Hunan chicken is pieces of chicken, lightly coated and fried, then tossed in a sauce that is slightly sweet, savory, and has a touch of heat. The deep-fried chicken pieces are combined with fresh vegetables for a perfectly balanced stir-fry dinner. It's a speedy and easy dinner that your family will love.
Serve this delicious Chinese chicken recipe with jasmine rice, fried rice, or hibachi noodles.
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It's a great meal for using up what chicken meat you may have. If you have thighs on hand, even though you usually prefer breast meat, it will still be just as wonderful.
The recipe in the photos here is with thigh meat. We prefer thigh meat as it is juicier, more tender, and less expensive.
The recommended vegetables are zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers with ginger and garlic for added flavor.
However, as I mentioned earlier, you can use whatever stir fry veggies you want.
The Hunan sauce is what makes this dish so incredibly yummy!
❔ What Is Hunan Chicken?
Hunan Chicken is a Chinese-American stir fry dish made of tender pieces of chicken that are lightly coated in cornstarch and then tossed in a slightly sweet, spicy, savory chili sauce with vegetables.
It originated from the Hunan province of China, where Hunan cuisine (or Xiang cuisine) is known to have a hot and spicy flavor.
Hunan cuisine is known for its use of chili peppers, garlic, shallots, and many fresh vegetable ingredients.
🤔 Hunan Chicken vs Szechuan Chicken vs Kung Pao Chicken
What is the difference between Hunan Chicken, Szechuan Chicken, and Kung Pao Chicken? These are three very similar chicken dishes.
- Hunan Chicken originates from the Hunan Province in Western China and usually incorporates more vegetables and fresh peppers.
- Szechuan Chicken originates from the Sichuan Province and incorporates more pepper pastes (processed). Kung Pao Chicken is a Szechuan cuisine dish.
They are all spicy chicken dishes with varying flavor profiles.
If you love the fantastic flavor of Hunan Chicken, you should try our Hunan Chicken Wings, beef, and shrimp recipes.
🥘 Ingredients
You'll be all set to go after a quick trip to the grocery store. I prefer peanut oil when stir-frying the chicken and veggies, but you can use whatever vegetable oil you prefer.
Stir Fry Ingredients
- Chicken - 1 pound of chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts cut into small bite-size pieces.
- Cornstarch - 4 teaspoons of cornstarch (divided into 3 teaspoons for chicken and 1 teaspoon for the sauce mixture).
- Egg - 1 large egg.
- Peanut Oil - 2 tablespoons of peanut oil - my preferred oil when frying up Chinese take-out style recipes. Vegetable oil also works.
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic is one of the common flavors of Hunan cuisine.
- Ginger - 1 tablespoon of ginger (peeled and minced).
- Zucchini - Slice 1 cup of zucchini in rounds; you can slice them smaller if desired.
- Carrot - 1 cup of carrot (sliced).
- Bell Pepper - 1 cup of red bell pepper (sliced).
- Green Onion (optional) - for garnish when serving.
Hunan Chicken Sauce Ingredients
- Chicken Broth - ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth.
- Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.
- Sugar - 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- White Ground Pepper - ½ teaspoon of white ground pepper. Black ground pepper works just as well. I used white ground pepper for the presentation.
- Chili Paste - 3 tablespoons of chili paste. I use the Sambal Oelek brand as it is easy to find and has a wonderful spicy flavor.
- Oyster Sauce - 1 ½ tablespoons of oyster sauce.
- Cornstarch - 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Hunan Chicken
Hunan chicken is a straightforward, beginner-friendly recipe ready to serve in just 20 minutes.
To get started, you will need a few mixing bowls, measuring utensils, and a skillet (or wok).
This recipe yields roughly 4 servings.
Make The Hunan Sauce
- Combine ingredients. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl - ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of white ground pepper, 3 tablespoons of chili paste (Sambal Oelek - or tobanjan, or a reduced amount of gochujang), 1 ½ tablespoons of oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Whisk. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
Stir Fry Your Hunan Chicken Ingredients
- Combine ingredients. Combine the 1 large egg and the 3 tablespoon portion of cornstarch in a small bowl large enough for the cut-up chicken pieces. Whisk the egg and cornstarch together, then add the 1 pound of chicken. Add salt and pepper, then stir to coat thoroughly and set aside.
- Cook. In a large frying pan, skillet, or wok, bring the first 2 tablespoons portion of vegetable oil to medium-high heat, then drop the coated chicken pieces into the pan. Distribute the chicken pieces evenly across the frying pan cooking surface to cook evenly and quickly. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate set aside.
- Add ingredients. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to your frying pan, skillet, or wok, and continue to cook at medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes (depending on how softened you like your garlic), then add the chopped vegetables - 1 cup zucchini, 1 cup carrot, and 1 cup red bell pepper.
- Cook veggies. Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, then return the chicken pieces to the frying pan. Add the sauce mixture, stir well, and cook all combined ingredients for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Prepping Chicken for Slicing: Placing your chicken in the freezer for 30 minutes before cooking makes it easier to cut into thin slices.
- Cooking Chicken Properly: To ensure your chicken sears nicely, cook it in batches. Avoid overcrowding the wok, skillet, or heavy-bottomed frying pan to prevent the chicken from steaming instead of searing.
- Finding Sambal Oelek: Sambal Oelek chili paste is available in the Asian aisle of most Walmart stores and other grocery outlets. You can also make it; here is the recipe.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place any leftovers into an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
I don't recommend freezing this dish because the veggies will become too mushy and lose their crisp texture in the freezer.
Reheating
Place your leftovers onto a microwavable plate and cook in 30-second increments until it's warmed to your liking, or up to 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat through in a skillet with some oil or water.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Hunan chicken has a mild-medium heat factor. You can always adjust the chili paste amount to make it less or more spicy if you'd like to!
Yes absolutely! If you'd like to switch up the chicken for a different protein, you could use flank steak or some large shrimp, too!
If your sauce isn't as thick as you'd like it to be, you can add a slurry of equal parts of cornstarch and water. I'd start with 1 tablespoon of each to see if that does the trick. Mix together in a small bowl, pour it into your sauce, and allow 2-3 minutes to thicken up.
😋 More Chinese Chicken Recipes
- Teriyaki Chicken - This teriyaki chicken is loaded with so much flavor and is ready to serve in just 15 minutes.
- Chicken With Garlic Sauce - This easy recipe combines tender pieces of wok-fried chicken with crisp veggies in a garlic sauce.
- General Tso's Chicken Wings - These tasty chicken wings are the perfect appetizer to share at parties and any family get-together.
- Sweet And Sour Chicken - My sweet and sour chicken recipe features breaded chicken with chunks of pineapple, bell peppers, and onion.
- Chicken Manchurian - Chicken Manchurian has a tasty blend of salty, sweet, and tangy flavors.
- Frozen Air Fryer Orange Chicken - Cooking orange chicken in the air fryer comes out delightfully crispy every time.
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📖 Recipe Card
Hunan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken (boneless, skinless thigh or breast cut into bite size pieces)
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch (divided - 3 teaspoon for chicken, 1 teaspoon for the sauce mixture)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil (divided - 2 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon portions, we use peanut oil)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (peeled and minced)
- 1 cup zucchini (sliced)
- 1 cup carrot (sliced)
- 1 cup red bell pepper (sliced)
- green onion (optional, for garnish)
Hunan Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon white ground pepper
- 3 tablespoon chili paste (we use Sambal Oelek)
- 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Hunan Sauce
- Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl: low sodium chicken broth, low sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, white ground pepper, chili paste (Sambal Oelek - or tobanjan, or a reduced amount of gochujang) oyster sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk the sauce ingredients together, set aside.*In a pinch you can use sriracha although I would recommend against it.**The Sambal Oelek can be found in the Asian section at most Walmart and grocery stores.
Hunan Chicken
- Combine the egg and first portion of cornstarch in a small bowl large enough for the cut up chicken pieces. Whisk the egg and cornstarch together, then add the chicken. Add salt and pepper, then stir to coat thoroughly and set aside.
- In a large frying pan, skillet, or wok bring the first 2 tablespoon portion of vegetable oil to medium high heat, then drop the coated chicken pieces into the pan. Distribute the chicken pieces evenly across the frying pan cooking surface so that they cook evenly and quickly. Cook about 3-4 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate, set aside.
- Add the remaining second portion of vegetable oil to your frying pan, skillet, or wok and continue to cook at medium high heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes (depending on how softened you like your garlic) then add the chopped vegetables.
- Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes then return the chicken pieces the frying pan. Add the sauce mixture, stir well, and continue to cook all combined ingredients for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
- Garnish with chopped green onion, if desired.
Notes
- Freezing your chicken for 30 minutes prior to cooking will help you slice it into thin pieces.
- Cook your chicken in batches and make sure to not overcrowd your wok, skillet, or large heavy-bottomed frying pan. If the chicken is overcrowded, it will steam rather than sear.
- The Sambal Oelek chili paste can be found in the Asian section at most Walmart and grocery stores.
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