If you’re a fan of Chinese food with a kick, Szechuan chicken is the dish for you. It’s a tasty blend of heat, sweetness, and sourness that beats any takeout version. The best part? You can whip it up at home!
I’ll let you in on a little secret – making your favorite Chinese dishes at home can be easy, fun, and economical. Try my recipes for slow-cooker General Tso’s chicken, kung pao shrimp, and crispy crab rangoon for a complete Chinese feast.
Szechuan chicken is a crowd-pleaser from China’s Sichuan province. This fiery dish brings together juicy chicken pieces glazed with a mix of sweet chili sauce, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Making it at home lets you control the spice level and experiment with ingredients. I guarantee this juicy, saucy chicken will make your dinner rotation more exciting.
To bring this Chinese classic to life, you’ll need ingredients like five spice, chili sauce, and Chinese black vinegar. You can find these at your local Asian grocery store. Your main ingredient is boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coated in a mix of cornstarch and Chinese five spice for a crispy texture and flavor explosion.
The recipe also calls for Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce to balance out the dish, cornstarch to thicken the sauce, and vegetable oil for frying. Add some fresh veggies like yellow onion, sugar snap peas, chopped broccoli, and red bell peppers for color and crunch. And let’s not forget the star of the show – the Szechuan sauce that gives the chicken its distinctive bold flavor.
Making Szechuan chicken is a breeze. Just marinate the chicken, fry it, sauté the vegetables, add the sauce, and serve over rice. Remember to avoid overcrowding the pan when frying the chicken and feel free to add nuts for extra flavor and texture. If you’re watching your carbs, serve it over cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
Szechuan chicken is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to go all out, try serving it with Asian egg rolls, egg drop soup, wonton soup, or chicken lo mein. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat them for a quick and tasty meal.
Once you’ve mastered Szechuan chicken, you might want to try your hand at other Chinese favorites. Why order expensive, greasy takeout when you can cook fresh, flavorful dishes at home? Check out my recipes for Moo Goo Gai Pan, Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken, Garlic Beef and Broccoli Noodles, and Firecracker Chicken.