Delightful Recipe of Hunan Chicken

Hunan Chicken is a classic stir-fried chicken recipe that is loved by people all over the world. The recipe includes various vegetables in a delectably spicy and savoury sauce. You must try this culinary if you love spicy food. 

In this article, we are going to describe the deliciousness of this traditional food and a detailed recipe for making it at home. This homemade version is absolutely simple and can be served with various complementary foods. Follow below to learn more such tips! 

What is Hunan Chicken? 

Hunan Chicken is a small cut of chicken breasts stir-fried with mixed vegetables. The dish is made with spicy Hunan sauce and has a unique sweet and tangy flavour. The meat is also juicy, tender and a delicious protein substitute. 

This dish quickly became popular in American Chinese restaurants and has been enjoyed by almost everyone. Restaurants modified the chicken dish to taste more sweet, savoury, and less spicy than the original recipe. 

History of Hunan Chicken

This savoury dish originated in the Hunan region of China. This province is predominantly known for its use of chilli peppers and tart tastes. Hunan Chicken incorporates the hot and sour culinary styles of the Hunan region and includes plenty of delicious vegetables. 

This food is not only famous in China but also in other Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Other countries have modified the original dish to make it less spicy and adjusted the creaminess to people’s liking. There are various styles of making this Hunan-originated chicken, like Dongting Lake style, Xiang River style, and Western Hunan style. 

Easy Recipe for Making Hunan Chicken

Ingredients 

• Honey – 1 tablespoon 
• Black peppercorns – 1 teaspoon 
• Dark soy sauce– 2 tablespoons
• Salt – As per taste 
• Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons
• Chicken – 6 boneless chicken thighs cut into small chunks 
• Dry sherry – 2 tablespoons
• Ginger garlic paste – 2 tablespoons
• Green onion – 4 (chopped into small pieces)
• Dried red chilli paper – 1 tablespoon 
• Hot bean sauce – 1 teaspoon 
• Sesame oil – 1 teaspoon 
• Rice vinegar – 2 tablespoons 
• Vegetable – as per choice 
• Chicken broth

Instructions 

1. You need to put honey, soy sauce, peppercorns, sherry, and salt in a large bowl to make the delicious Hunan Chicken. Add the chicken and toss for coating. 
2. Take a pan and hit oil on medium to high heat. After that, add ginger, garlic, green onions, and red chilli papers and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 
3. After that, you need to add chicken mixture, stir for another 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame, and cover with a lid. Wait for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown. 
4. You can add vegetables as per choice, such as carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, and baby corn and stir fry for about 5 minutes. 
5. In a small bowl, add chicken broth, bean sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, and dry chilli paper and whisk together. Pour over the chicken and stir to mix well. You can also add the cornflower mix to add creaminess and adjust the spiciness as per your choice. 

What Other Vegetables Can I Use in Hunan Chicken?

You can serve this savoury dish with any vegetables as per your preference. Here are some inspirations for the veggies: 

• Mushrooms 
• Baby corn
• Snow peas
• Water chestnuts 
• Cabbage 
• Broccoli 
• Bean sprouts 
• Zucchini 
• Bell peppers 
• Green onions 

Nutrients 

The original recipe for Hunan Chicken contains a lot of nutritional elements as it retains meats and lots of vegetables. It has an adequate amount of protein, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, and vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. 

This food product has proven to have low-density calories and is enriched with vitamin K and other minerals. Vitamin K helps your body to recover wounds, increase bone health, and prevent blood clotting. It is a good source of protein as the main ingredient is meat. Regardless, this dish has a moderate amount of risky components such as cholesterol, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. You can make the dish at home and modify the recipe to make a healthy version of Hunan Chicken. 

Tips for Making Hunan Chicken

• You can use any sugar substitute and include vegetables that are lower in carbohydrates. 
• You can put the chicken breast into the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes, as it will help you effortlessly cut thin slices.
• Adding a tablespoon of sesame oil to the sauce mixture can enhance the taste. 
• You can use Szechuan sauce to make the Hunan Chicken extra spicy. 
• You can also use beef, pork, and shrimp instead of chicken. 
• You must not overcook the vegetables as this might affect the crunchiness and softness of the dish. 

How to Serve Hunan Chicken? 

• You can serve this dish hot with plain rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or coconut rice. 
• You can have the Hunan Chicken with Asian noodle soup or with hot and sour soup. 
• Make some egg-fried ice with some leftover rice and serve with this delicious chicken dish. 
• You can also serve this with salads and mix veggies as a side dish. 

Difference Between Hunan Chicken and Szechuan Chicken

How to Store Hunan Chicken? 

You can place the leftover Hunan Chicken into a freezer-safe air-tight bag and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat afterwards in the microwave or use a skillet over medium heat. If you think the sauce is drying, add a splash of chicken broth or water and reheat it to bring back the creaminess. 

You can also freeze the dish for busy work nights. You can store it for about 2 to 3 months and reheat using a microwave. You can also thaw in frize overnight and reheat using a skillet. 

Final Thoughts 

The Hunan Chicken is a spicy and saucy stir fry originated from the Hunan region in China. The recipe is quite simple and loaded with lots of nutritional elements such as protein, vitamins, minerals, and many more. You can create a homemade version for more healthy consumption. 

You can modify the ingredients like using tofu as a veg substitute for chicken, adjusting the spiciness as per preference, or adding lots of favourite vegetables. You can also store the cooked chicken in a freezer-safe air-tight bag for 3 to 4 days. So include this deliciousness in your dinner and thank me later! 

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