Hunan Style Chicken
How to Make Hunan Chicken – This classic Chinese-style stir fry recipe is quick and easy to prepare with tender chicken thighs, fresh veggies like bell pepper and broccoli, and a sweet and spicy garlic honey soy sauce.
Why We Love Hunan Style Chicken
Hunan chicken is a fabulous Chinese stir fry dish, from the Hunan province of China, that incorporates chicken and mixed vegetables in a tangy-sweet sauce with quite a bit of spicy heat. It’s similar to our fantastic Hunan beef recipe, but swaps red meat for leaner poultry.
We have several delicious Chinese chicken stir fry’s available to you: chicken and garlic sauce, sesame chicken, Mushu chicken, bourbon chicken, firecracker chicken, orange chicken, chicken Manchuran, Kung pao chicken, and black pepper chicken… However, Hunan chicken has its own unique spicy brown sauce that makes it completely irresistible. Plus, it’s easy to make in well under an hour!
And hey, If you would like to make this dish but aren’t a fan of spicy foods, you can certainly lower the amount of chili garlic paste to reduce the heat taste.
Ingredients You Need
For the Hunan Chicken Recipe –
- Chicken thighs – or boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Broccoli – fresh chopped florets
- Bell Pepper – green and red, or whatever colors you prefer
- Scallions– green onions chopped and separated into whites and greens
- Celery – sliced thin on a bias
- Cornstarch – to make the chicken lightly crispy without heavy breading
- Peanut oil – or vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper – a pinch of both
To Make the Hunan Sauce –
- Oyster sauce – can swap with hoisin sauce if not available
- Soy sauce – low sodium
- Honey – or granulated sugar
- Chili garlic sauce – chili paste offers the bold and spicy flavor that gives Hunan-style chicken its signature heat
- Rice vinegar – adds just the right amount of acidity and tanginess
- Garlic – minced
How to Make Hunan-Style Chicken Stir Fry
Prep the ingredients, by chopping the skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch bite-size pieces. Then chop all the fresh produce into 1-inch pieces. Make sure to separate the scallions into whites and greens. The scallions will be added to the recipe at different times.
Set out a large mixing bowl and add the chicken pieces to it. Sprinkle cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper over the chicken. Toss well until all the chicken pieces are coated.
Set out a small bowl (or measuring pitcher) to mix the stir fry sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and minced garlic. Stir well to mix.
Place a wok (or large skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan and swirl it around. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan. Stir fry the chicken pieces for 5 minutes, until they are lightly browned on all sides.
Then move the chicken pieces out of the pan to a holding plate, leaving the remaining oil in the skillet.
To the empty skillet, add the scallion whites, celery, and red and green bell peppers.
Stir fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes, then add the broccoli florets and chicken pieces back to the pan.
Get the Complete (Printable) Hunan Style Chicken Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Pour the sauce over the stir fry.
Stir and simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes until the broccoli florets are cooked, but still firm.
Sprinkle scallion greens over the top of the stir fry, and serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Hunan chicken warm with a side of fluffy white jasmine rice or brown rice. For a low carb option try our delicious cauliflower rice recipe!
Pair with other classic Asian-inspired sides dishes for a meal to feed a hungry crowd… Try homemade potstickers, egg drop soup, zesty wor wonton soup, Panda Express super greens, or sweet and spicy roasted broccolini for even more tangy spiciness.
And if you really love spicy food you’ll want to have a side of more chili garlic sauce on hand, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe packs quite a spicy punch. Feel free to reduce the amount of chili garlic sauce in the recipe, or omit all together, for a milder dish.
Hunan cuisine is similar to Szechuan beef or chicken. Both are spicy Chinese stir fry recipes that highlight the flavors of their province. However, Szechuan-style dishes usually include tingly Sichuan peppercorns to up the spice level.
There are many healthy aspects to the recipe: Chicken – even the thigh – is a rather lean source of protein, and this dish is packed with nutritious veggies. Stir fry recipes use very little oil, so this is much healthier than pan or deep frying.
But keep in mind that oyster sauce and soy sauce both are rather high in sodium. Therefore I suggest using a low-sodium soy sauce.
Let the chicken and veggies cool before transferring to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Sure! Feel free to add in baby corn, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, or even chili peppers.
If you would prefer to make this recipe with pork, simply skip the chicken and use chopped porkloin instead. Peanuts, cashews, or other nuts can be added at the end for crunch. Or garnish with crystalized ginger and scallions.
Looking for More Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Simply Teriyaki Bowl with Chicken
- Paleo Cashew Chicken
- The Ultimate Bourbon Chicken
- Instant Pot Chinese Chicken
- Beijing Beef (Panda Express Copycat)
Hunan Style Chicken Stir Fry Recipe + Video
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken Stir Fry –
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless chicken thigh cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped scallions separated into whites and greens
- ½ cup celery sliced thin on a bias
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Hunan Stir Fry Sauce –
- 1/3 cup oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients, by chopping the chicken into 1-inch bite-size pieces. Then chop all the fresh produce into 1-inch pieces. Make sure to separate the scallions into whites and greens. The scallions will be added to the recipe at different times.
- Set out a large mixing bowl and add the chicken pieces to it. Sprinkle cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper over the chicken. Toss well until all the chicken pieces are coated.
- Set out a small bowl (or measuring pitcher) to mix the stir fry sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, honey, rice vinegar and minced garlic. Stir well to mix.
- Place a wok (or large deep cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan and swirl it around. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan. Stir fry the chicken pieces for 5 minutes, until they are lightly browned on all sides. Then move them out of the pan to a holding plate, leaving the remaining oil in the skillet.
- To the empty skillet, add the scallion whites, celery, and red and green bell peppers. Stir fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes, then add the broccoli florets and chicken pieces back to the pan.
- Pour the sauce over the stir fry. Stir and simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes until the broccoli florets are cooked, but still firm. Sprinkle scallion greens over the top of the stir fry. Serve warm with a side of jasmine rice, brown rice, or low carb cauliflower rice.
This is my new go-to comfort food. A bowl filled with flavorful chicken and fresh veggies!
This is the best hunan chicken recipe and I cannot thank you enough for sharing this amazing dish! I love some good homemade chinese food!
I love the sauce!! This dish is full of flavor & so yummy!! I could eat Chinese food everyday! I love it so much & I am adding this to our rotation!!
This Hunan Chicken had so much flavor, it was so good.