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Hunan Chicken Recipe
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4.91 from 11 votes

Hunan Chicken Recipe

This Hunan chicken recipe is an iconic Chinese stir fry of lightly pan fried chicken and stir fried vegetables in a spicy Hunan sauce. It's so easy to make, on the table in 15 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: bell peppers, carrot, chicken, jalapeno, soy sauce, Stir Fry, zucchini
Servings: 4
Calories: 248kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE HUNAN CHICKEN SAUCE

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons doubanjiang or use a chili paste, like sambal oelek
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or use honey
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or more to taste - I use extra
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns optional - not traditional, but I love the extra kick
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to form a slurry

FOR THE HUNAN CHICKEN

  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into strips or cubes
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 large red bell pepper sliced
  • 1-2 jalapeno peppers sliced (optional, or use other hot peppers)
  • 1 zucchini sliced into rings
  • 1 medium carrot sliced into sticks
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
  • For Serving: Chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, cooked rice or noodles.

Instructions

MAKE THE HUNAN CHICKEN SAUCE

  • Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

MAKE THE HUNAN CHICKEN

  • Add the corn starch to a large bowl with salt and pepper to taste and add the chicken. Toss the chicken to evenly coat each piece.
  • Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large wok or pan to medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Do this in batches if needed. Should take 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  • Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the wok and add the peppers, zucchini, and carrot. Stir fry for 5-6 minutes to soften.
  • Add the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute.
  • Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce. Stir to coat the ingredients and thicken the sauce, 1-2 minutes more.
  • Garnish and serve.

Notes

Hunan chicken is often served with cooked rice. Try it with noodles. Nutritional information is estimated without rice or noodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1354mg | Potassium: 751mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3725IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg