook the chicken. Add sesame oil to a large pot or deep skillet and cook your ground chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Transfer the fully cooked chicken to a bowl.
- Cook the veggies. Start by cooking the onion and carrots for a few minutes so they start to get soft, then add the rest of your veggies. Cook them until the green beans are slightly tender but still have a bite.
- Combine the stir fry. Add the cooked ground chicken back to the pot with the veggies, turn the heat to low, and add in the sauce. Cook over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Garnish & serve. Top the stir fry with roasted cashews, sesame seeds, and scallions/green onions. Enjoy!
How do you cook green beans for stir fry?
In this easy stir fry recipe, you’ll cook your green beans in a pan with the bell pepper for just about 6-8 minutes. This allows them to absorb flavors while still maintaining a nice crunch, which is essential. The key is not to overcook your green beans! You’ll know when your green beans are cooked when they turn a beautiful bright green color.
What to serve with stir fry
This stir fry is delicious as is, but I recommend serving it over:
- Brown rice
- My famous coconut rice
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower rice
- Rice or ramen noodles
Storing tips
Store any leftover green bean chicken stir fry in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
More one pan meals you’ll love
- One Pan Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
- One Pan Thai-Inspired Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken & Rice
- Sheet Pan Kickin’ Curry Honey Mustard Chicken & Veggies
- One Pan Tandoori Chicken with Spiced Coconut Rice
- One Pot Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous
Get all of my one pan meals here!
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I know you’re going to love this chicken green bean stir fry. Please let me know if you make it by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! Enjoy xo.
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Easy Sesame Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry
Ingredients
- For the sauce
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar (or sub 1 tablespoon honey)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (preferably toasted sesame oil)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (or sub 1 tablespoon tahini)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon arrowroot starch (or sub cornstarch)
- For the chicken
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil (preferably toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound lean ground chicken (or ground turkey)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the veggies
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil (preferably toasted sesame oil)
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
- For serving
- ½ cup roasted cashews, chopped
- Scallions (green part of the onion only)
- Extra sesame seeds
Instructions
- First make your stir fry sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, garlic, coconut sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and arrowroot starch (or cornstarch). Set aside.
- Add ½ tablespoon sesame oil to a large pot and place over medium heat. Once oil is hot add in ground chicken and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Quickly begin to break up the meat and cook until no longer pink. Once cooked, transfer meat to a bowl and set aside. Keep heat in pan.
- In the same pot, add ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Add in chopped onion and sliced carrots and cook for 2-4 minutes until onions begin to soften. Next add in green beans and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 6-8 minutes or until green beans are slightly tender but still have a bite. Add cooked ground chicken back to the pot with the veggies. Immediately turn the heat to low and add in the sauce. Cook for an additional 2-4 minutes over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Serve with brown rice or quinoa for a healthy dinner. Garnish with roasted cashews, a few extra sesame seeds and scallions. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on April 6th, 2020, republished on March 23rd, 2023, and republished on April 22nd, 2025.
This was delicious and so easy to make. It was my first time using ground chicken. I used tamari since I’m GF and honey as the sweetener. Next time I might use more honey or try using brown sugar as my family likes a sweeter sauce.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Delicious! Hits all the feels
On my now rotating schedule
Only question, how do you prep so quickly
It takes me a while to mince, wash, cut etc.
So glad you enjoyed! Prep work just comes with practice – I always find that after the first couple of times making a recipe it goes much faster (and you can pre-chop things the day before if you’d like!)
This absolutely exceeded my expectations! I went heavy on the veggies, so I probably could have added a little more protein, but everything about it was delicious. Love a simple and delicious skillet meal! Thank you, AK team.
Such a great meal prep dinner!
Is the nutritional information including rice ?
No, it’s just for what’s listed in the ingredient list.
This was so good! Came together really quickly once you have all the veggies and sauce prepped. Easy to do earlier in the day so you have it ready to go. Love all the flavors! Will be making this again soon!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
I absolutely love this recipe. It felt healthy and light and incredibly flavorful. It will definitely be on my rotation.
I’d double up on the sauce as it tends to be dry. It’s a bit bland for me.
Sorry to hear that! I’ve always found this to have the perfect amount of sauce, but yes, absolutely feel free to double it (and add salt to taste).
Ohmygoodness! Sooo delicious!! I absolutely love the flavors! I made your Coconut Rice to go with it….and these are two
recipes I will make over and over. I liked the ground chicken in the recipe because it soaks up the flavors from the sauce.
The perfect combo! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious!! We had the chicken chunks green bean stir fry with rice. So quick and easy. Will definitely make it again. Thank you Monique!
Perfect easy dinner!
I abosutely love this recipe. So delicious. So full of flavor and easy to put together and make. I’ve probably made this at least 10 times.
Amazing! One of my go-to dinners, too 🙂
Best stir fry recipe I have ever tried. My young kids devoured 2 bowls at dinner. I added a slash of fish sauce and it was delicious! This will become a weekly pantry staple!
Amazing! One of my go-to’s for busy weeks 🙂
This quick recipe has becomes one of our favourites. The sauce is very tasty. We serve it over ramen noodles. It’s the perfect leftover lunch for my teenage son.
Love this one with ramen noodles! Glad it’s a hit 🙂
Such a simple, delicious and healthy recipe that our family eats on a frequent rotation! I made it last night and forgot to order carrots in my grocery order so I just went without them and it was still so yummy! It’s a great “clean out your veggie crisper” recipe!!
So happy to hear that! It’s my go-to as well 🙂
This recipe was yummy but definitely not a 30 min dinner. Between peeling and slicing the carrots, Rinsing and cutting the green beans, chopping the pepper, onions, garlic, cashews, scallions and making the sauce, it took way longer. Also, cooking the veggies took way longer to make than the time listed, I ended up putting some water into the pot and covering it for them to steam until not so hard. I also would have added more cornstarch to actually thicken the sauce. I will def make again with the understanding that it will take a bit of time. It tasted great though!
I’m glad it still turned out delicious! Make sure to not cut the veggies too large, as that will make the sautéing process take longer, too. The more often you make it, the faster it gets!
Made this for dinner last night…definitely a keeper. Easy to put together and delicious
So glad you enjoyed!
I have made this so many times with various different vegetables. Always delicious.
The best!!
This is so yummy!! There is quite a bit of prep, but once done, it comes together quickly. Loved it!
Such a great weeknight meal! It will get faster to prep the more times you make it, too 🙂
So good! Did take longer than 30 mins but couldve just been me, anyways this was soo good and easy! I topped it with peanuts instead of cashews, and a lot of sriracha because i love spice lol, will definitely make again!!
So happy you loved it! I’m all about extra spice 🙂
LOVE THIS EASY ONE SKILLET MEAL!! VERY TASTY
So glad you loved it!
This dish was amazing! I wasn’t sure about the tahini instead of sesame seeds but the sauce was sooooo flavorful. My whole family including kids loved this. I served it with rice. Delicious!
So happy to hear that! It’s one of our go-to weeknight meals 🙂
Excellent
This is an excellent, healthy meal! It’s also very good left over. It does definitely take longer than 30 minutes – that’s about how long the chopping takes, if not longer. The sauce is extremely flavorful and I like how you can sub in different veggies. I make the following modifications: I significantly reduce the red pepper, I find even halving it it’s way too spicy (so I do about 25% of the recommended amount). I do a little less ginger than called for too, since the ginger doesn’t really cook and soften flavor wise. I add 1.5 lbs ground chicken instead of 1 lb, and find that’s a better balance since I add additional veggies. I add finely sliced mushrooms and broccoli florets, and it’s a really yummy mix! Thanks for such a great recipe.
So glad you loved this one! It’s great for customizing, too 🙂
This is SO. GOOD. One of my favorite AK recipes!!
So happy to hear that!
My family loves this meal. I add extra chicken. I love that there are so many veggies. Veggies take a long time to chop, but cooking time is quick and easy.
Love it! Perfect leftovers, too 🙂
My friend and I made this for meal prep this week and we were pleasantly surprised by how good it turned out! Thanks for such an easy recipe! 🙂
YUM! Love this so much, glad you are both loving this recipe and it turned out great for you!
I’ve made this several times and it is always SO good! The sauce is delicious with a great balance of meat and veggies. It comes together quickly and my whole family enjoys it.
I made this recipe with ground turkey. My husband said it was even better the second day! Packed full of veggies and flavor this recipe is a keeper.