How to make Hunan Chicken

Spicy food can be tricky to make, especially when you're trying to find the right balance between heat and flavor. No need to worry about that when you're making this Hunan chicken! Delightfully spicy yet still savory and umami, it's a winner at any meal!

cook TIME 10 mins
prep TIME 10 mins
total TIME 20 mins

Course: Main dishCuisine: Chinese

Keyword: How to make Hunan Chicken, Hunan Chicken Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 490 kcal

Ingredients (24)

14 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced
6 oz broccoli halved
4 oz red bell pepper julienned
4 oz red onion sliced
2 oz celery chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp cornstarch for the sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch for coating the chicken
2 tsp garlic minced
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp ginger grated
1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp sriracha
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil *
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp scallions chopped
1 oz roasted peanuts peeled
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the Hunan sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tsp cornstarch, 2 tsp minced garlic, 2 tsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp honey, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tbsp sriracha, 1 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Stir well.

Coat 14 oz chicken with 1/4 cup cornstarch.

coating chicken slices with flour in a glass bowl

In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 cup canola oil (*) over medium heat. Deep-fry the coated chicken for 5 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken, drain the excess oil with a paper towel, and set aside.

frying coated chicken in a cast iron skillet

Add another 1 tbsp canola oil to the skillet. Add 6 oz broccoli, 2 oz celery, 4 oz red onion, and 4 oz red bell pepper. Stir-fry the vegetables for 2 minutes.

broccoli florets, slices red bell pepper, onion and celery in a cast iron skillet

Return the fried chicken back to the skillet. Stir.

cooked chicken, broccoli florets, slices red bell pepper cooking in a cast iron skillet

Add the Hunan sauce to the skillet. Quickly toss everything together.

a hand holds a bowl of sauce on top of a cast iron skillet of cooked chicken with vegetables

Turn off the heat. Add 2 tbsp chopped scallions and 1 oz roasted peanuts while stirring constantly.

cooked chicken with vegetables in a cast iron skillet

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes on top.

sprinkle red pepper flakes from a small bowl into a cast iron skillet of hunan chicken

Remove Hunan chicken from the skillet. Serve hot with 3 cups of cooked medium-grain white rice on the side.

a plate of cooked hunan chicken and rice next to a glass of juice a a bowl of vegetable soup

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