30 Minute Szechuan Chicken
30 Minute Szechuan Chicken is bold, crispy, and packed with flavor. Bite sized chicken is fried until golden, tossed with garlic, ginger, colorful bell peppers, and a spicy sweet sauce loaded with real Szechuan peppercorns for that classic lip tingling heat. Faster than takeout and so much better.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast skinless and boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1 small green bell pepper cut in 1 inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger piece thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns roasted and crushed
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk well. Set aside.
- Combine all the chicken and marinade ingredients (cornstarch excluded) together in a bowl. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss well, making sure each piece is fully coated. Shake off any excess cornstarch.
- Heat a wok with about 2 inches of vegetable oil over high heat. Once the oil is hot (325°F) add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, should take about 3 to 4 minutes. You will need to do this in a couple batches. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Discard the oil from the wok and clean. Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the wok and heat over high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, dried red chilies, garlic, ginger and Sichuan peppercorns to the wok and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and pour the sauce mixture over everything. Toss well and stir fry for one more minute. Serve immediately.
Notes
Prep all ingredients before cooking to save time. High heat is crucial for crispy chicken. Do not overcrowd the wok while frying chicken. Adjust spice level by modifying the amount of dried chilies used.