Hunan Chicken

Skip the takeout and make this Hunan Chicken at home! It’s colorful, packed with fresh veggies, and bursting with bold, spicy flavor.

Plus, it’s healthy and comes together in just 20 minutes, so you can have a quick, satisfying dinner on the table in no time.

Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something easy, delicious, and better than anything from a restaurant!

Recipe Video

Why This Recipe Works

This is the best Hunan chicken recipe because of how effortless its preparation is and how customizable it is, making it the perfect meal for busy weeknights!

Using simple ingredients and a hot and fast cooking method, this Hunan chicken can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. It doesn't get any easier than that!

Plus, you can customize this recipe for Hunan chicken to suit any dietary or taste preferences. Boost the heat by adding smoked paprika to your Hunan chicken coating, or make a vegan Hunan chicken by using tofu instead of chicken and tamari instead of Oyster sauce. You can make this Hunan chicken recipe your own in a variety of ways.

Ingredients

Hunan Chicken Sauce:

This easy Hunan chicken recipe includes the makings of a delicious Hunan chicken sauce. This simple sauce includes ingredients like soy sauce, cornstarch, oyster sauce, garlic rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and chicken stock. Furthermore, you can experiment with the flavors of your Hunan chicken sauce by adding ginger, honey, maple syrup, or some Chinese rice wine.

Coating:

The cornstarch coating gives the chicken a crispy texture, while salt, pepper, and red chili flakes are added to give the chicken a little more flavor and heat. Garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, smoked paprika, or five-spice powder can also be added to the coating to impact the flavor in unique ways.

Chicken:

The key to a successful Hunan chicken is in the thinly sliced chicken breast. This makes for a speedy cooking time. Additionally, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or tempeh can also be used in addition to or in place of chicken.

Vegetables:

This easy Hunan chicken recipe is packed full of delicious vegetables like carrots, zucchini, red and green bell peppers. You can boost the nutrients by incorporating more of your favorite veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, mushrooms, snap peas, baby corn, or bok choy.

How to Make Hunan Chicken

Step One: 

To make your Hunan chicken sauce, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, garlic, rice vinegar, chicken stock, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and Oyster sauce in a bowl.

Step Two: 

Make the chicken coating in another bowl by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, pepper, salt, and chili flakes.

Step Three: 

Dredge the strips of chicken in the coating and set aside.

Step Four:

Heat the olive oil in a wok over high heat.

Step Five: 

Add the chicken to the hot wok and sear on all sides for roughly 3-5 minutes. Remove it from the wok and set aside.

Step Six: 

Add the zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers to the wok, stir fry until the veggies are tender enough to pierce with a fork, then add the chicken back to the wok.

Step Seven: 

Stir fry the chicken and vegetables for 20-30 seconds, then mix in the Hunan chicken sauce and stir fry until it reaches your desired thickness.

Step Eight: 

Serve this authentic Hunan chicken atop a bed of rice with some fresh chopped green onions, and enjoy!

Tips

• This Hunan chicken stir fry comes together quickly, so ensure you have all your ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go before you start cooking.
• Because you will be stir frying at a high temperature, ensure you are stirring everything continuously to avoid burning.

What to Serve With Hunan Chicken

This authentic Hunan chicken pairs wonderfully with simple sides that balance its bold, spicy flavors. Steamed Calrose rice or Jasmine rice is a classic choice, as it absorbs the flavorful Hunan chicken sauce and mellows the dish's heat. If you prefer a lighter option, cauliflower rice works well, too.

For added freshness, consider a crisp cucumber salad or vegetables, like bok choy or green beans, which offer a cooling contrast to the spice of the dish. Egg rolls or spring rolls make tasty, crunchy sides, and a bowl of hot and sour soup or wonton soup completes the meal.

FAQs

Is this a gluten-free Hunan chicken recipe?

This recipe is not naturally gluten-free as it contains soy sauce. To make a gluten-free Hunan chicken, simply swap the soy sauce for tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.

Can I make my homemade Hunan Chicken less spicy?

Yes, you can! Simply reduce the amount of chili garlic sauce and crushed chili flakes in your homemade Hunan chicken. Additionally, adding a bit of sugar, maple syrup, or honey can also help balance the heat.

What's the best way to store leftover Hunan chicken?

You can store leftover Hunan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. For longer-term storage, it can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chinese Food Recipes

This spicy Hunan chicken is an authentic Chinese dish that is quick and easy for anyone to make. To add more Asian inspiration to your culinary repertoire, check out this collection of our favorite Chinese food recipes.

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Beef and Broccoli

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Yakisoba