Hunan Chicken

Name: Hunan Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 6-8 dried red chilies, halved, seeds removed; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; 2 scallions, sliced

A fiery and aromatic Sichuan-style chicken dish with dried chilies, garlic, and a complex spice profile. Bold, spicy, and deeply flavorful.

35 minMediumServes 4340 cal/serving

ChineseDinnerStovetopStandard

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
6-8 dried red chilies, halved, seeds removed
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

1

Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the 1.5 lbs cut into 1-inch cubes boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cook until no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2

Add the 6-8 halved, seeds removed dried red chilies to the wok and toast for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 6 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger, and 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, stirring for 30 seconds.
3

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, and 2 tsp brown sugar.
4

Return the chicken to the wok. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is coated and the sauce reduces slightly.
5

Garnish with 2 sliced scallions and serve immediately over steamed rice.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Chinese Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Hunan Chicken?

A fiery and aromatic Sichuan-style chicken dish with dried chilies, garlic, and a complex spice profile. Bold, spicy, and deeply flavorful. This reference files it under Chinese dinner: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 35 minutes start to finish.

Is there a substitute for Sichuan peppercorns in Hunan Chicken?

The entry for Hunan Chicken calls for 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns. In its place: Nothing else produces the numbing tingle. Black pepper with a little lemon zest and ground coriander gives the citrusy bite without it.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in Hunan Chicken?

Yes. Boneless thighs at the same weight are more forgiving and stay juicier. Give them two to four minutes longer; they are at their best around 175 F rather than 165 F. As written, the entry for Hunan Chicken uses 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes.

How hot is Hunan Chicken?

Moderately. The heat in Hunan Chicken comes from 6-8 dried red chilies, halved, seeds removed and 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns. For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the chilies, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Can I make Hunan Chicken gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Hunan Chicken is 3 tbsp soy sauce. Swap the soy-based sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else proceeds as written.

How many calories are in Hunan Chicken?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 340 calories, with 30 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate and 18 g fat, plus 1 g fiber and 620 mg sodium.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.