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.

Course dinner, main course chicken

Cuisine Asian, Asian American

Keyword Hunan chicken recipe, hunan style chicken, is Hunana chicken spicy, what is Hunan chicken, what is in Hunan chicken

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Velveting Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 284kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Velvet Chicken

1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable

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
1/2 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.

Notes

Do not cube your chicken. Instead, cut it into bite-size slices that are longer and thinner. This will help cook it all the way through without drying it out.
Not everyone has access to oyster sauce or likes it, so feel free to substitute Hoisin Sauce. The flavor will be a little different, but it is equally delicious. Hoisin Sauce can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store with the other jarred sauces.
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.

Nutrition