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Hunan Chicken

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

A fast, fiery Hunan-style stir-fry of velveted chicken, crisp broccoli, and bell peppers in a glossy, savory sauce with garlic, ginger, and fresh Thai chilies. Better than takeout and ready in about 30 minutes over jasmine rice.

  • Total Time35 minutes
  • Yield4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chili bean sauce (toban djan) (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 heads broccoli (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs; stems peeled, florets and stems cut bite-sized)
  • 2 medium bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow; cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 5 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
  • 1 3/4-inch piece ginger (peeled if desired, coarsely chopped)
  • 8 red Thai bird's-eye chilies (trimmed and thinly sliced; use fewer for less heat)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • steamed jasmine rice (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, marinate the chicken: mix the sliced chicken with 1 teaspoon of the chili bean sauce, the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of the oil, salt, and sugar with your hands until slightly sticky and well coated. Let marinate at room temperature at least 10 minutes.
  2. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and blanch 1 to 2 minutes, until it returns to a boil. Drain.
  3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. Add half the chicken in a single layer and stir-fry about 2 minutes, until browned and almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil and cook the remaining chicken. Transfer to the plate.
  4. Wipe out the wok and reheat over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When shimmering, add the garlic, ginger, and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes (cover for part of the time to soften, then uncover to release steam).
  6. Return the chicken and juices to the wok. Add the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon chili bean sauce. Stir-fry about 1 minute more, until the chicken is cooked through and everything is coated in a glossy sauce. Serve over jasmine rice.

Notes

Velveting the chicken in cornstarch and oil gives it that silky restaurant texture. Cook the chicken in two batches over high heat so it sears instead of steaming. Prep everything before you start — the cooking goes fast. Eight Thai chilies is quite spicy; use fewer or seed them for less heat. Don’t let the garlic brown or it turns bitter. Substitute the broccoli with trimmed, halved green beans if you like. Best fresh; leftovers keep up to 4 days refrigerated.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stir-Frying
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/hunan-chicken/