Hunan Chicken Recipe
Hunan Chicken
AKA Xiāngcài Là Zī Jī
Hunan Style Chicken and Chile Stir Fry
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
2 Large Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast (Jīxiōng Ròu) - cut into 1 inch 'cubes'
6-10 Dried Red Chiles (Gàn De Hóng Làjiāo)
4 cloves Fresh Garlic (Dàsuàn) - minced or sliced thin
1 inch piece Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - minced or sliced thin
6 Green Onions (Cōng Bào) - white and green parts cut on diagonal into ½ inch pieces
4 Tbs Peanut Oil (Huāshēngyóu) - divided
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil (Zhīmayóu)
⅛ tsp Ground White Pepper (Bái Hújiāo) or to taste
2 Fresh Red Jalapeños or Cayenne Chiles (Hóng Làjiāo)* - sliced
1 Large Shallot (Cōng) - thin sliced
Marinade:
1 ½ Tbs Water
2 Tbs Chile Bean Sauce (Dòubàn Jiàng)
1 Tbs Oyster Sauce (Háoyóu)
1 Tbs Cornstarch (Yùmǐ Diànfěn)
1 Tbs Shao Xing Rice Wine (Liàojiǔ)
3 tsp Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce (Lǎo Chōu)
1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar (Mǐcù)
Preparation:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the 'marinade' ingredients until thoroughly combined - Add your cubed chicken and mix well to thoroughly coat the chicken - Loosely cover and allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes
- Once the chicken has marinated, heat 2 Tbs of the peanut oil in a wok or large pot over high heat until shimmering - Once the oil is hot, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to the wok/pot (DO NOT DISCARD MARINADE) - Stir fry until nicely seared and caramelized on all sides (apx 4-5 minutes) - Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until needed
- Add the remaining 2 Tbs of peanut oil to the wok and let heat for a minute - Add the dried red chiles to the wok and stir fry for about a minute until they just darken
- Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir fry until just colored and fragrant (apx 30 seconds)
- Add the bell pepper and shallot and continue to stir fry until softened and slightly charred (apx 3 minutes)
- Add the chicken and its juices back to the wok - Add the reserved marinade and stir fry for 2 minutes until it thickens - Add the green onion, sesame oil, and ground white pepper - Continue to stir fry for 1 minute
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately alongside steamed rice or noodles
* To cut the heat, you can substitute 1 Red Bell Pepper (Dēnglóng Jiāo) cut into apx 1 inch 'squares'
