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Szechuan Chicken

Materials

  • 1 lb 450 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons dried chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Preparing the Chicken:

  • In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, and cornstarch. Mix well until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss them gently to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or you can refrigerate it for up to an hour to enhance the flavor.

Preparing the Szechuan Sauce:

  • Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the Szechuan peppercorns and dried chili flakes. Toast them for a minute or two until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Transfer the toasted spices to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, and grind them into a fine powder.
  • In the same skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the ground Szechuan peppercorn and chili flake mixture to the skillet, stirring continuously for another 30 seconds to release their flavors.
  • Add the sliced bell peppers and stir-fry for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Pour this sauce into the skillet and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary. Remember, Szechuan chicken is meant to be spicy, so don't hold back on the heat!

Cooking the Chicken:

  • Heat a separate skillet or wok over high heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan, spreading them out in a single layer.
  • Let the chicken cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes until it develops a golden brown crust. Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
  • Pour the prepared Szechuan sauce over the cooked chicken, ensuring that every piece is coated evenly. Stir-fry for another minute or two until the chicken is fully coated in the flavorful sauce.
  • Add the sliced green onions to the skillet and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds, allowing the flavors to meld together.