Chinese hot and spicy chicken is known for its bold flavors, combining heat from the chili peppers with savory and tangy elements from the sauces and spices.
Served over white rice or stir fry noodles, it's a quick dinner that will surely break you out of your dinner rut.
★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
This colorful dish tastes as good as it looks with plenty of flavor and some heat from chili peppers.
The level of spiciness can be adjusted according to personal preference, making it a versatile dish even for those who don't love super spicy food.
This dish offers a healthy blend of veggies in addition to moist, thick bites of chicken, all coated in a Chinese-style sauce.
This hot and spicy chicken has a bold flavor created with layers of heat from the garlic, sriracha sauce, chili garlic sauce, and chili peppers. The depth of heat combined with the sweetness of the honey makes this Asian dish perfectly balanced and oh-so-yummy.
Serve over rice or noodles for a compete meal, ready in just 20 minutes!
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
Here's a look at everything you need to make the chicken, veggies, and sauce.
Main Ingredients:
- Chicken. Chicken breast, thighs, or tenderloin all work great with this recipe.
- Cornstarch. This coats the chicken, allowing the sauce to better stick to the chicken creating a silky-smooth texture.
- Salt and black pepper. Coarse salt is ideal but regular table salt is fine.
- Cooking oil. Any cooking oil will work. Standard vegetable oil, or if you prefer a healthier option like avocado oil, you can certainly use that.
- Vegetables: Yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, and carrot.
- Dried chili peppers. These add the "hot" to this recipe. Feel free to adjust the quantity up or down to change the level of heat.
For the sauce:
- Chicken stock. Bone broth or chicken bouillon + water works here.
- Garlic. Feel free to use fresh cloves or I like to save time by using garlic paste.
- Chili garlic sauce. This is a spicy condiment so feel free to adjust the quantity to your taste.
- Low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sriracha sauce, and sesame oil.
For garnish:
- Red pepper flakes, green onions, and sesame seeds. These can all be added to taste.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
This hot and spicy chicken dish is easy to make in just a few steps.
Here's a look at how it comes together:
- Slice, peel and shred vegetables.
- Coat chicken then cook.
- Remove chicken from pan; add vegetables.
- Add garlic and chili peppers.
- Add sauce ingredients.
- Cook and stir then add back cooked chicken.
- Serve hot over cooked rice.
Simple! Be sure to start rice beforehand or use minute rice for quick meal prep.
★ Tips & FAQs ★
What type of chicken works best for this recipe?
For the best results, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. However, if you prefer bone-in chicken, you can certainly use that too. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly. You can also use tenderloins.
Can I adjust the level of spiciness to my preference?
Yes! The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily adjust the level of spiciness according to your taste. You can increase or decrease the amount of any of the spicy ingredients to suit your palate.
How do I ensure that the chicken turns out juicy and tender?
To ensure juicy and tender chicken, it's crucial not to overcook it. Follow the recommended cooking times and use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. When it reaches 165ºF, it's done and should be remove from the pan.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
This recipe stores and reheats well, so it is good for meal prep or taking leftovers for lunch the next day.
Reheat using a microwave and stop to stir as needed to prevent uneven reheating. Heat just until warmed.
What side dishes pair well with hot and spicy chicken?
This chicken recipe goes well with a variety of side dishes such as steamed rice, egg rolls, dumplings, or bagged Asian salad. These sides help balance out the heat of the chicken and complete the meal.
How do I store leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through before serving.
Can I freeze the hot and spicy chicken?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2-3 months. Make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or resealable bags. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
★ More Recipes You'll Love★
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Hot and Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- 1 lb chicken breast or boneless thighs sliced into 4-inch strips
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt and pepper, each
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 large carrot peeled and shredded
- 5 dried chili peppers more or less to taste
- 4 teaspoon garlic paste, or fresh minced
Sauce
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce more or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Garnish
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Serve with
- 2 cups cooked white rice
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Instructions
- Prepare chicken. In a bowl add chicken, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Toss to fully coat chicken.
- Cook chicken. In a sauté pan over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Allow oil to get hot, which will take 2-3 minutes. Add coated chicken to the hot pan. Cook the chicken for 4-7 minutes or until juices run clear. You want an internal temperature of 165° F. When done, transfer cooked chicken to a plate.
- Cook vegetables. To the saute pan add the bell peppers, carrots, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add dried chili peppers and garlic. Cook for 1 minute more.
- Make sauce. To the pan, add chicken stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, sriracha sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Combine chicken with sauce. Add the chicken back to the sauté pan. Stir until chicken is fully coated and sauce has thickened.
- Garnish and serve. Top with green onions and sesame seeds then serve over cooked rice.
Notes
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