Hunan Chicken Stir Fry (Printable)
Sliced chicken wok-tossed with colorful vegetables in a fiery, savory Hunan sauce with bold aromatic heat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
03 - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
04 - 1 tsp cornstarch
05 - ½ tsp sesame oil
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 cup broccoli florets
07 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
08 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
09 - 1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
10 - 8 baby corn, halved
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
13 - 2 spring onions, sliced
→ Sauce
14 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
16 - 1 tbsp chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)
17 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
18 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
19 - 1 tsp sugar
20 - 2 tbsp water
→ Cooking Oil
21 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken breast with 1 tbsp soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili bean paste, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and water until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until the oil just begins to shimmer. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the same wok over high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant. Toss in the broccoli florets, sliced bell peppers, carrot, and halved baby corn. Stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables, tossing continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is evenly coated and the sauce becomes glossy and thickened.
06 - Stir in the sliced spring onions and adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve immediately alongside steamed rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce hits every note at once, salty, tangy, sweet, and deeply savory, with a heat that builds rather than overwhelms.
- It comes together fast enough to beat takeout delivery and tastes like you spent far longer than thirty five minutes on it.
02 -
- Do not crowd the wok with chicken, cook in two batches if needed because steaming instead of searing ruins the texture.
- Have every ingredient prepped and measured before you turn on the heat, this dish moves fast and waits for no one.
03 -
- Slice the chicken while it is slightly firm from the freezer, about twenty minutes makes all the difference for clean even pieces.
- The sauce thickens as it sits in the hot wok so pull it off the heat a moment before you think it looks done.