Hunan Chicken

Name: Hunan Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 egg white; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tbsp cornstarch; ½ tsp salt; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili-bean paste); 2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar; 2 tsp sugar; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp cornstarch; ⅓ cup water or unsalted chicken stock; 1 green bell pepper (cut into bite-size pieces); 1 small zucchini (half-moons); 6 shiitake or cremini mushrooms (quartered); 6–8 dried red chilies (snipped, seeds shaken out for less heat); 2 fresh red chilies (sliced (optional, for Hunan-style fresh heat)); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp ginger (minced); 3 tbsp neutral oil (divided)

By The Chowmi Test KitchenUpdated June 8, 2026↓ Jump to Recipe

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🧪 Developed & tested by the The Chowmi Test Kitchen for US kitchens. How we develop our recipes.

Quick answer

Hunan chicken is the chicken counterpart to Hunan beef on American-Chinese menus: bite-size chicken stir-fried with mixed vegetables in a spicy brown sauce spiked with dried red chilies and garlic. 'Hunan style' on a US menu means bold heat and a savory, slightly tangy sauce — distinct from the sweet, deep-fried General Tso family and from authentic Hunan home cooking, which is drier and leans on fresh chilies. This version velvets the chicken with egg white and cornstarch for a silky restaurant texture, loads in bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms, and balances the heat with garlic, ginger, and a little sugar and black vinegar. It's lighter than breaded, deep-fried takeout dishes but every bit as crave-able, and comes together in about 30 minutes. For real-deal Hunan flavor, see our authentic Hunan pork with chilies.

Hunan chicken with bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and dried chilies in a glossy sauce

Why you'll love this hunan chicken

Lighter than General Tso but just as satisfying — no deep-frying, all the bold flavor.
Egg-white velveting gives the chicken a silky, restaurant-tender bite.
Loaded with vegetables, so it eats like a complete meal over rice.
One balanced chili-garlic sauce you can make as mild or as fiery as you like.

Ingredients

Chicken & velvet marinade

1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 egg white
1 tbsp Shaoxing winesubstitutes →
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt

Sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili-bean paste)substitutes →
2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegarsubstitutes →
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oilsubstitutes →
1 tsp cornstarch
⅓ cup water or unsalted chicken stock

Stir-fry

1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small zucchini, half-moons
6 shiitake or cremini mushrooms, quartered
6–8 dried red chilies, snipped, seeds shaken out for less heat
2 fresh red chilies, sliced (optional, for Hunan-style fresh heat)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 tbsp neutral oil, divided

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Stock the pantry once and you can cook this anytime: Shaoxing wine, doubanjiang, Chinkiang black vinegar, toasted sesame oil. Asian groceries deliver nationwide.

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Equipment

Wok or large skillet — High heat keeps the chicken silky and the vegetables crisp.(shop →)

Instructions

Velvet the chicken
Toss the chicken with the egg white, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and salt until slick and coated. Let it sit 15 minutes — egg-white velveting is what gives takeout chicken its tender, silky texture.
💡 Use only the white, not the whole egg; the white sets into a delicate protective coating without making the chicken eggy.
Mix the sauce
Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Prep all the vegetables and aromatics so the stir-fry can move fast.
Cook the chicken
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer, sear undisturbed 1 minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Bloom the aromatics
Add the last 1 tbsp oil, lower to medium-high, and add the dried chilies, garlic, and ginger. Stir 20–30 seconds until fragrant — keep the chilies from scorching.
Stir-fry the vegetables
Add the mushrooms and stir-fry 1 minute, then the bell pepper, zucchini, and fresh chilies; stir-fry on high 2 minutes until crisp-tender.
Combine and finish
Return the chicken, give the sauce a stir, and pour it in. Toss 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and glosses everything. Serve over steamed rice.

Tips & notes

Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast in a high-heat stir-fry, but breast works if you velvet it and avoid overcooking.
On US menus, the line between Hunan chicken and Hunan beef is mostly the protein — same spicy 'Hunan' sauce family. We pair the chicken with lighter vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms) and the beef with broccoli to keep the two dishes distinct.
Black vinegar is the secret to that subtle tang that balances the heat — don't skip it. Rice vinegar is a milder stand-in.
Make it gluten-free with tamari instead of soy sauce and a wheat-free chili-bean paste (or a spoon of chili-garlic sauce).
For an authentic Hunan twist, lean harder on fresh chilies and lighten the sauce — closer to how it's actually cooked in Hunan.

Recipe wording too vague?

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Recipe

Hunan Chicken

New recipe

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Serves: 4
Level: Beginner

Ingredients

Chicken & velvet marinade

1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 egg white
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt

Sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili-bean paste)
2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
⅓ cup water or unsalted chicken stock

Stir-fry

1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small zucchini, half-moons
6 shiitake or cremini mushrooms, quartered
6–8 dried red chilies, snipped, seeds shaken out for less heat
2 fresh red chilies, sliced (optional, for Hunan-style fresh heat)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 tbsp neutral oil, divided

Instructions

Toss the chicken with the egg white, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and salt until slick and coated. Let it sit 15 minutes — egg-white velveting is what gives takeout chicken its tender, silky texture.
Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Prep all the vegetables and aromatics so the stir-fry can move fast.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer, sear undisturbed 1 minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Add the last 1 tbsp oil, lower to medium-high, and add the dried chilies, garlic, and ginger. Stir 20–30 seconds until fragrant — keep the chilies from scorching.
Add the mushrooms and stir-fry 1 minute, then the bell pepper, zucchini, and fresh chilies; stir-fry on high 2 minutes until crisp-tender.
Return the chicken, give the sauce a stir, and pour it in. Toss 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and glosses everything. Serve over steamed rice.

Nutrition (est., per serving): 310 cal · 30 g protein · 12 g carbs · 16 g fat

Hunan Chicken FAQ

What is Hunan chicken?

Hunan chicken is an American-Chinese dish of bite-size chicken stir-fried with mixed vegetables in a spicy, garlicky brown sauce with dried red chilies. Like Hunan beef, the 'Hunan' name on a US menu mainly signals heat. It's saucier and more vegetable-forward than the food actually cooked in Hunan province.

What's the difference between Hunan chicken and General Tso's chicken?

General Tso's chicken is battered, deep-fried, and coated in a thick sweet-and-spicy sauce, so it's crispy and candy-sweet. Hunan chicken is stir-fried (not breaded), loaded with vegetables, and its sauce is savory and hot rather than sweet. Hunan chicken is the lighter, more vegetable-heavy of the two.

What's the difference between Hunan chicken and Hunan beef?

Mainly the protein — both use the same spicy 'Hunan-style' chili-garlic sauce. In our recipes we keep them distinct by pairing the chicken with zucchini, mushrooms, and green pepper and the beef with broccoli, carrot, and red pepper, and by velveting the chicken with egg white versus the beef with baking soda.

How do I make the chicken silky like takeout?

Velvet it: toss the cut chicken with egg white, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and salt, then let it rest 15 minutes before cooking. The coating sets in the hot wok and keeps the chicken tender and moist instead of dry and stringy.

Is Hunan chicken authentic Hunan food?

Not really — it's a tasty takeout-style dish inspired by Hunan's love of chili heat rather than a traditional Hunan home dish. Real Hunan cooking is drier and smokier and uses fresh chilies as a main ingredient. For an authentic example, try our Hunan pork with chilies.