You can find Szechuan Chicken on any Chinese menu no matter where you go. But now you can find the best Szechuan Chicken in your very own kitchen, no menu required! The sweet and spicy sauce that defines this dish is memorable and mouth-wateringly good, whether it’s coating the savory chicken or the bright and hot peppers. The only takeaway you’ll need from this recipe is taking the dishes away after they’ve been licked clean.
Ingredients
For the stir-fry:
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- salt, to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 25 small dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
Directions
Step 1 –In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
Step 2 –Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over high heat on the stove-top.
Step 3 –Place the coated chicken in the pan in a single layer, working in batches if necessary.
Step 4 –Cook the chicken until golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 5 –Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Step 6 –Add the onions, red bell peppers, and green bell peppers to the pan.
Step 7 –Add the chiles and Sichuan peppercorns.
Step 8 –Cook until the vegetables soften, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 9 –While the vegetables cook, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth in a small bowl.
Step 10 –Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 11 –Return the chicken to the pan.
Step 12 –Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture in the pan.
Step 13 –Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until the sauce has just thickened, for about 30 seconds-1 minute.
Step 14 –Serve immediately.
