CHICKEN AND GREEN BEANS

This Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry has a ton of flavor and can have dinner on the table in just 20 minutes!

Lemon chicken is just one of those dinner recipes that just about everyone enjoys. It’s always been a favorite of mine, although the same old thing can get boring. Introducing the opposite of boring – Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry. This dish has got it all! Crunchy green beans, tender, flavorful chicken, and a sweet and tart honey lemon stir fry sauce that coats every bite.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN AND GREEN BEANS?

The first step is to cook your green beans until they’re crisp yet tender. The green beans are removed from the pan, then bite sized pieces of chicken get seared to golden brown perfection. Combine your green beans and chicken, then add a honey garlic sauce to the pan. Simmer until thickened, then serve over rice and enjoy!

HOW DO YOU COOK CHICKEN FOR STIR FRY?

The best way to cook chicken for stir fry is to cut it into 1 inch pieces, season it with salt and pepper, then sear it in vegetable oil in a hot pan until browned and cooked through. Be careful not to overcrowd your pan; if you add too much meat at once, the chicken will steam instead of brown. I typically cook my chicken in two batches.

Start by cutting up the chicken and the green beans. Toss the chicken into the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar marinade and set aside while you cut up the green beans and mix up the honey lemon sauce. Cook the green beans, then cook the chicken, then cook the honey lemon sauce. Mix it all together and simmer for a few minutes…and that’s it!

You’ll need a nice big 12-inch skillet or wok (I use this Calphalon Everday All-Purpose Pan – aff). It’s much more flexible than a Wok and it works great for everything from stir fry to fried rice to spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 1 – 1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 lemon, sliced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed into 4 pieces
• 3/4 – 1 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces*

DIRECTIONS:

1. CHICKEN: Add the flour, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a shallow dish and whisk. Add each piece of chicken to the flour mixture and coat on both sides, dust off any excess flour. Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and let cook for 3-6 minutes per side depending on the thickeness. Prepare the sauce while the chicken cooks. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through.
2. SAUCE: In a saucepan, combine the lemon juice, honey, and smashed garlic over medium heat. Let the sauce come to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 1 minute. Fish out the clove of garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, remove the pan from heat and swirl, so the butter starts to melt. Place back on the heat for a few seconds, remove and continue to swirl until the butter completely melts. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pieces. When the butter is completely melted, remove sauce from heat season with cayenne and adjust salt to taste.
3. ASSEMBLE: Add a small drizzle of oil to the pan you cooked the chicken in if it needs it. Add the lemon slices and push them around the pan with tongs to pick up all the bits left behind by the chicken. Add the green beans and sauté them for 3-5 minutes or until done to preference. Season with salt, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Pile the chicken onto the skillet if you’d like or divide into personal servings. You can drizzle the sauce over the entire dish or serve it on the side. Personally, we like it on the side (drizzled over rice) so the chicken keeps that nice sear!

NOTES:

• Broccoli or asparagus will make an excellent substitute if you don’t care for green beans!
• Serve with rice, quinoa, or crusty bread.

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