A quick and flavour-packed chicken dinner.
Easy Spicy Chicken with Dried Chiles and Green Beans
This easy spicy chicken with dried chiles and green beans is the kind of dinner that delivers big flavour without a lot of work. Juicy browned chicken thighs are tossed with crisp green beans, scallions, red onion, garlic and dried red chiles, then coated in a savoury-sweet chili sauce that is spicy, glossy and completely irresistible. Ready in about 35 minutes, this spicy chicken stir-fry is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something colourful, satisfying and easy to make. Serve it with steamed rice for a simple dinner that tastes far more impressive than the effort it takes.
Quick, Spicy and Packed with Flavour
This easy spicy chicken with dried chiles and green beans is a colourful, flavour-packed dinner made with juicy browned chicken thighs, crisp green beans, scallions, garlic, red onion and dried red chiles. Everything gets tossed in a simple savoury-sweet chili sauce that clings to the chicken and vegetables without making the dish heavy.
It looks like a lot is going on in the pan, but it is actually a very straightforward spicy chicken stir-fry. Once the chopping is done, the cooking moves quickly.
Why This Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry Works So Well
Chicken thighs are perfect here because they stay juicy and develop those browned, slightly crisp edges that make a stir-fry taste so good. I like to let the chicken sit for a minute before moving it around too much. That little bit of patience really helps with browning.
The green beans stay slightly crisp, while the garlic, scallions and dried red chiles add plenty of flavour. The sauce is salty, slightly sweet and spicy without overpowering everything else.
One practical tip: have all your vegetables chopped and the sauce mixed before you start cooking. Once the skillet is hot, this recipe goes fast. Very fast.
And if you want less heat, leave most of the dried chiles in larger pieces. If you want it hotter, cut a few open so the seeds get into the sauce.
When to Serve This Easy Spicy Chicken
This spicy chicken and green bean stir-fry is an easy choice for a busy weeknight dinner, especially when you want something a little more interesting than plain chicken and vegetables. Serve it over steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice or brown rice to soak up the extra sauce.
It also works well for a casual weekend dinner or when you want a colourful chicken dish that looks impressive without requiring hours in the kitchen. The leftovers are good too, although the green beans will soften a little after refrigeration.
Tips for the Best Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
- Use chicken thighs for the best texture. They stay juicy and develop those browned, slightly crisp edges that make this spicy chicken stir-fry so good.
- Don’t crowd the pan. If the chicken is packed too tightly, it will steam instead of brown. Cook it in two batches if needed.
- Have everything ready before you start. Once the skillet is hot, this recipe moves quickly. Chop the vegetables and mix the sauce first.
- Keep the green beans a little crisp. They should be cooked but still have some bite. That fresh crunch works really well with the tender chicken.
- Adjust the heat to your taste. Leave the dried red chiles in larger pieces for milder heat, or cut a few open if you want a spicier chicken dinner.
- Watch the garlic and chiles closely. They only need a short time in the hot pan. Burnt garlic can turn the whole sauce bitter.
- Let the sauce thicken briefly. Once everything is combined, give it a minute or two so the savoury-sweet chili sauce lightly coats the chicken and vegetables.
Easy Variations for This Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
- Make it extra spicy. Add more dried red chiles or stir in a little extra chili garlic sauce for a hotter spicy chicken stir-fry.
- Use chicken breast instead. Boneless chicken breast works too, although chicken thighs stay a little juicier and are more forgiving in a hot pan.
- Add more vegetables. Broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini or bok choy all work well in this chicken and green bean stir-fry. Just keep the pieces fairly small so they cook quickly.
- Swap the green beans. Sugar snap peas or asparagus are easy substitutes if that is what you have on hand.
- Make it slightly sweeter. Add another teaspoon of honey or brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter balance with the dried chiles.
- Add extra crunch. A handful of roasted peanuts or cashews stirred in just before serving gives this easy spicy chicken dinner a nice contrast in texture.
- Serve it different ways. Jasmine rice is my favourite, but this easy spicy chicken recipe is also good with brown rice, noodles or cauliflower rice.
Easy Spicy Chicken with Dried Chiles and Green Beans
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless , cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil divided
For the Vegetables
- 2 cups green beans trimmed and cut in half
- 6 green onions cut into 2-inch pieces, white and green portions separated
- ½ red onion medium sized, cut into chunky pieces
- 1 small carrot thinly sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 6-10 dried red chiles cut into pieces
For the Spicy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Coat the chicken.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Add them to a bowl with the cornstarch, salt and black pepper and toss until evenly coated.
Make the spicy stir-fry sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Set aside.
Brown the chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Stir-fry the vegetables.
- Add a little more oil if needed. Add the green beans and carrot and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Add the red onion, yellow bell pepper and white and light-green portions of the green onions. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and dried chiles.
- Stir in the sliced garlic and dried red chiles. Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic or chiles to burn.
Add the chicken and sauce.
- Return the browned chicken to the skillet. Give the sauce another quick stir, then pour it over the chicken and vegetables.
Cook until glossy.
- Toss everything together over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken and vegetables.
Finish with green onions.
- Add the remaining green onion pieces and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, just until they begin to soften while remaining bright green.
Serve.
- Serve the spicy chicken hot on its own or with steamed rice.
Notes
- Chicken thighs work best for this spicy chicken stir-fry because they stay juicy while developing the browned edges shown in the finished dish.
- For a milder recipe, use 4–6 dried chiles and leave them whole or in large pieces.
- For extra heat, cut several dried chiles open so the seeds flavour the cooking oil.
- Keep the vegetables slightly crisp. Overcooking them will take away from the colourful, fresh texture of this easy chicken stir-fry.
- Have all ingredients prepared before you begin cooking. Stir-fry recipes cook quickly once the pan is hot.
- Chicken is safely cooked when the thickest pieces reach 165°F / 74°C.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.