Szechuan Chicken Recipe

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast (chopped into bite-sized pieces (you can also use chicken thighs if you'd like)

1/4 cup soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup corn starch (use 1-2 tablespoons for a thinner consistency)

1 tablespoon sesame oil (or use olive oil)

1 large bell pepper (chopped)

2 serrano pepper (chopped (optional for extra spicy!)

10 dried chile de arbol peppers (optional for extra spicy, or use other dried peppers you love)

1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns (or use black peppercorns)

1/4 cup peanuts (chopped (plus more for garnish - cashews are great here, too!)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon ground ginger (fresh minced ginger is good too)

1 tablespoon honey (or more for sweeter)

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder (fresh minced garlic is good too)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 tablespoons cornstarch (for thickening)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon szechuan peppercorns (lightly toasted and ground (or use Chinese 5 Spice, or both!)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

1/2 cup chicken stock (optional, for a slightly thinner sauce)

1 teaspoon sriracha (optional, for extra spicy)

Cooked white rice or noodles, spicy chili flakes

Directions

Marinate

Add the chopped chicken to a large bowl. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes.

FOR THE HOMEMADE SZECHUAN SAUCE

Sauce

While the chicken is marinating, whisk all of the ingredients except the cornstarch together in a small pot.

Simmer

Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Thicken

To thicken the sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water until well mixed. Stir it into the Szechuan sauce and stir until it thickens up, 2-3 minutes. For thicker Szechuan sauce, use 2 tablespoons cornstarch and skip the chicken stock. Remove from heat and set aside.

FOR THE SZECHUAN CHICKEN

Oil

Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat.

Chicken

Toss the chicken with 1/2 cup corn starch to coat. Add it to the pan and cook, stirring, 5-6 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Peppers

Heat the pan back to medium-high heat and add the peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.

Peanuts

Add the chiles de arbol, peppercorns and chopped peanuts and cook another 2 minutes, stirring.

Final Simmer

Add the chicken back to the pan along with the homemade Szechuan sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with rice or noodles. Garnish with extra chopped peanuts and spicy chili flakes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 392 kcal
• Total Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 73 mg
• Sodium: 1240 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 33 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 8 g
• Protein: 30 g