Forget takeout and make Szechuan Chicken at home. This classic Chinese stir fry is made with tender chicken and dried red chilis coated in a spicy, savory, ever so slightly sweet sauce. Get ready for an exciting pop of flavor in every bite.
Easy Szechuan Chicken Stir Fry
There is something so satisfying about making a takeout favorite in your own kitchen at a fraction of the cost. AND this Szechuan Chicken fits the bill. Plus, it takes under 30 minutes to make. That’s quicker than Doordashing from your favorite Chinese food restaurant!
Spicy, savory, and sweet come together in this classic stir fry. It’s packed with tender chicken, red chilis, and bell peppers, all coated in a luscious, flavorful sauce that will have you returning for seconds.
What Is Szechuan Chicken?
Szechuan Chicken (or Sichuan chicken) is a Chinese takeout classic. Traditionally, it is prepared with tender pieces of chicken thighs sauteed with dried red chilis. The chilis impart a spicy kick to a savory yet slightly sweet sauce that coats the chicken.
What’s The Difference Between General Tso and Szechuan Chicken?
These two spicy Chinese favorites are often mistaken for one another. Some subtle differences set them apart, however. Szechuan chicken is generally spicier than General Tso Chicken. In addition, General Tso Chicken is more heavily breaded and is deep fried as opposed to being stir-fried, as is Szechuan chicken.
What Is The Flavor of Szechuan Chicken?
Spicy. Savory. Sweet. The dried red chilies add a significant amount of heat to this delicious entree. However, the spice is balanced nicely by a deeply savory, hoisin-based sauce and a hint of honey.
Recipe Ingredients
Hop in the car and get to the grocery store. Trust me; it’ll be worth it. Here’s what you will need to make this spicy Szechuan chicken. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for detailed measurements.
For the sauce
Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce.
Water
Soy sauce: Coconut aminos will work here as well. Just remember that they are a tad less salty, so you may want to adjust by adding a bit of sea salt to taste.
Hoisin sauce
Toasted sesame oil: Make sure you select a “toasted” product. Light sesame oil will not impart the desired flavor.
Rice wine vinegar
Minced ginger: Feel free to use jarred ginger or powdered ginger instead. If using powdered ginger, use 1/2 teaspoon.
Honey
For the Szechuan chicken
Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Boneless skinless chicken thighs will work beautifully here as well.
Cornstarch
Avocado oil: Feel free to use another neutral, high-smoke point cooking oil.
Scallions
Bell peppers: I like using red and green bell peppers, but the color choice is up to you.
Dried red chilis: You can usually find these in the produce section at the grocery store. If they aren’t there, try the spice aisle.
Garlic
Sea salt and ground black pepper
How to Make Szechuan Chicken
Who knew making a restaurant-quality dish could be so easy? In just 25 minutes, you can have an incredibly flavorful Chinese classic on your plate. Here’s an overview of how to make Szechuan chicken stir fry.
For the sauce
Whisk together the cornstarch, and water until smooth.
Add the remainder of the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until smooth.
For the Szechuan chicken
Toss together the chicken in cornstarch.
Heat some avocado oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown the chicken. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Saute the veggies. Heat the remaining avocado oil in the pan and add the white parts of the scallions, bell peppers, and dried red chilis. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
Finish it off. Add the browned chicken and the sauce to the pan and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the green parts of the scallions.
Tips for Success
Craving that perfect, copycat takeout Szechuan chicken stir fry? Follow these tips and tricks and you’ll never order takeout again.
Think ahead. Stir fries go fast. Once you start tossing ingredients into the pan, you need to be very attentive, constantly keeping them moving. This means you won’t have time to slice and dice once you start cooking. So make sure to prep all your ingredients and keep them close to the stove.
Use the right pan. It is important to use a heavy-bottomed pan with a large surface area (ideally a wok) when making this delicious chicken stir fry. This ensures an even spread of heat to all areas of the pan and that all of the ingredients have an equal and ample chance of being directly exposed to the hot metal.
Cook on high. Get your pan nice and hot before you even think about adding anything to it. The high heat cooks quickly, allowing the foods to maintain their fresh, natural flavors while still cooking all the way through.
Keep it moving. Because you are using such high temperatures, one moment away from the stove could mean burnt chicken. So make sure to continually stir the ingredients in your pan or wok.
Don’t crowd the pan. When browning the chicken, make sure all of the pieces have enough room to make contact with the hot pan. If the pan is crowded, the chicken will not brown properly and will, instead, release its juices, leaving you with dry meat.
What to Serve with Chinese Szechuan Chicken
While this chicken stir fry is delicious on its own, it is even more enjoyable with the addition of a side or two. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this classic takeout dish.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Chinese Szechuan chicken makes for wonderful leftovers. Allow the dish to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
When reheating, heat a bit of avocado oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the leftovers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes (or until heated through), stirring often.
More Chinese Takeout Recipes:
We all get cravings for Chinese takeout every once in a while. Is Szechuan chicken not your thing? No problem. Here are a few of my other favorite Chinese takeout copycat recipes. Let me know which one is your fave.
ENJOY!
Prep Time 10mins
Cook Time 15mins
Total Time 25mins
For the sauce
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.
Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, minced ginger, and honey, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
For the Szechuan chicken
Add the chicken and cornstarch to a medium-sized mixing bowl and toss to coat the chicken with the cornstarch.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or wok, heat half of the avocado oil over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and sauté for 3 minutes, browning the chicken on all sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining avocado oil and allow to heat for about 20 seconds.
Add the white parts of the scallions, sliced bell peppers, and dried red chilis to the pan and sauté until the chilis start to hydrate and the bell peppers begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for 15 seconds or until fragrant.
Return the chicken to the pan, stir in the Szechuan sauce, and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and ground black pepper and garnish with the green parts of the scallions.
Serve.
Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless chicken thighs are also a good option.
Avocado Oil: I like this oil for high-heat cooking, but you can also use vegetable oil, peanut oil, or other high-smoke point oil.
Dried Chilis: You can get a bag of these at your local import/export store, a well-stocked grocery store, Amazon, etc… However, if you can’t find any, use a couple of teaspoons (or to taste) of red pepper flakes.
Use the right pan. It is important to use a heavy-bottomed pan with a large surface area – think Wok – when making delicious stir-fries.
Don’t crowd the pan when cooking the chicken. If the pan is loaded, the chicken will steam and not brown.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
