This vibrant Hunan Chicken Recipe combines tender breast meat with broccoli, red pepper, and zucchini, with a tantalizing sauce to bring it all together.
I would bet good money on the assumption that all of you out there have enjoyed an American-Chinese buffet at some point in your life. (If you haven’t, get thee to the nearest reputable all-you-can-eat Asian establishment, stat!) I absolutely loved Chinese takeout as a kid, and it became my go-to cheap meal in my low-income college years.
I’ve experimented with making my own Chinese takeout dishes at home—some of those experiments went terribly; others, not so bad. One of my best outcomes was Hunan chicken. It’s easy enough for inexperienced hands to execute perfectly, and even if it goes wrong, it’s honestly still pretty good! Hunan chicken is usually quite spicy, but I was making it for dinner guests who couldn’t eat spicy food, so I created a version that cuts out the spice.
This Hunan chicken recipe is just like that version I made. It has all the flavor hallmarks of the Chinese takeout favorite, without all the spicy stuff. Now, I love a lot of spice in my food, so if you want it spicier, by all means, pile on the pepper flakes! But this recipe works for folks who are spice-sensitive, so keep it around as a good base recipe. My family loves it this way, and I’m sure yours will, too!
Is This Hunan Chicken Recipe Healthy?
Hunan chicken makes for a pretty healthy meal! Chicken breast is a good source of lean protein, B vitamins, and essential minerals like potassium. This dish is also full of nutritious vegetables, so it’s hard to go wrong. Broccoli adds fiber, while the red peppers add some vitamin A, and zucchini lends even more fiber and nutrition. This dish is relatively low in fat, too. You can make it even healthier by using olive oil or avocado oil instead of vegetable oil, and those watching their sodium intake can use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari.
Overall, this dish is dairy-free, and you can easily make it gluten-free by making sure your soy sauce is gluten-free or using tamari instead of soy sauce.
Spicing Up Your Mild Hunan Chicken
Not in the mood for mild Hunan chicken? I feel you! All you have to do to spice up your chicken dish is add some crushed red pepper flakes to the frying pan halfway through the cooking process or add some sriracha to the sauce before you pour it into the pan at the end. Feel free to experiment with more than one type of pepper, too. I like mixing ground white pepper and black pepper with crushed red pepper and ground Sichuan peppercorns. It’s a bit much for some folks, but all the different flavors of pepper are so interesting on the tongue!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Let the dish cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a pan over the stove. Just ensure the chicken attains an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Hunan chicken is usually served with rice or noodles, but you can serve it with whatever you like. I enjoy it with brown rice or this Cilantro-Lime Instant-Pot Rice. If I’m in the mood for noodles, I go for these Homemade Egg Noodles. If you’re watching your carb count, feel free to try this dish with zucchini noodles (“zoodles” for the hip) or Butternut Squash Noodles. Pair this dish with some homemade Egg Rolls, and you have yourself a homemade Chinese takeout dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into strips
- ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons cornstarch divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 cups zucchini peeled and cut into wheels
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Instructions
- Coat the chicken with ¼ cup of cornstarch.
- Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, and add half of the vegetable oil. Fry the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Drizzle the remaining oil into the pan, followed by the broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, and garlic. Sauté for around 5 to 6 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan and gently toss everything together.
- In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
- Slowly pour the soy sauce mixture into the pan with the chicken and vegetables, stir, and allow the sauce to thicken and become sticky, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with rice, if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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