Szechuan Chicken also called Schezwan Chicken is a spicy Chinese Starter dish, especially from the Szechuan cuisine. It is usually prepared with boneless chicken, Sichuan peppers, and other seasoning ingredients and served for lunch and dinner. The recipe I have shared here explains how to make the Szechuan Chicken stir fry with easy step-by-step instructions. I have also shared a video of this recipe to make the process easy and simple. This Szechuan Chicken is a perfect stir fry or side dish that pairs well with fried rice, noodles and tastes similar to your favorite Chinese take-out.
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What is Szechuan Chicken?
Szechuan chicken is a classical and spicy Chinese stir fry dish. It is one of the popular dishes from Szechuan(Sichuan)Province. This dish is made with boneless chicken pieces that are marinated, fried, and stir-fried with a special ingredient called Sichuan Peppers.
The Sichuan Peppers used in this recipe make the dish very unique in its flavor and taste. It is one of the common ingredients used in Sichuan Cuisine to achieve a citrusy tingling flavor.
The recipe that I have shared here delivers a similar taste and flavor as the authentic ones. So yeah it is as spicy as the traditional one. But in most restaurants, the Szechuan Chicken is usually modified to suit the taste of local people. So may find the restaurant versions may vary from high to low spice levels accordingly.
Ingredients
The Szechuan Chicken recipe I have shared here requires basic ingredients that are usually available in most grocery stores around. But the Sichuan Pepper used here gives the authentic flavor to this dish and it is rare to get. I have got mine in one of the popular Asian grocery stores at my place and you could also find them online.
For Marination
- Chicken - Boneless chicken pieces work best for this recipe, you can choose either chicken breast or thighs to make this dish
- Soy Sauce - Dark Soy sauce gives an intense flavor but you could also use regular light soy sauce
- Pepper and Garlic Powder - Gives a nice aroma and mild heat to the chicken
- Brown or Palm Sugar - usually the authentic Chinese especially Szechuan recipes have palm sugar in their dishes, but here I swapped it with brown sugar
- Chinese Five Spice Powder - Blend of five spices that give the authentic flavor to your dish
- Baking Soda - Helps the chicken to stay juicy and soft after it is fried
- Corn Starch - Coating the chicken in corn starch helps the seasoning to bind well and delivers a crispy bite after frying
For Stir-Frying
- Sesame Oil - Delivers the authentic street style Szechuan Chicken with rustic and earthy flavors
- Garlic and Ginger - Chopped ginger and Garlic give that fresh aroma and you could also use ginger garlic paste instead
- Dry Red Chili - I soaked the dry red chili in hot water for an hour and then strained the water and chopped it for stir-frying
- Spring Onions - Stir fry them with other ingredients to get perfect flavor and taste
- Sichuan Peppers - The hero of this dish and in authentic Szechuan recipes this Sichuan Peppers play an important role in delivering a unique taste and flavor
How to Make Szechuan Chicken?
The Szechuan Chicken shared here delivers an authentic and spicy dish similar to most Chinese restaurant take-out. Since the authentic recipe calls for a good amount of heat, I have added dry red chili, and Sichuan peppers to achieve the same. But if you want to tone down the spice level feel free to reduce the chili count according to your family's needs.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this dish. But for simple and easy instructions with step-by-step photos with video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Marinate the Chicken - In a bowl, add the boneless chicken and other seasoning ingredients, flour and mix them well. Rest the chicken for at least 15 minutes to absorb the flavors from the seasoning ingredients
- Fry the Chicken - In a medium heat pan, pour oil, and fry the marinated chicken until it turns golden brown on both sides. Drain from the oil and reserve it for later use
- Stir Fry - In a pan with high medium heat, pour oil and add the ginger, garlic, spring onion, Sichuan peppers, and then the fried chicken and stir fry them well
- Serve - Now the spicy Szechuan Chicken also called Schezwan Chicken is ready to taste and enjoy
Variations
- Veggies - I have used only chicken to make this dish similar to Sichuan Street style but you can also add veggies like bell pepper, mushroom, broccoli, and carrots
- Proteins - You could also use shrimp, and firm tofu to make a different version of this dish
- Nuts - I haven't added any nuts here, but you can also add cashew nuts, or peanuts for extra crunchiness and it gives a different flavor and taste
Tips
- For Authentic Flavor - Sichuan Pepper is the main ingredient that gives authentic taste and flavor to this dish but you could also use pepper powder if Sichuan peepers are not handy for you
- Frying Options - Usually the marinated chicken is deep-fried in oil but you can also pan-fry them for less oil usage
- Stir-Frying - Stir-Frying the chicken with other seasoning ingredients on high medium heat delivers a similar taste and flavor to restaurant Schezwan Chicken
- Veggie options - You can also add bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots for veggie options
- Salt - Keep an eye on the salt, as the soy sauce already has high sodium in it. And I really don't want you to end up in a salty dish
- Serving - This Szechuan Chicken tastes delicious on its own as a starter and you can also serve it as a side dish with fried rice and noodles
Storage Suggestions
This dish tastes great when served hot and I wouldn't recommend storing it for long hours as it will turn soggy.
Serving Suggestions
This Schezwan Chicken tastes great on its own as a starter and you could also serve it along with most fried rice or noodle dishes.
You could also find similar recipes below and more at Szechuan Recipes and Starter Recipes.
- Szechuan Sauce
- Szechuan(Schezwan) Fried Rice
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Orange Chicken
- Szechuan Shrimp
- Kung Pao Shrimp
Similar Chicken Recipes:
More Chinese Recipes
Szechuan Chicken Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Szechuan Chicken Recipe that I hope will help you to make a delicious dish at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Szechuan Chicken (Schezwan Chicken)
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1¼ lb Chicken, boneless
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Pepper Powder
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1½ tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
For Stir-Frying
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger, sliced
- 12 Dry Red Chili, soaked in hot water
- 3 tbsp Green Onions
- 1 tsp Sichuan Pepper, crushed, start with ½ tsp if new to this flavor
Instructions
To Marinate Chicken
- In a bowl, add boneless bite-size chicken pieces, dark soy sauce, pepper, garlic, and Chinese five-spice powder, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and corn starch
- Mix everything well and rest it for at least 5 minutes
To Fry the Chicken
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and fry the marinated chicken pieces and fry them until it turns golden brown on both sides
- Drain the chicken from the oil and reserve them for later use
To make Szechuan Chicken
- In a pan with medium heat, pour sesame oil and add garlic, ginger, spring onions, and dry red chili. Stir fry everything for 2 to 3 minutes
- Now add the crushed Sichuan pepper and give a good mix
- Add the fried chicken and give a good mix. And now the delicious Szechuan Chicken also called Schezwan chicken is ready to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this hot and spicy Szechuan Chicken as a starter or side dish for fried rice or noodles
Video
Notes
- For Authentic Flavor - Sichuan Pepper is the main ingredient that gives authentic taste and flavor to this dish but you could also use pepper powder if Sichuan peepers are not handy for you
- Frying Options - Usually the marinated chicken is deep-fried in oil but you can also pan-fry them for less oil usage
- Stir-Frying - Stir-Frying the chicken with other seasoning ingredients on high medium heat delivers a similar taste and flavor to restaurant Schezwan Chicken
- Veggie options - You can also add bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots for veggie options
- Serving - This Szechuan Chicken tastes delicious on its own as a starter and you can also serve it as a side dish with fried rice and noodles
Nutrition
FAQ
It is a classical and spicy Chinese stir fry dish, especially from the Sichuan Cuisine. It is also called Schezwan Chicken and is typically loaded with spicy and mild sweet flavors that make the dish unique from other chicken dishes. The Sichuan Peppers used in this recipe play an important role to achieve authentic flavor and taste. And this Schezwan Chicken is usually served as an appetizer or side for fried rice or noodles.
The Sichuan Peppers and dry red chili make the dish too spicy and tingling numbness effect to your tongue.
Yes, you can make this dish without Sichuan Peppers by replacing it with pepper powder. But I would recommend using it to enjoy the authentic taste and flavor.
Hunan Chicken is a much spicy and oiler dish made with vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots while Szechuan Chicken is spicy and kind off-dry. Both the dishes are completely different and comes from a different province. But both the recipe tastes that citrusy pungent sensation in their taste.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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