Hunan chicken is a fast, savory, spicy stir-fry of tender chicken thighs, fresh hot chili peppers, crisp celery, scallions, garlic and ginger in a dark, glossy sauce built on fermented black beans, oyster sauce and soy sauce. The chicken is seared first, the vegetables are cooked quickly so they stay crisp, and the sauce is reduced at the end until it coats everything. It is ready in 30 minutes and is at its best over a bowl of steamed rice.
How to make Hunan chicken: Toss 1 pound of chicken thigh pieces with Shaoxing wine, salt and cornstarch. Mix oyster sauce, wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and a little cornstarch for the sauce. Sear the chicken in hot oil to 165°F and set aside. Stir-fry scallion whites, garlic, ginger and fermented black beans for 1 minute, add chili peppers, celery and scallion greens for 2 minutes, then return the chicken, add the sauce and cook until it coats everything.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick. Ten minutes at the stove once everything is cut.
- Fresh heat. Sliced chili peppers, not a jar of paste.
- Deep savory flavor. Fermented black beans, oyster sauce and two soy sauces.
- Crisp vegetables. Celery and peppers stay bright and crunchy.
- One skillet. No wok needed.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thighs. One pound, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces. Chicken breast also works.
Shaoxing wine. Two tablespoons in all: one for the chicken and one for the sauce. It is a Chinese rice wine sold in Asian markets.
Cornstarch. Two teaspoons to coat the chicken, plus 1/2 teaspoon to thicken the sauce.
Oyster sauce, soy sauce and dark soy sauce. The salty, savory base. Dark soy adds color.
Sugar. Two teaspoons, to balance the salt.
Fermented black beans. Two tablespoons. These are salted, preserved soybeans with a strong, savory taste.
Scallions, garlic and ginger. Six scallions, 5 cloves of garlic and a 1/2-inch piece of ginger.
Celery. Two stalks, sliced on the bias.
Hot chili peppers. Two, such as Anaheim or Fresno, thinly sliced.
Peanut oil. Two tablespoons, divided. Vegetable oil is fine.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
For the stir-fry
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts separated
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
- 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
- 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
- 2 stalks celery, sliced on the bias
- 2 hot chili peppers, thinly sliced on the bias
How to Make Hunan Chicken
1. Coat the chicken. Mix the chicken with a tablespoon of the wine, the salt and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch until evenly coated in a thin slurry.
2. Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, the other tablespoon of wine, the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch.
3. Sear the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Spread the chicken in one layer without overlapping. Sear until golden underneath, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer before moving it to a plate. Keep cooking if needed.
4. Cook the aromatics. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the scallion whites, garlic, ginger and fermented black beans. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute, until fragrant.
5. Stir-fry the vegetables. Add the chili peppers, celery and scallion greens. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender.
6. Coat and serve. Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce reduces and coats everything. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Where Does the Heat Come From?
From the fresh peppers. In this recipe there is no chili paste and no chili oil in the sauce. The sauce itself is savory and a little sweet. All the heat is in the sliced chili peppers that are stir-fried with the celery.
It helps to think of the dish in three parts, each cooked on its own and brought together at the end.
| Part | What is in it | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| The chicken | Thigh pieces in wine, salt and cornstarch | Tender meat with a golden sear |
| The aromatics and vegetables | Scallions, garlic, ginger, black beans, celery, hot peppers | Fragrance, crunch and all of the heat |
| The sauce | Oyster sauce, wine, two soy sauces, sugar, cornstarch | Salt, depth, color and a glossy coating |
How hot the finished dish is depends on the peppers you buy. Chili peppers vary a great deal, even within one variety, so taste a thin slice before you cook.
How to know the sauce is ready
When the sauce goes in, it is thin. Keep stirring over the heat. In a minute or so it darkens, thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables, with very little liquid left in the pan. That is the moment to take the skillet off the heat.
Tips for Success
Why cut everything first?
A stir-fry cooks in minutes. There is no time to slice or measure once the pan is hot.
Why spread the chicken in one layer?
Pieces that touch the hot pan brown. Pieces piled on top of each other steam and turn pale.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes. Cut it the same size and watch it closely, because breast dries out faster than thigh.
Where do I find fermented black beans?
In Asian grocery stores, in bags or jars. They are not the same as canned black beans.
What does Hunan chicken taste like?
Savory, salty and spicy, with the sharp freshness of chili peppers and the deep flavor of fermented black beans.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F in a hot skillet.
What to Serve With It
Steamed white rice is all it needs. For more chicken dinners, try the 4-ingredient French onion chicken, the Ritz cracker chicken casserole or the chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta bake. For hands-off nights, there is the 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken, the slow cooker brown sugar chicken and the slow cooker Amish broccoli chicken noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What flavor is Hunan chicken?
Savory and spicy, from fresh chili peppers, garlic, ginger and fermented black beans.
Is the sauce spicy?
Not on its own. The heat comes from the sliced peppers cooked with the vegetables.
What vegetables are in it?
Celery, scallions and hot chili peppers.
What do I serve it with?
Steamed rice.
Final Notes
I line up the bowls next to the stove in the order they go into the pan: chicken, aromatics, vegetables, sauce. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Hunan Chicken
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces; chicken breast is an alternative
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine for the chicken
- 1/4 teaspoon salt for the chicken
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch for the chicken
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce for the sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar for the sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch for the sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil; divided
- 6 scallions cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts separated
- 5 cloves garlic smashed and sliced
- 1/2 inch ginger julienned
- 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
- 2 stalks celery sliced on the bias into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
- 2 hot chili peppers such as Anaheim or Fresno, thinly sliced on the bias
Instructions
- Mix the chicken with a tablespoon of the wine, the salt and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch until evenly coated in a thin slurry.
- In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, the other tablespoon of wine, the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Spread the chicken in one layer without overlapping. Sear until golden underneath, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer before moving it to a plate. Keep cooking if needed.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the scallion whites, garlic, ginger and fermented black beans. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the chili peppers, celery and scallion greens. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just starting to turn tender.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce reduces and coats everything. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Tap a star to rate it.
