This spicy Hunan chicken recipe is packed with bold flavors, tender chicken, and fresh vegetables that can easily rival any takeout version. Follow our simple steps to create a delicious meal in the comfort of your own home.
You Are Going to Love this Hunan Chicken
Spice up your dinner routine with this easy and tasty Hunan chicken recipe. With a perfect balance of heat and flavor, this dish is sure to become a family favorite. It’s sure to satisfy your taste buds and leave you wanting more! This dish is hearty and healthy, with fresh vegetables like onion, celery, broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots. Even with prep time, this dish takes less than forty minutes to prepare. If you like this recipe, try pepper steak, chicken yakisoba, chicken lo mein, and pork stir fry.
What is Hunan Chicken?
Hunan chicken is a classic Chinese stir-fry with thinly sliced chicken breasts, celery, broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots in a savory garlic ginger sauce.
Ingredients for Hunan Chicken
For the Hunan sauce, you need low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili paste.
To velvet the chicken, you need chicken breasts, low sodium soy sauce, cornstarch, and vegetable oil.
For the vegetable portion, you need vegetable oil, onion, celery, broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots.
How To Make Hunan Chicken
In a small bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken, soy sauce, and water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and vegetable oil and set aside for about 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, honey, grated ginger, garlic, and chili paste.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and pan-fry it in a little oil in a large skillet on the stovetop. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add a little more oil and stir-fry the vegetables. Transfer the veggies to a plate.
Pour the sauce into the pan and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. Return the chicken and veggies to the skillet and toss to coat.
Recipe Tips
- Do not cube your chicken. Instead, cut it into longer and thinner bite-size slices. This will help cook it all the way through without drying it out.
- Not everyone has access to oyster sauce or likes it, so feel free to substitute it with a Hoisin sauce. The flavor will be a little different, but it is equally delicious. Hoisin sauce can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store, along with the other jarred sauces.
- When cooking the chicken and vegetables, use medium-high to high heat and an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
- My family loves a ton of sauce, so I double the sauce ingredients. You can do the same, but it will increase the sodium content.
- The sauce will thicken a little more as it cools.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They can also be reheated on the stovetop in a skillet or in the microwave at reduced power.
To freeze, cool, then spoon it into a sturdy airtight freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Completely thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Asian Recipes
Hunan Chicken
Ingredients
Velvet Chicken
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable
Hunan Sauce
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chili paste or sambal oelek
Vegetables for Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken, soy sauce, and water. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and vegetable oil and set the bowl aside for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, honey, grated ginger, garlic, and chili paste. Set the bowl aside for a few minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade and place it in a single layer in the skillet. Cook until browned, then flip and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Work in batches, and don't crowd the pan. Add more vegetable oil if needed.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the onions, celery, red bell pepper, and carrots to the skillet with the broccoli and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium and whisk the sauce ingredients again. Pour the sauce into the pan and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. Return the chicken and veggies to the skillet and toss to coat. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet or in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze, cool, then spoon it into a sturdy airtight freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Completely thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Mimi Rippee
Great recipe! Love the sauce ingredients!!
Jennie
Love this hunan chicken. It is better than my favorite Asian restaurant and my husband loved it too! It is a keeper.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jennie!
Clark Andrew
I had been craving some spicy Hunan chicken ever since I moved to the city, but I couldn’t find any restaurant that served it. One day, I stumbled upon a small family-owned place that had a sign that said “Authentic Hunan Cuisine”. I ordered the Hunan chicken and it was the best thing I ever tasted, with tender meat, crunchy vegetables, and a fiery sauce that made my mouth water. Now I found your recipe online, I am excited to do it myself.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Clark! Enjoy!
Charlotte Adams
What a delicious dish for the family. They loved it. This is a keeper! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Charlotte!
Allison
This chicken comes out so delicious and the sauce is to die for!
Kara
Great recipe! It was just the way I like my Hunan Chicken and better than my favorite Asian restaurant! Thanks for the recipe!
Harold Laymen
A truly mouth watering recipe indeed! In my opinion, the bold flavors make it extra special.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Harold!
Yakira
This is super tasty! I love a good stir fry, the sauce tastes great and I love all of the crunchy vegetables too. I will make this often.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Yakira! Enjoy!
Melissa Watkins
This was incredibly delicious and I love how beautiful the dish turned out. I will be making these again and again.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Melissa!
Janette
This was restaurant quality. So darn tasty!!
Elizabeth S
Everyone loved this dish!! The chicken was tender, and the spicy sauce with the veggies was perfect. It was a hit and I’ll definitely make it again!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Elizabeth! So glad that everyone liked it!
Kat Wilson
This Hunan Chicken was a huge hit at the dinner table, and I loved how the flavors came together. Definitely a recipe I’ll be revisiting!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kat!
Sandee
This was perfect with rice! Love all the flavors and how tender the chicken was! And the veggies were so good, even my kids loved them!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandee! So glad that you all liked the Hunan Chicken!
Angie Ferguson
Better than take out! Seriously, so good. I was worried it would be too spicy, but it was just perfect. I might even add in some extra sambal oelek next time.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angie! So glad that you liked the hunan chicken
Gina Duncan
The whole family raved over the flavors of this quick and easy dinner. That sauce was incredible! Thank you!!!!!!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Gina! So glad that they liked it.