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Szechuan Chicken Recipe
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4.92 from 12 votes

Szechuan Chicken Recipe

Szechuan chicken is the ultimate Chinese stir fry with seasoned chicken, spicy chilies and homemade Szechuan sauce, so easy to make and better than takeout! It's the perfect meal for spicy food lovers.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: chicken, chili peppers, recipe, soy sauce, spicy
Servings: 4
Calories: 392kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE SZECHUAN CHICKEN

  • 1 pound chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces (you can also use chicken thighs if you'd like)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup corn starch (use 1-2 tablespoons for a thinner consistency)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil or use olive oil
  • 1 large bell pepper chopped
  • 2 serrano pepper chopped (optional for extra spicy!)
  • 10 dried chile de arbol peppers optional for extra spicy, or use other dried peppers you love
  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns or use black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup peanuts chopped (plus more for garnish - cashews are great here, too!)

FOR THE SZECHUAN SAUCE

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger fresh minced ginger is good too
  • 1 tablespoon honey or more for sweeter
  • 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder fresh minced garlic is good too
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch for thickening
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon szechuan peppercorns lightly toasted and ground (or use Chinese 5 Spice, or both!)
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional, for a slightly thinner sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional, for extra spicy)

FOR SERVING

  • Cooked white rice or noodles, spicy chili flakes

Instructions

  • Add the chopped chicken to a large bowl. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes.

FOR THE HOMEMADE SZECHUAN SAUCE

  • While the chicken is marinating, whisk all of the ingredients except the cornstarch together in a small pot.
  • Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
  • To thicken the sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water until well mixed. Stir it into the Szechuan sauce and stir until it thickens up, 2-3 minutes. For thicker Szechuan sauce, use 2 tablespoons cornstarch and skip the chicken stock. Remove from heat and set aside.

FOR THE SZECHUAN CHICKEN

  • Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat.
  • Toss the chicken with 1/2 cup corn starch to coat. Add it to the pan and cook, stirring, 5-6 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
  • Heat the pan back to medium-high heat and add the peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Add the chiles de arbol, peppercorns and chopped peanuts and cook another 2 minutes, stirring.
  • Add the chicken back to the pan along with the homemade Szechuan sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Serve with rice or noodles. Garnish with extra chopped peanuts and spicy chili flakes.

Video

Notes

Calories are estimated without rice or noodles for serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1240mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1487IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg