Panda Express String Bean Chicken

Panda Express String Bean Chicken is the MVP of your weekly dinner plan because this copycat nails it at home with juicy velveted chicken breast, crisp-tender green beans and a garlicky ginger sauce! It tastes like the real deal, just with a little more flavor. And yes, string bean chicken and green bean chicken are the same dish, so whatever you call it, you’re in the right place. Our exchange student had never really had Chinese food before this one, and loved it. Pretty good first impression!

Copycat Secrets Uncovered

Velvet the Chicken

This is the whole ballgame. Slice the chicken breast against the grain into thin strips, then massage it with soy sauce, cornstarch, a splash of water, salt and white pepper until every drop soaks in. Into the fridge it goes for 15 to 30 minutes. That cornstarch coating helps keep lean chicken breast tender and juicy, which is exactly what you want from a dish that’s basically chicken breast and green beans with nowhere to hide.

Cook the Chicken Separately (Just Like Panda)

Word on Reddit is that Panda cooks the chicken on its own and then tosses it in with the green beans. So that’s what we do, with one twist. Most recipes cook the chicken all the way through up front. We give it a quick 1 to 2 minute sear in batches to set the outside, pull it, and let it finish in the sauce for another 1 to 2 minutes at the end. Thin strips cook fast, so two short trips to the pan keep the chicken tender instead of dry and flavorless!

The Squeeze Tube Shortcut

No fresh ginger here! We used the minced ginger squeeze from the grocery store, and it’s potent stuff. It sits somewhere between fresh and dried and packs a serious punch, with zero peeling or grating.

No Wok, No Problem

You don’t need a wok for this. We used our Caraway nonstick skillet, cranked up super hot, and it worked great. The key is heat, not the pan.

Panda Express String Bean Chicken Ingredients

• The Chicken – Panda’s official name for this dish is String Bean Chicken Breast, so we stick with boneless, skinless breast. Slicing against the grain into uniform 1/4-inch strips matters twice: it keeps the meat tender, and same-size pieces cook at the same speed during that quick sear.
• String Beans vs. Green Beans – Same thing! String bean is the old-school name (the beans used to have a tough string down the seam), green bean is what most of us call them now. Grab fresh green beans and trim them into 2-inch pieces so they cook evenly and fit on a fork with a piece of chicken.
• The Sauce – Oyster sauce, soy sauce and mirin build the savory, slightly sweet base, then a whole lot of garlic and ginger bring the flavor. A little cornstarch slurry thickens it so it clings to every bean. No hunting down specialty sauces at an Asian market, everything here is at a regular grocery store.
• The Rest – White pepper in the marinade is the quiet restaurant touch. Onion cut into 1/2-inch chunks adds sweetness. Vegetable oil handles the hot chicken sear, and sesame oil goes in with the vegetables for that nutty, takeout-y smell.

How to Make Panda Express String Bean Chicken

1. Slice and marinate. Cut the chicken against the grain into uniform 1/4-inch strips or bite-size pieces and put them in a zip-top bag. Add the water, soy sauce, cornstarch, white pepper and salt, then massage with your hands until the liquid and starch are completely absorbed. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Mix the sauce. While the chicken marinates, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl, then add the oyster sauce, mirin, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Set it aside.
3. Set the chicken. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and sear for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the outside is set. Scoop it out, set it aside and cover.
4. Stir fry the vegetables. Add the sesame oil and let it heat. Add the green beans and onion and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Sauce it. Add the ginger stir fry sauce and toss with the green beans and onions.
6. Bring it home. As the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken back in and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Toss to coat and serve right away over jasmine white rice (brown rice or fried rice, if you’re going full takeout).

Getting the Green Beans Right

This is where most copycats go sideways. Too short and the beans are raw, too long and they’re mushy and sad. Panda’s beans still have crunch, and 3 to 4 minutes in a hot pan gets you right there: crunchy but cooked. Taste one before the sauce goes in. If it’s where you want it, sauce it.

Want It Milder

This version has a little more flavor than Panda’s. If you want a milder sauce, or just a little less ginger kick, cut the ginger in half.

Storage & Freezing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, microwave for 45 to 60 seconds until hot.

Skip the freezer on this one. The green beans go soft, and crisp beans are half the point.

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