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Home Blog Course Main Course

Szechuan Chicken

Sam Guarnieri
Sam Guarnieri Posted: 03/16/21 Updated: 12/15/21
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DF Dairy Free GF Gluten Free LC Low Carb P Paleo

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Pin graphic for Szechuan chicken
Pin graphic for Szechuan chicken
Pin graphic for Szechuan chicken
Pin graphic for Szechuan chicken
Pin graphic for Szechuan chicken

This Szechuan chicken has the perfect amount of spice and flavor! Crispy pieces of chicken and spicy Szechuan peppercorns are cooked in a tangy sauce with just a touch of sweetness. This dish is well-rounded with chopped bell peppers and whole cashews for a slight crunch. It all comes together in less time than it’d take to have it delivered!

Szechuan Chicken in Skillet

What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • The chicken is dipped in cornstarch, then lightly fried yielding crispy bites of chicken throughout the dish. This extra step makes all the difference in helping the chicken stand out on its own. Lightly fried chicken pieces will maintain their crunch when introduced to the sauce.
  • It contains plenty of delicious aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and scallions! They give this recipe a delicious fresh taste and also make your kitchen smell incredible.
  • This recipe includes just a tiny bit of sweetness to help balance out all of those spicy Szechuan peppers. It’s very well-rounded, allowing you to enjoy all of the flavors that Szechuan chicken has to offer.
  • You can make it as mild or as spicy as you’d like! The recipe below makes a pretty mild Szechuan chicken. If you prefer it spicier, then add a couple more dried Szechuan chilies. 

Key Ingredients

Szechuan Peppercorns – Though small, these tiny peppercorns are pretty spicy. They also contain a special element that act as a sort of numbing agent. I use just a tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns in this recipe, this way we can enjoy their spice and slightly citrus flavor without turning our mouths entirely numb.

Dried Szechuan Chilies – Tossing whole dried Szechuan chilies in this dish give you the essence of their delicious flavor, without exposing you to their ultra-spicy insides. I use just 15 chilies in my Szechuan chicken, but you can add more depending on your spice preference!

Cashews – I love adding cashews to this dish for an additional crunch. Though if you don’t like cashews, you can use peanuts instead. Make sure whatever nuts you use are unsalted.

Chef’s Tips

  • Fry your chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding your pan. It took me three batches to fry all of my chicken. The couple of extra minutes were worth it to get my chicken as crispy as possible!
  • My favorite way to serve this Szechuan chicken is over rice. I just love letting the rice soak up some of that Szechuan sauce – YUM! If you’re low-carb, then you can serve this recipe over cauliflower rice for an easy dinner.
  • Work with whatever vegetables you have on-hand. Chopped carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower would taste great with the sautéed bell peppers!
Szechuan Chicken Over Rice

Other Easy Asian-Inspired Recipes

  • Tofu and Broccoli
  • Hibachi Steak with Fried Rice and Vegetables
  • Tom Yum Soup
  • Beef Chow Mein
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Simple Asian Cucumber Salad
  • Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
  • Beef Negimaki

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Szechuan Chicken in Skillet

Szechuan Chicken

Prep:5 minutes minutes
Cook:20 minutes minutes
Total:25 minutes minutes
This Szechuan chicken has the perfect amount of spice and flavor! Crispy pieces of chicken and spicy Szechuan peppercorns are cooked in a tangy sauce with just a touch of sweetness. This dish is well-rounded with chopped bell peppers and whole cashews for a slight crunch. It all comes together in less time than it'd take to have it delivered!
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4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch see Notes for paleo
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
  • 15 dried Szechuan chillies
  • 2 bell peppers chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
  • 3 scallions sliced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar see Notes
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted cashews see Notes

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Large skillet

Instructions 

  • Add chicken, cornstarch, and salt to bowl. Toss until chicken is evenly coated.
  • Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add in chicken in a single layer. You will probably have to work in batches. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Continue until all chicken is cooked, then set aside on plate lined with paper towels.
    Szechuan Chicken Process Photo 2
  • Add Szechuan peppercorns, dried Szechuan chilies, and bell peppers to pan with oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables have slightly softened.
    Szechuan Chicken Process Photo 3
  • Add garlic, ginger, scallions, and cashews to pan. Cook for just 1 minute, then place the chicken back in pan with other vegetables.
    Szechuan Chicken Process Photo 4
  • Mix together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Transfer sauce mixture to pan, then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Serve hot over cooked rice or cauliflower rice.

Notes

  • Make it Paleo: Use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch and fry the chicken in avocado oil instead of vegetable oil. You can also swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos and omit the brown sugar completely. 
  • Rice Vinegar: If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar instead.
  • Unsalted Cashews: You can use unsalted peanuts if you’d prefer, or leave out the nuts completely.
 
Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving of chicken and vegetables, not including the rice. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.
To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 416kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 1186mg, Potassium: 788mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2497IU, Vitamin C: 80mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 3mg, Net Carbs: 19g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Sam Guarnieri

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Sam Guarnieri

Meet Sam Guarnieri

Sam is a travel, food, and fitness enthusiast from the New York metro area who loves creating new and inventive recipes. Her love of food goes all the way back to her early childhood, cooking alongside her mom and Nonna – the two best cooks she knows! She's a big believer that good-for-you food can still explode with flavor and (most importantly) be easy to make. When she's not in the kitchen, Sam can usually be found planning her next vacation, spending time outdoors, or bingeing the latest Netflix docu-series.

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