Description
This Quick & Easy Szechuan Chicken recipe features tender chicken pieces stir-fried with vibrant bell peppers, onions, and dried red chilies in a bold, spicy, and slightly sweet Szechuan sauce. Perfect for a fast weeknight dinner, the dish combines a flavorful marinade and a perfectly balanced sauce that coats the chicken beautifully. Serve it hot with steamed rice for an authentic and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 lb chicken breast (or skinless boneless chicken thighs), diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 2/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 20 dried red chilies (or 2 fresh chopped red chilies)
- 5 slices ginger, peeled
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Coating and Frying
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (or potato starch) for coating chicken
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or neutral oil) for frying
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (reserved for stir-frying aromatics)
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1.5 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorn powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium) or cold water
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch (or potato starch) mixed with 1.5 tablespoons cold water (for thickening)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Dice the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add baking soda and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for tenderizing. Mix well.
- Marinate: Add marinade ingredients (not explicitly listed but implied: garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, Szechuan peppercorn powder, brown sugar) into the chicken and marinate for at least 20 minutes in the fridge. For best flavor, marinate a few hours or overnight.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Szechuan peppercorn powder (if using), chicken broth, and the cornstarch-water slurry until smooth. Set aside.
- Coat Chicken: Add 1/4 cup cornstarch to the marinated chicken and toss thoroughly with tongs to evenly coat all pieces. Set aside.
- Fry Chicken: Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces in batches for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Avoid overcrowding. Remove chicken and place on a plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon oil in the pan, discard remaining oil.
- Stir-Fry Aromatics: On medium heat, add dried red chilies to the reserved oil in the pan and stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant. Add diced onions, ginger slices, and diced bell peppers and stir-fry for 30 seconds to soften slightly.
- Add Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the pan with aromatics and bring to a simmer. Let it thicken by stirring constantly.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Once the sauce has thickened, add the fried chicken back into the pan and toss thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately, ideally alongside hot steamed rice.
Notes
- For an extra crispy texture, coat the chicken with cornstarch just before frying and ensure oil is hot enough.
- Szechuan peppercorn powder adds authentic flavor but is optional; omit if you prefer less numbing spice.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts for juicier meat.
- Adjust the number of dried chilies according to desired heat level.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch slurry slightly.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt levels in the dish.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Szechuan chicken, spicy chicken stir fry, Chinese chicken recipe, easy Szechuan recipe, quick Asian dinner
