This Hunan Chicken will have you skipping the takeout forever!
Hunan Chicken is a favorite Chinese American stir fry made with juicy, thinly sliced chicken breasts, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers and celery blanked in a dynamic savory, spicy, garlic, ginger sauce.ย ย This Hunan Chicken recipe allows you to remake this classic in the comfort of your own home and adjust the heat from mild to numbingly hot. You can also swap the vegetables for your favorites or whatever you have on hand.ย This Hunan Chicken uses the easy restaurant velveting technique to produce undeniably tender, deeply flavorful chicken you will have to taste to believe.ย I love to serve this Hunan Style Chicken with homemade egg rolls and cream cheese wontons for a complete takeout fakeout feast.
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HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN
I love making Chinese food at home and have been doing it more than ever these past few months since weโve been on lockdown. Some of our favorites include Chicken and Broccoli, Beef and Broccoli, Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken and of course, Hunan Chicken.ย
If you arenโt familiar with Hunan Chicken, you will fall in love with the medley of vibrant, fresh crisp-tender veggies dripping in the intoxicating spicy, savory Hunan sauce. The complex flavors of the sauce are out of this world and the thinly sliced velveted chicken will have you drooling.ย
This Hunan Chicken recipe has a long ingredient list, but I promise the recipe is EASY โ most of the ingredients are just dump and whisk.ย Ultimately, all you need is the sauce ingredients and the chicken and veggies are super flexible. ย ย
To make, simply whisk the marinade ingredients together, marinate the chicken while you chop your veggies and whisk the Hunan sauce ingredients together โ thatโs it โ the actual cooking time is less than 15 minutes!ย So, please donโt cheat yourself out of this INCREDIBLE Hunan Chicken โ itโs an exotic intoxicating complex flavor bomb in every mouthful and destined to become a new favorite!
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REASONS TO LOVE THIS HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN:
Now, Iโm going to break down this Hunan Chicken recipe and try and answer all your questions as well as offer some tips and tricks.ย You can use my โjump to recipeโ button at the top of the page to skip straight to the recipe.
WHAT IS HUNAN CHICKEN?
Hunan Chicken originated in the Hunan province of south central China. Hunan cuisine, also known asย Xiang cuisine, is one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine (the other eight are: Anhui,ย Cantonese,ย Fujian,ย Jiangsu,ย Shandong, Szechuan andย Zhejiang.).ย Hunan cuisine is characterized by its bold, slightly tart, spicy flavors from fresh chili peppers, garlic, and shallots.
What does Hunan Chicken taste like?
In the US, Hunan Chicken has come to mean thin slices of silky, tender, velvety chicken breasts stir fried with a rainbow of crisp-tender veggies in spicy, complex Hunan sauce.ย The sauce is nothing short of mesmerizing due to the layering of flavors.ย Red peppers are combined with garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and soy sauce to create a salty, savory, spicy stir fry with a touch of sweetness from brown sugar and sour tanginess from the ketchup and chili bean paste.ย
This Hunan Chicken is less sour and more sweet than authentic Hunan Chicken as the Chinese American restaurant versions have altered the Chinese favorite to suite the American palate.ย
If you enjoy spicy foods, you will LOVE this Hunan Style Chicken and if you donโt love spicy foods you will still LOVE this Hunan Chicken โ simply tone down the spiciness by adding less peppers or chili paste.ย Now everyone can have their favorite Hunan Chicken they can enjoy any night of the week.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUNAN CHICKEN AND SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
Szechuan cuisine comes from the Sichuan province in China and Hunan Chicken comes from Hunan province to the west. Both Hunan Chicken and Szechuan Chicken are characterized by their savory, hot and spicy flavors and generous use of chili peppers and garlic. They differentiate in that Hunan Chicken is hotter and spicier due to the use ofย freshย peppers, whereas Szechuan Chicken uses dried peppers and is generally sweeter.ย
Szechuan Chicken also boasts a unique mouth-numbing sensation due to the peppercorns, which actually doesnโt add heat, but a distinctive aromatic citrusy taste. Hunan Style Chicken is also considered more sour, oilier and saltier due to chili bean paste or vinegar-pickled chilies with salt (duo la jiao) which is a hot, salty, and sour concoction.ย Hunan Chicken is also characterized by its abundant use of vegetables.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUNAN CHICKEN AND GENERAL TSOโS CHICKEN?
General Tsoโs Chickenย is battered and deep fried whereas Hunan Chicken is lightly dusted in cornstarch and stir fried or lightly pan fried. ย General Tsoโs Chicken is sweet and mildly spicy, far less spicy than Hunan Chicken, with the zing coming from a generous amount of ginger verses chili peppers.ย General Tsoโs Chicken also does not contain any vegetables as opposed to the generous amount of veggies in Hunan Style Chicken.
What is the difference betweenย Hunan Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken?
Kung Pao Chickenย is savory, and spicy like Hunan Chicken but it is sweeter and far less sour.ย lt also boasts a nutty flavor due to the peanuts.ย Kung Pao Chicken is made with dried peppers verses fresh chili peppers in Hunan cuisine.ย Kung Pao sauce is starchier and syrupier compared to the thinner, more oily Hunan sauce.
WHAT PEPPERS FOR HUNAN CHICKEN?
Hunan Chicken uses a variety of chili peppers from Thai chilies to Birdseye chili peppers.ย To make this Hunan Chicken recipe more easily accessible, I used red jalapeno peppers.ย
Red jalapeno peppers are green jalapeno peppers that are left on the vine to mature.ย During the ripening, jalapeรฑos turn red and become slightly sweeter and spicier.ย
If you canโt find red jalapeno peppers, you can substitute them with green jalapenos, or with serrano peppers. If you use jalapeno peppers, you will need slightly more and if you use serrano peppers, you need far less as they are much spicier.ย You may also substitute the red jalapenos with Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek) which is made from a combination of chilies.
ย
HOW SPICY IS HUNAN CHICKEN RECIPE?
Hunan Style Chicken is meant to be spicy but it is very EASY to customize the heat.ย You can keep the recipe flavorful with the chili bean paste, garlic and ginger but use less peppers.
โขMILD HUNAN CHICKEN:ย Only use 1 red jalapeno pepper or 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce (like sambal oelek).ย For a little more heat, bordering on medium, use 2 red jalapeno peppers.
โขMEDIUM HUNAN CHICKEN:ย For moderately spicy Hunan Chicken, use 2 to 4 red jalapeno peppers.ย When I used 2 peppers, I would consider it mild-medium as I could taste some heat but it wasnโt very โspicy.โ Use more than 2 peppers if you want to really taste the heat.
โขSPICY HUNAN CHICKEN: I would consider 4 or more red jalapeno peppers spicy. Of course, it will depend on the heat of the actual peppers as each pepper can vary greatly.
If you arenโt sure how spicy you want it, you can start with less red jalapeno peppers then add chili paste to spice up individual servings.
WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN IS USED FOR CHICKENย HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN?
Hunanย Chicken is traditionally made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They are leaner than chicken thighs but still emerge buttery tender from the velveting โ you will be blown away at the results.ย Of course, you are welcome to use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
Can I use different Protein?ย Looking beyond poultry, you can swap the chicken for beef, pork, shrimp or cubed tofu. If using shrimp, add it at the end of cooking because shrimp will get rubbery if overcooked.
How to cut chicken thinly:
One of the characteristics of Hunan Chicken is the thinly sliced chicken.ย The key to thinly sliced chicken is to freeze the chicken for about one hour. ย This firms up the chicken just enough so it doesnโt wiggle beneath your knife and you can very easily slice the chicken thinly.ย Take care to slice the chicken against the grain so the muscle fibers are shortened and the chicken becomes more tender. ย The partially frozen, sliced chicken will quickly come back to room temperature in the marinade.
HOW DO YOU MAKE HUNAN CHICKEN EXTRA TENDER?
This Hunan Chicken is restaurant tender and juicy due to a simple process called velveting.ย I first introduced you to velveting in myย chicken stir fry recipe,ย and can attest it makes ALL THE difference.ย It is how Chinese restaurants attain such smooth, tender chicken โ and now you can get the same results at home!
There are a few different velveting techniques, but I opt for the easiest one using baking soda; and donโt worry, you can taste the textural difference but not the baking soda! Essentially, the chicken is marinated in a combination of baking soda, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch.ย Hereโs how it works:
baking soda:ย tenderizes the chicken by breaking down the chicken fibers so the chicken emerges softer on the inside like โvelvetโ โ hence the name.
soy sauce:ย ย the salt in the soy sauce also helps break down the proteins for a more tender texture and infuses the chicken with flavor.
rice wine:ย is an acidic ingredient that breaks down lean muscle fibers on the surface of the protein.
cornstarch: acts as a binder and helps our soy sauce bind to the chicken for more flavorful chicken.ย ย Cornstarch alsoย provides a lightย coatingย that helps protect it from drying out while cooking.ย
This easy velveting technique can be used in all your favorite Chinese Chicken recipes โ even the ones with breading; instead, skip the breading and add whatever seasonings were in the breading to the velveting mixture. This allows you to enjoy the intoxicating sauces without the hassle of breading.ย Try it on myย ย Cashew Chicken Stir Fry,ย Hoisin Ginger Chicken,ย Honey Lemon Chickenย andย Honey Coconut Chicken.ย ย ย
What is Hunan Sauce made of?
Hunan Chicken is only as good as its sauce, and this on is spectacular! Hunan sauce is made with red chili peppers, chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce,ย Japanese rice wine, ketchup, brown sugar, and the secret ingredient โ chili bean sauce orย โDouban Jiangโย (่ฑ็ฃ้
ฑ).ย Chili bean sauce is made from chili peppers and fermented soy bean paste.ย The resulting sauce is savory, salty, slightly tangy and deeply flavorful with a hint of heat from the chili bean sauce which gets amped up from additional stir fried chili peppers.
The ingredient list for the Hunan sauce is lengthy, but it can be whisked together in minutes, stored for weeks, then just thrown into the skillet when youโre ready to cook!ย Hereโs what youโll need:
HOW DO I THICKEN HUNAN SAUCE?
The cornstarch in the Hunan sauce will thicken the sauce as it simmers with the vegetables.ย If you still would like a thicker sauce, then just keep simmering until it reaches desired consistency.ย For an even thicker sauce, make a slurry by whisking 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons chicken broth then adding to the simmering sauce.ย Repeat this as step as desired.
HOW DO I THIN HUNAN SAUCE?
Your Hunan sauce will thicken more the longer it is simmers. If it simmers to the point of too thick, donโt worry! It is easy to thin by whisking in additional chicken broth.ย
HOW DO I STORE Hunan SAUCE?
Hunan sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.ย Shake it up or whisk it to recombine before using.
HOW DO I CUSTOMIZE HUNAN SAUCE?
This Hunan Sauce can easily be adjusted to suite your personal preferences. Just keep a note of your adjustments then whip out the perfect Hunan sauce every time. ย Hereโs how:
IS HUNAN CHICKEN RECIPE GLUTEN FREE?
As written, this Hunan Chicken is not gluten-free, but almost!ย To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.ย You will also want to double check that your oyster sauce and chili bean sauce are gluten-free.ย The rest of the Hunan Style Chicken ingredients are gluten-free.
WHAT VEGETABLES DO ADD TO HUNAN CHICKEN?
Hunan Chicken is known for a symphony of stir-fried vegetables, namely broccoli, carrots, bell peppers and celery.ย Mushrooms and bamboo shoots are also favorite additions.ย You can mix and match your veggies based on whatโs in your fridge, your favorites, whatโs in season or whatโs on sale. Here are some great vegetables for stir fries:ย
HOW DO I CHOP VEGETABLES FOR HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN?
Texture is key in any stir fry so it is important to keep that in mind when chopping your veggies โ you donโt want some veggies to be crunchy and some to be mushy!ย There are some vegetables that take longer to cook such as broccoli and carrots and some take less time to cook such as zucchini and bell peppers.
In order to cook all of the veggies at the same time, the longer cooking vegetables need to be chopped smaller/thinner, and the shorter cooking vegetables larger.ย For example, THINLY slice the carrots, and chop the bell peppers into larger 1โ chunks so they cook in the same amount of time. ย ย
This technique will take care of most veggies, but there are some that cook in extremely short time such as snow peas, cabbage and spinach, which should always be added at the very end of cooking.ย
HUNAN CHICKEN VARIATIONS
Authentic Hunan Chicken typically doesnโt include more than protein and veggies, but that doesnโt mean you canโt mix up yours! ย Here are some add-in ideas:ย
HOW TO MAKE HUNAN CHICKEN
This Hunan Chicken is made in 4 easy steps:ย marinate chicken, cook chicken, stir fry veggies, add sauce and simmer altogether โ winner chicken dinner! Hereโs the breakdown:
STEP 1:ย VELVETING
- Velveting is highly recommend and produces silkier and juicier than chicken thighs โ with less fat!ย
- The velveting process is simple โ add cornstarch, baking soda, sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine to a large freezer bag or bowl; whisk to combine.
- Add chicken and turn until evenly coated.ย Let sit at room temperature while you prep your veggies; preferable 30 minutes, but whatever you have time for is fine. ย
STEP 2:ย MAKE Hunan SAUCE
- While the chicken is resting, whisk chicken broth, soy sauce, chili bean sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, ketchup, sesame oil, cornstarch ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
STEP 3: ย STIR FRY CHICKEN
- It is important to cook the chicken first because as it browns in the skillet, it creates a layer of flavor that will be scooped up by the veggies.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden; flip chicken over and cook an additional minute, until browned on all sides. Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate.ย
- The chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through because it will finish cooking in the stir fry sauce.ย Remove chicken to a plate.
STEP 3: ย STIR FRY VEGGIES
- After you remove the chicken, donโt wipe out the skillet, we want all those brown bits to flavor the veggies.
- Heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.ย
- Once hot, add red jalapenos, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, celery and onions.ย
- Stir fry until vegetables are crisp tender, about 3 minutes.ย DONโT over-cook because they will continue to cook in the sauce. ย
- Add garlic and ginger to the veggies and sautรฉ 30 seconds
STEP 4: ย ADD HUNAN SAUCE
- Whisk sauce (to recombine) and add to pan along with chicken.
- Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce to a simmer until sauce has thickened; 1-2 minutes.ย
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST HUNAN CHICKEN
HOW TO PREP HUNAN CHICKEN AHEAD OF TIME
Hunan Chicken has a few steps, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time for a speedy dinner. Hereโs how:
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN?
Hunan Style Chicken is explosively flavorful so it pairs well with neutral sides such as:
HOW TO STORE HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN
This Hunan Chicken reheats wonderfully for lunches or dinners, just take care not to overcook the veggies.ย
โขHow to store:ย Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
โขHow to reheat in microwave:ย transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for one minute, stir then continue to heat at 30 second intervals.ย
โขHow to reheat on the stove:ย For larger portions, rewarm gently in a large skillet, stirring often.ย You may need to add a splash of water (better yet chicken broth if you have it) to thin the sauce as needed.
CAN I FREEZE HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN?
I do not recommend freezing the Hunan Chicken once assembled because the veggies can become a mushy texture, but you can freeze the chicken and stir-fry sauce separately.
TO FREEZE CHICKEN & SAUCE SEPARATELY:
โขHunan Sauce:ย Whisk together, add to a freezer bag or freezer safe airtight container, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
โขChicken:ย After you have cooked the chicken, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.ย Defrost in the refrigerator before using.
IS HUNAN CHICKEN HEALTHY?
This Hunan Chicken is packed full of lean protein and veggies and uses a relatively small amount of oil for a healthier Chinese favorite.
Theย chickenย is a lean protein which means it doesnโt have very much fat which can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and even lose weight all while helping to sustain your muscles.ย Chicken is also full of calcium and phosphorous which helps strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of arthritis.
This Hunan Chicken recipe also boasts an abundance of veggies which are free of cholesterol and provide many of vitamins and minerals.ย The veggies also retain more nutrients when sautรฉed verses being boiled. ย Just some of the nutrients in fresh veggies include vitamins A & C, potassium, folate and dietary fiber.ย Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure and dietary fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. ย
To make your Hunan Style Chicken stir fry evenย healthier:
โขAdd more veggies or substitute some chicken for vegetables.ย The more vegetables, the better!
โขUse chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.
โขServe chicken stir fry cauliflower rice, quinoa, or zucchini noodles instead of rice.
HELPFUL TOOLS TO MAKE HUNAN STYLE CHICKEN
LOOKING FOR MORE CHINESE RECIPES?
If you love Chinese fakeout takeout, be sure to check out my:
Sesame Chickenย
Crockpot Cashew Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chickenย
Kung Pao Shrimpย
Pineapple Ginger Chickenย
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Hunan Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts thinly sliced
- vegetable, peanut or canola oil
MARINADE
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Japanese rice wine (like Kikkoman Aji Mirin)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
ADD LATER
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons flour
HUNAN SAUCE
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons bottled chili bean sauce (Toban Djan) see notes*
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice wine (like Kikkoman Aji Mirin)
- 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
STIR FRY
- 2-6 red jalapenos peppers, seeded, diced* may sub chili sauce โ see notes)**
- 1/2 large yellow onion cut into 1โ pieces
- 3 cups broccoli florets bite size
- 3 carrots thinly sliced
- 3 stalks celery sliced 1/2โณ thick
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1โ pieces
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
Instructions
- Add the velveting ingredients to a large freezer bag or bowl; whisk to combine. Add chicken and turn until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature while you prep your veggies; preferable 30 minutes (no more). After 30 minutes transfer chicken to a bag with ยผ cup cornstarch and 3 tablespoons flour. Toss to evenly coat.
- Meanwhile, whisk Hunan Sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden; flip chicken over and cook an additional minute, until browned on all sides (does not need to be cooked through). Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate.
- To the now empty skillet (donโt wipe out), heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add red jalapenos, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, celery and onions. Stir fry until vegetables are crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes. (Donโt over-cook because they will continue to cook in sauce). Add garlic and ginger to the veggies and stir fry 30 seconds.
- Whisk sauce (to recombine) and add to pan along with chicken. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce to a simmer until sauce has thickened;1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions. Taste and add chili sauce if desired.
Notes
INGREDIENT TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- *What is chili bean sauce?ย Chili bean sauceย delivers the signature savory, salty, spicy, sour, satisfying richness to Hunan Chicken.ย Chili bean paste is made with a special blend of salted chilies and soybeans that are fermented together to create a deep, complex umami flavor.ย Chili bean paste should be located in the Asian aisle of your grocery store or you can Amazon it. ย I used Lee Kum Kee chili bean sauce. It is possible to make Hunan Chicken without it, but it will be missing a dimension of flavor.
- **Red Jalapeno Pepper Substitution. If you canโt find red jalapeno peppers, you can substitute them with green jalapenos, or with serrano peppers. If you use jalapeno peppers, you will need slightly more and if you use serrano peppers, you need far less as they are much spicier.ย You may also substitute the red jalapenos with Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek) which is made from a combination of chilies.ย Add the Asian chili sauce directly to the Hunan Sauce.
- Japanese rice wine:ย ย should become a pantry staple if you do much Asian cooking.ย I use โKikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoningโ which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores or you can Amazon it.ย I highly suggest you google image before you head off to the grocery store so you know exactly what you are looking for.ย The best substitute for rice wine is pale dry sherry.ย Please note that Rice wine is NOT rice vinegar- DO NOT switch them out.ย Rice wine adds a sweetness and depth of flavor; rice vinegar, on the other hand, will add an acidic flavor.ย
- Use QUALITY oyster sauceย like Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman because you literally can TASTE the difference!
- Customize veggies.ย You can substitute the veggies for your favorites.
RECIPEย TIPS AND TRICKS
- Freeze chicken. It is much easier to thinly slice chicken if it has been frozen for an hour.ย The sliced chicken will quickly come to temperature while it marinates.
- Donโt marinate chicken for too long.ย The chicken should not be marinated longer than 30 minutes or else it can become mushy.
- Prep veggies and Hunan sauce first.ย ย While your chicken is marinating, chop all your veggies and prep your sauce.ย You want everything ready before you start your stir fry because the actually cooking just takes a few minutes.ย If you have to stop to make your sauce while your veggies are still in the pan, they can end up soft and even worse โ mushy.
- How to chop ingredients.ย The most important key to making a good stir-fry is cutting each ingredient to a uniform size as specified in the recipe. As detailed earlier in the post, chop the long cooking vegetables smaller and the short cooking vegetables larger.
- Donโt overcook chicken.ย For the juiciest chicken, donโt overcook! ย Brown it in the skillet but let it finish cooking in the sauce.
- Donโt overcook veggies.ย I suggest setting the timer for 3 minutes for the initial stir frying of your veggies โ it can go fast and you donโt want to overcook them initially.ย It is better to under-cook them when stir frying then allow them to reach desired-crisp tenderness once you add the stir fry sauce.
HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THE HEATย
Hunan Style Chicken is meant to be spicy but it is very EASY to customize the heat.ย You can keep the recipe flavorful with the chili bean paste, garlic and ginger but use less peppers. ย- MILD HUNAN CHICKEN:ย Only use 1 red jalapeno pepper or 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce (like sambal oelek).ย For a little more heat, bordering on medium, use 2 red jalapeno peppers.
- MEDIUM HUNAN CHICKEN:ย For moderately spicy Hunan Chicken, use 2 to 4 red jalapeno peppers.ย When I used 2 peppers, I would consider it mild-medium as I could taste some heat but it wasnโt very โspicy.โ Use more than 2 peppers if you want to really taste the heat.
- SPICY HUNAN CHICKEN: I would consider 4 or more red jalapeno peppers spicy. Of course, it will depend on the heat of the actual peppers as each pepper can vary greatly.
HOW TO PREP AHEAD
Hunan Chicken has a few steps, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time for a speedy dinner. Hereโs how:- Slice chicken:ย ย you can thinly slice the chicken any time before marinating then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make Hunan sauce:ย whisk the ingredients together up to 24 hours in advance and store, covered in the refrigerator. ย Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before using.ย You may also freeze for up to three months.
- Chop veggies:ย you can chop your garlic, grate your ginger and chop all your veggies 24 hours in advance and store in separate air tight containers in the refrigerator.
- Cook!ย Within the next 48 hours, proceed with the recipe starting with marinating the chicken for 20-30 minutes
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Matt Robinson says
This is stir fry taken to a whole new amazing level!
Jen says
Thank you so much Matt!
Naomi Robinson says
Matt just showed this to me. We both agreed โ this needs to be made here!
Jen says
Agreed! I think you will both love it!
Laura says
Made this tonight and it was great. The velveting of the chicken was a great tip and worked beautifully. Easy and delicious. Will absolutely make again. Thanks for another great dinner, Jen!
Jen says
Youโre so welcome Laura, Iโm so happy it was a winner! Thanks for being the first to review this recipe!
Eva Marie says
Hey,
This recipe calls for ketchup. Is it advantageous to use something like Gochujang, a Korean ketchup-like paste/sauce? I wonder if it would compliment or muddle the flavor.
Jen says
Hi Eva, I would stick with ketchup because it has more acidity or you could use gochuchang and add a splash more rice wine. Enjoy!
Kendra says
What can I substitute for the Sesame Oil? Due to allergies, I cannot use.
Jen says
Hi Kendra, I would just skip it. Enjoy!
Missy says
Do you suppose I could skip dusting the chicken with cornstarch and flour, and just saute the marinated chicken with no coating on it??
Jen says
Absolutely! It will be missing the crispy crust but but still be delicious.
Samantha Ashby says
This was one of the best stir fry dishes that I have ever made! The sauce is delicious, crispy veggies & juicy, yet crispy chicken. YUM!
Jen says
Thank you for the ultimate compliment Samantha!
Jane Alpert says
I am new to cooking asian food. I like you put some name brands that I can hopefully find easier. Thank you.
Jen says
Hi Jane! Welcome to the awesome world of Asian cooking! I recommend Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee brands because they have really great flavors! I wish you well!