This spicy Hunan chicken recipe has bold flavors, tender chicken, and fresh vegetables that easily rival any takeout version. Follow my simple steps to create a delicious meal in the comfort of your own home.
Spice up your dinner routine with this easy and tasty Hunan chicken recipe. This dish is hearty and healthy, with fresh vegetables like onion, celery, broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots. Even with prep time, this dish takes less than forty minutes to prepare. If you like this recipe, try pepper steak, chicken yakisoba, and pork stir fry.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Do not cube your chicken. Instead, cut it into longer and thinner bite-sized slices. This will help cook it all the way through without drying it out.
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Oil: vegetable oil or canola oil
- Oyster sauce: is a savory condiment used in Chinese cooking. Not everyone has access to oyster sauce or likes it, so feel free to substitute it with a Hoisin sauce. The flavor will be a little different, but it is equally delicious. Find hoisin sauce in the Asian section of your local grocery store, along with the other jarred sauces.
- Rice vinegar: substitute apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Shaoxing wine: This is Chinese rice wine. You can substitute dry sherry on a 1:1 ratio.
- Grated ginger: Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger, and once opened, it lasts about one month in the fridge.
- Chili paste: I use sambal oelek, which is ground fresh chili paste. You can find it in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. Store it in the fridge for up to two months, and use it in bang bang shrimp and chicken lettuce wraps.
How To Make Hunan Chicken
- Combine the thinly sliced chicken, soy sauce, and water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and vegetable oil and set aside for about 20 minutes.
- Whisk the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, honey, grated ginger, garlic, and chili paste.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pan-fry it in a bit of oil in a large skillet on the stovetop. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add a little more oil and stir-fry the vegetables. Transfer the veggies to a plate.
- Pour the sauce into the pan and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. Return the chicken and veggies to the skillet and toss to coat.
Preparation Tips
- When cooking the chicken and vegetables, use medium-high to high heat and an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
- My family loves a ton of sauce, so I double the sauce ingredients. You can do the same, but it will increase the sodium content.
- The sauce will thicken a little more as it cools.
More Asian Recipes
Authentic Hunan Chicken
This spicy Hunan chicken recipe is packed with bold flavors, tender chicken, and fresh vegetables that can easily rival any takeout version. Follow our simple steps to create a delicious meal in the comfort of your own home.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4
Calories: 284kcal
Ingredients
Velvet Chicken
- 1¼ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Hunan Sauce
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chili paste or sambal oelek
Vegetables for Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken, soy sauce, and water. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and vegetable oil and set the bowl aside for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, honey, grated ginger, garlic, and chili paste. Set the bowl aside for a few minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade and place it in a single layer in the skillet. Cook until browned, then flip and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Work in batches, and don't crowd the pan. Add more vegetable oil if needed.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the onions, celery, red bell pepper, and carrots to the skillet with the broccoli and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium and whisk the sauce ingredients again. Pour the sauce into the pan and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. Return the chicken and veggies to the skillet and toss to coat. For best results, serve promptly.
Nutrition
Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 937mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4503IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Staci k
I was literally telling my husband I was crazing something like this last night. You read my mind. Absolute perfection!
Kristy
YUM! I love this Hunan chicken! So tasty and easy to make. It tastes so much better than takeout! Thank you for the grewat recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Kristy!
Sarah
The substitution tips make it super adaptable—I subbed Hoisin for oyster sauce and adjusted the chili paste for a milder version my kids could eat. And it’s under 40 minutes which is perfect for our busy weeknights. This is a family favorite we’ll make again and again!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Sarah! I am so glad that your family liked it.
Catherine
Oh my gosh, such a delicious, healthy, and easy-to-make dish for my family. Yum!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catherine!
Emily
The veggies that you’ve included in this dish are so delicious, especially with the sauce! The whole family loved it. It will on repeat at our house
Mimi Rippee
Great recipe! Love the sauce ingredients!!
Jennie
Love this hunan chicken. It is better than my favorite Asian restaurant and my husband loved it too! It is a keeper.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jennie!
Clark Andrew
I had been craving some spicy Hunan chicken ever since I moved to the city, but I couldn’t find any restaurant that served it. One day, I stumbled upon a small family-owned place that had a sign that said “Authentic Hunan Cuisine”. I ordered the Hunan chicken and it was the best thing I ever tasted, with tender meat, crunchy vegetables, and a fiery sauce that made my mouth water. Now I found your recipe online, I am excited to do it myself.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Clark! Enjoy!
Charlotte Adams
What a delicious dish for the family. They loved it. This is a keeper! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Charlotte!
Allison
This chicken comes out so delicious and the sauce is to die for!