This Szechuan Chicken ่พฃๅญ้ธก has readers raving: โTop of the stir fry list for sure!โ โWow! This was just amazingโฆthe most flavorful stir-fry I have ever made!โ and โMost definitely better than any take out AND Szechuan chicken is always my go to!!โ
Melt-in-your-mouth chicken elevates this recipe, tenderized using a quick restaurant technique and blanketed in a โfantastic,โ dynamic, fiery, aromatic, savory sauce that allows you to customize the heat. Follow along for expert tips, step-by-step photos, and variations to make this exotic, intoxicating flavor bomb.
PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER
How to Make Szechuan Chicken Video

WHAT IS SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
Szechuan chicken is a bold, spicy, and flavorful Chinese dish known for its fiery kick and tingly numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns. Theseย peppercorns are what differentiate this favorite from other spicy chicken stir fry recipes such as Kung Pao Chicken and Hunan Chicken (more on that below).
Szechuan chicken features tender, stir-fried chicken tossed in a savory, slightly sweet, and spicy sauce made with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, and Sichuan peppercorns. It’s often stir-fried with dried chilies, bell peppers, and scallions.
Szechuan Chicken (/หsษสwษn/ or /หsษtสwษn/) is also known as Sichuanย or Szechwan named for a region in China. It comes from the Chinese word โSichuanโ in pinyin meaning โfour rivers.โย So, when you see Szechuan, Sichuanย or Szechwan, know you are in for a zippy, spicy tingly treat
REASONS TO LOVE THIS SZECHUAN CHICKEN RECIPE:
Iโve experimented and perfected this recipe to bring you an easy-to-follow tutorial for foolproof results every time. Here’s why it’s the best:
WHAT DOES CHICKEN SZECHUAN STYLE TASTE LIKE?
Chicken Szechuan style is nothing short of mesmerizing due to the layering of flavors. Thai chili peppers (which may also substitute with chili paste) is combined with Szechuan peppercorn, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and soy sauce to create a complex, savory, spicy stir fry with a touch of sweetness from brown sugar accompanied by a tingly sensation due to the Szechuan peppercorns. Szechuan peppercorns add the unique, complex flavor notes that set this chicken stir fry apart.
If you enjoy spicy foods, you will LOVE Chicken Szechuan and if you donโt love spicy foods you will still LOVE this Chicken Szechuan โ just spice it to your taste.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUNAN chicken AND SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
Both Hunan Chicken and Szechuan Chicken are characterized by their savory, hot and spicy flavors and generous use of chili peppers and garlic. They differentiate in:
โข HUNAN CHICKEN VS SZEUCHAN CHICKEN: Hunan is hotter and spicier due to the use of fresh peppers to create a chili bean paste. Its flavor profile is also considered plainer without the kiss of sweetness. Hunan chicken is also oilier due to the paste and uses more vegetables as well.
โข SZECHUAN CHICKEN VS GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN: General Tso’s Chicken is battered and deep fried. The flavor profile is more sweet and spicy, but far less spicy than Szechuan Chicken, with the zing coming from a generous amount of ginger verses chili peppers.
Szechuan Chicken Ingredients
The BEST Szechuan Chicken needs the best Szechuan sauce! The ingredient is lengthy, but remember we are just adding and whisking to create the sauce in minutes. Hereโs what youโll need:
WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN IS USED FOR CHICKEN SZECHUAN STYLE?
Iโve made this stir fry recipe with chicken thighs, chicken breasts, and a combination of both, and they are all delicious, but chicken thighs are my favorite and the most common. Hereโs the breakdown:
โขBoneless skinless chicken thighs: Dark meat and therefore inherently juicier and hard to overcook or dry out or overcook. Thighs are the best option.
โขBoneless skinless chicken breasts:ย ย Leaner than chicken thighs but still emerge buttery tender from the velveting.ย When you use chicken breasts + velveting, it emerges quite tender.
โขCan I use different Protein?ย Looking beyond poultry, try my Szechuan beef or try out cubed tofu, pork or shrimp.ย If using shrimp, add it at the end of cooking because shrimp will get rubbery if overcooked.
What Chili Peppers for Szechuan Chicken?
You will need DRIED, Thai chilies.ย Thai chilies typically can be found at an Asian market or on Amazon.ย They are one-half to two inches long and range from 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units which is 23 times the average heat of a jalapeรฑo!
In order to not burn our mouths off, we stir fry the chilies whole and only add some seeds to taste. This is akin to using the flesh of the jalapenos without the seedsโyou still get the flavor and some of the heat but not the numbing heat.
There are many different types of dried peppers such as arbol chilies, New Mexican chilies, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, pasilla, etc. These are all Mexican chiles and NOT Thai chilies.ย Thai chiles are much smaller and therefore much spicier than the aforementioned chilies so make sure you purchase the correct chilies or use sambal oelek as described below.
WHAT ARE SZECHUANย PEPPERCORN?
Letโs talk the Szechuan in Szechuan Chicken. Szechuan peppercorn (โpeppercornโ is the correct plural form) are actually a berry from the husks of Chinese Ash trees in the citrus family.ย ย It actually doesnโt come from the same family as black pepper nor is it related to chili peppers.ย Instead, it is its own fabulous entity
WHAT SZECHUANย PEPPERCORNS TASTE LIKE?
Szechuan peppercorn actually arenโt spicier than black peppercorn, but they do boast a more complex peppery zing.ย The spicy illusion comes from the fact they are always cooked with chili peppers. In addition, before hot chiles were brought to China, Szechuan peppercorn were cooked with ginger to add heat to dishes.
Szechuanย peppercorns taste perfumy, complex, and peppery. They have citrus zing, pine, lavender notes and a tangible mouth-numbing sensation. They remind me of a complex cross between pepper, cardamom, ginger, clove, and lemon.
This tingling sensation is caused by the molecule hydroxy-alpha-sanshool in the peppercorn that interacts with the nerve cell receptors in your lips and mouthโbut donโt be alarmed!ย The molecule is simply telling the brain that the area is being touched, and the brain confuses this with the sensation of numbness.
WHERE TO BUY SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN
Szechuan peppercorns can be found on Amazon (my favorite!), at most Asian markets (call first), in spice stores, or sometimes at specialty stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts. I prefer Szechuan peppercorn powder because it is easy to use and saves you a tedious step.
It can be sold under different names: dried peppercorn, dried prickly ash, dehydrated prickly ash, Indonesian lemon pepper, flower
pepper, orย hua jiao.
SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN SUBSTITUTIONS
You can use a Szechuan peppercorn substitute if donโt have access to it, be aware you’ll be missing the tingling sensation.ย There are many substitutes such as grains of paradise, Tellicherry peppercorns and Tasmanian pepper but the most accessible is freshly ground pepper and coriander.
โขPepper + Coriander:ย The pepper brings the peppery heat and the coriander brings the fresh, pungent citrus flavor.ย Use both freshy ground pepper and freshly ground coriander for best results when possible.ย
โขPepper:ย The last option would be to use freshly ground black pepper to provide the peppery heat but it would be lacking in the unique, complex, flavor notes.
WHAT VEGETABLES DO YOU USE in SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
This stir fry is typically very simple regarding veggies, using just onions and bell peppers, so the silky chicken and sauce can shine. That said, feel free to swap the bell peppers based on whatโs in your fridge, your favorites, whatโs in season, or whatโs on sale.ย
Here are some great vegetables to try:
HOW DO YOU MAKE SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
This Szechuan Chicken requires a few steps, but they are all easy and important to create the world-famous deeply flavorful Chinese Chicken. Hereโs the breakdown:
STEP 1: Marinate Chicken
STEP 2: MAKE SZECHUAN SAUCE
STEP 3: Toast peanuts
STEP 4: STIR FRY CHICKEN
STEP 5: STIR FRY VEGGIES
STEP 6: COMBINE
HOW DO I MAKE CRISPY SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
This Szechuan Chicken is healthier because it is sautรฉed verses fried and you still get the crunch from the peanuts. If you would still like crispy Szechuan Chicken, you will need to fry the chicken:
- After marinating, toss chicken in ¼ cup self-rising flour and ¼ cup cornstarch.
- Fill the bottom of a heavy bottom pan with 2 inches of vegetable oil or other high smoking point oil.
- Heat oil to 375 F degrees until very hot and smoking โ the oil should sizzle if you flick water on it.
- Add chicken in a single layer using tongs.
- Fry until deeply golden and chicken registers 165 degrees F.
- Remove to a cooling rack set over paper towels to drain.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SZECHUAN CHICKEN RECIPE
Szechuan Chicken is pretty straightforward, but here are some tips and tricks to make it a sizzling success:
HOW DO YOU MAKE SZECHUAN CHICKEN EXTRA TENDER?
This Szechuan Chicken is not only crazy delicious but the chicken is wonderful silky and juicy due to a simple process called velveting. I first introduced you to velveting in my chicken stir fry recipe, and can attest it makes ALL THE difference. It is how Chinese restaurants attain such smooth, tender chicken โ and now you can get the same results at home!
There are a few different velveting techniques, but I opt for the easiest one using baking soda; and donโt worry, you can taste the textural difference but not the baking soda! Essentially, the chicken is marinated in a combination of baking soda, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Hereโs how it works:
This easy velveting technique can be used in all your favorite Chinese Chicken recipes โ even the ones with breading; instead, skip the breading and add whatever seasonings were in the breading to the velveting mixture. This allows you to enjoy the intoxicating sauces without the hassle of breading. Try it on my Cashew Chicken Stir Fry, Hoisin Ginger Chicken, Honey Lemon Chicken and Honey Coconut Chicken.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH SZECHUAN CHICKEN?
This Chinese favorite is explosively flavorful so it pairs well with neutral sides such as:
HOW TO PREP CHICKEN SZECHUAN STYLE AHEAD OF TIME
This recipe has a few steps, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time for a speedy dinner. Hereโs how:
โข Chop chicken:ย Trim and chop chicken into bite-size pieces any time before marinating, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
โข Make Szechuan Sauce:ย Whisk together up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. ย Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before use.
โข Chop veggies: Chop your garlic, grate your ginger, and slice your onions and bell peppers 24 hours in advance. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
โข Cook! Within the next 48 hours, proceed with the recipe, starting with marinating the chicken for 20-30 minutes.
HOW TO STORE SZECHUAN CHICKEN
Szechuan Chicken reheats very well if not initially overcooked.ย
โข How to store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
โข How to reheat in microwave:ย Transfer small portions to a microwave-safe dish, heat for one minute, stir, then continue to heat at 30-second intervals.ย
โข How to reheat on the stove:ย Rewarm gently in a large skillet, stirring often.ย You may need to add a splash of water (better yet, chicken broth if you have it) to thin the sauce as needed.
CAN YOU FREEZE CHICKEN SZECHUAN STYLE ?
Yes, it freezes very well, except for the bell peppers.ย If using bell peppers, you may want to pick them out or they will get mushy.ย Also, take care not to overcook the chicken or it wonโt be as tender when reheated.
To freeze assembled Szechuan Chicken:
1. Let the dish cool completely in the refrigerator.ย
2. Transfer to an airtight container.ย If using a freezer bag, squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn.
3. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.ย
4. When ready to eat, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Reheat according to directions.
To freeze Szechuan Chicken separately:
You may also freeze the chicken and stir-fry sauce separately before combining them. This works best if you are masking a prep-ahead freezer meal.ย
โข Stir Fry Sauce:ย Whisk together, add to a freezer bag or freezer safe airtight container, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
โข Chicken:ย After cooking the chicken, let it cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag, and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.ย Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Szechuan Chicken Recipe FAQs
If you canโt locate Thai chiles, you can substitute them with Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek) which is made from a combination of chilies, including Thai chilies.
I recommend 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste plus ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes for medium spicy and 2 tablespoons Asian chili paste plus ยฝ teaspoon for spicier. Always start with less heat and add more to taste – because you can add heat but it’s hard to take away!
If you know you donโt like very spicy food, then I would only use 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce and eliminate the crushed red pepper flakes.ย From there, you can add back a small pinch of red pepper flakes or Asian chili sauce to taste to the entire Szechuan Chicken or to your individual servings.
As written, this Szechuan Chicken is not gluten free, but almost!ย To make it gluten free, use gluten free soy sauce or tamari.ย You will also want to double check that your oyster sauce is gluten free.ย The rest of the Szechuan Chicken ingredients are gluten free.
Szechuanย Chicken is meant to have a kick from the Szechuan peppercorn, Asian Thai chilies, ginger and garlic. That being said, it is very EASY to customize the heat of this Szechuan Chicken recipe.
MILD SZECHUAN CHICKEN:ย In my Szechuan Chicken recipe, I use 15 Thai chili peppers. ย ย If you stir fry the recipe with these chilies but do NOT cut any of the peppers open and donโt eat any of the chiles, your stir fry will be mild in heat.
MODERATE TO SPICY SZECHUAN CHICKEN:ย For spicier Szechuan Chicken recipe, use the 15 whole Thai chilies and add seeds from additional chilies to taste.ย To do this, simply cut the dried chilies open and sprinkle the seeds in to the entire Szechuan Chicken or to individual servings.ย I find seeds from 5 chilies (added to the whole dish) to be medium spicy and it gets spicier from there the more seeds you add.ย
***If you aren’t sure how spicy you want it, start with less chili seeds and sprinkle in more after to taste after the dish is complete.
WANT TO TRY THIS RECIPE?
PIN IT to your recipe BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!
FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES! I AM ALWAYS PINNING :)!
ยฉCarlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com
Szechuan Chicken Recipe (Spicy Chicken)
Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box
You can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place!
Ingredients
CHICKEN
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts chopped into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice wine or dry sherry (see notes in post)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
SZECHUAN SAUCE
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth (may sub water)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice wine or dry sherry (see notes in post)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Szechuan peppercorn (Szechuan powder)(See warning for fresh)***
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
STIR FRY
- 1/3 cup cocktail peanuts
- peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 onion sliced 1/4″ thick from stem to root
- 1 red bell pepper sliced ยผโ thick
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced ยผโ thick
- 15 whole Thai dried red chilies *see Notes for substitutions
- seeds from 5-10 Thai dried red chilies optional for spicier โ see Notes
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 4 medium cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Chicken: Whisk the chicken ingredients (minus chicken) in a shallow bowl or freezer bag. Add chicken and stir until evenly coated. Set aside while you chop the veggies and prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Add peanuts to a large wok or nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat until dark golden in spots. Remove from skillet. (A nonstick skillet will work best with the chicken in the next step unless your skillet is very well seasoned.)
- To the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden; flip chicken over and cook an additional 2 minutes, until browned on all sides (does not need to be cooked through). Remove chicken to a plate.
- To the same skillet, heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add onions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger, garlic, dried chilies and chili seeds and stir fry one minute.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine then add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and add additional chili seeds or chili sauce if desired.
- Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Video
Notes
- ***Fresh Szechuan peppercorn warning:ย Toasting and grinding fresh Szechuan peppercorns are much stronger than pre-bought.ย If you choose to toast/grind them yourself, start with HALF the amount then add more to taste as needed.
What Chili Peppers for Szechuan Chicken?
- For this Szechuan Chicken, you will need DRIED, Thai chilies.ย Thai chilies typically can be found at an Asian market or on Amazon.ย Dried Thai chilies are one-half to two inches long. Theseย chiliesย range from 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units which is 23 times the average heat of a jalapeรฑo!
- In order to not burn our mouths off, we stir fry the chilies whole and only add some seeds to taste. This is akin to using the flesh of the jalapenos without the seeds – you still get the flavor and some of the heat but not the numbing heat.
Thai Chilies Substitute
- If you canโt locate Thai chiles, you can substitute them with Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek) which is made from a combination of chilies, including Thai chilies.
- I recommend 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste plus ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes for medium spicy and 2 tablespoons Asian chili paste plus ยฝ teaspoon for spicier. Always start with less heat and add more to taste – because you can add heat but it’s hard to take away!
- If you know you donโt like very spicy food, then I would only use 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce and eliminate the crushed red pepper flakes.ย From there, you can add back a small pinch of red pepper flakes or Asian chili sauce to taste to the entire Szechuan Chicken or to your individual servings.
HOW to customize spice level using chilies
Szechuan Chicken is meant to have a kick from the Szechuan peppercorn, Asian Thai chilies, ginger and garlic. That being said, it is very EASY to customize the heat of this Szechuan Chicken recipe:- MILD SZECHUAN CHICKEN:ย In my Szechuan Chicken recipe, I use 15 Thai chili peppers. ย ย If you stir fry the recipe with these chilies but do NOT cut any of the peppers open and donโt eat any of the chiles, your stir fry will be flavorful but mild in heat.
- MODERATE TO SPICY SZECHUAN CHICKEN:ย For spicier Szechuan Chicken recipe, use the 15 whole Thai chilies and add seeds from additional chilies to taste.ย To do this, simply cut the dried chilies open and sprinkle the seeds in to the entire Szechuan Chicken or to individual servings.ย I find seeds from 5 chilies (added to the whole dish) to be medium spicy and it gets spicier from there the more seeds you add.ย
- ***If you aren’t sure how spicy you want it, start with less chili seeds and sprinkle in more after to taste after the dish is complete.
TIPS AND TRICKSย
Szechuan Chicken is pretty straightforward, but here are some tips and tricks to make it a sizzling success:- Szechuan peppercorn:ย You will need 1 ½ teaspoons ground Szechuan peppercorn.ย ย Szechuan peppercorn can be found on Amazon (my fav!) at most Asian markets (call first) spice stores, or sometimes specialty stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts.ย ]
- Use rice wine.ย Use rice wine and NOT rice wine vinegar. You can substitute rice wine with pale dry sherry.
- Use QUALITY oyster sauce like Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman because you literally can TASTE the difference!
- Cook chicken first.ย Donโt cook the chicken and veggies together because we want to brown the chicken (color + flavor) which canโt happen with all the veggies in the pan.ย The chicken will also leave behind yummy brown bits which will give the veggies flavor.
- Customize heat. See my detailed section about customizing heat and substituting chili sauce for chili peppers.
- Don’t marinate chicken for too long. The bite-size pieces of chicken should not be marinated longer than 30 minutes or else they can become mushy.
- Prep veggies and sauce first.ย ย While your chicken is marinating, chop all your veggies, aromatics and prep your sauce.ย You want everything ready before you start cooking because the actually stir fry portion just takes a few minutes.ย If you have to stop to make your sauce while your bell peppers are still in the pan, they can end up soft and even worse โ mushy.
- Hot but not too hot skillet.ย Your pan should be hot enough so that the chicken and veggies sizzle when they touch the pan and continue to sizzle but the pan shouldnโt be so hot that it smokes excessively once you add the oil.ย If the pan is smoking hot, remove it from heat, let it cool slightly then return to heat. To determine if the wok is hot enough, flick a few droplets of water onto the skillet or wok.ย The beads of water should evaporate within 2 seconds.ย
- Donโt overcook chicken.ย For the juiciest chicken, donโt overcook! ย Brown it in the skillet but let it finish cooking in the sauce.
- Donโt overcook bell peppers.ย I suggest setting the timer for 60 seconds so you donโt overcook the bell peppers. It is better to under-cook them when stir frying then allow them to reach desired-crisp tenderness once you add the Szechuan sauce.
- Customize veggies.ย You can substitute the bell peppers for your favorite veggies.
- Add sauce to the sides of the pan.ย ย Pour the Szechuan sauce around and down the sides of the pan instead of directly into the center.ย This will prevent the pan from cooling down too much. ย
HOW TO PREP AHEADย
Szechuan Chicken has a few steps, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time for a speedy dinner. Hereโs how:- Chop chicken:ย ย you can trim and chop chicken into bite size pieces any time before marinating then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make Szechuan sauce:ย whisk the ingredients together up to 24 hours in advance and store, covered in the refrigerator. ย Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before using.
- Chop veggies:ย you can chop your garlic, grate your ginger and slice your onions and bell peppers 24 hours in advance and store in separate air tight containers in the refrigerator.
- Cook!ย Within the next 48 hours, proceed with the recipe starting with marinating the chicken for 20-30 minutes.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs
Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Jennifer Fulk says
Hi Jen! Excited to make this! I ordered the peppercorn powder on Amazon. I am planning on using the Sambal Oelek instead of the dried chiles. Do I add it in with the veggies and ginger/garlic? I would like to add asparagus and water chestnuts along with the bell pepper and onion. Do you think it will be saucy enough to serve over rice or should I double the sauce? Thank you!
Jen says
I’m excited you’re excited! I would whisk the Sambal Ooelek directly to the Szechuan sauce. I think it is saucy enough to add the extra veggies and then just add a little extra chicken broth to stretch the sauce at the end if needed. I’ can’t wait to hear what you think!
Jennifer Fulk says
Thank you! That sounds perfect! I will let you know soon! My peppercorns are coming on Monday!
Linda says
Wonderful dish. The marinated chicken browns up quickly, great tasting Szechuan sauce, quick prep, quick one pan cooking – a winner here in our family.
Added extra veggies – carrots and broccoli. Used Sambel Oelek in place of thai chilies.
Thank you for the recipe
Jen says
Thanks for being the first to review this Szechuan Chicken recipe Linda! I’m thrilled it is a new family winner and you were able to easily use Sambal Oelekk and add extra veggies – yum!
Jennifer Fulk says
Made it! Wow Jen ! This was just amazing. I have to say the most flavorful stir-fry I have ever made. That sauce is terrific. I served it with steamed white rice and Minh’s egg rolls. I cannot wait for lunch leftovers ! The chicken is delicious and melts in your mouth. Top of the stir fry list for sure! Thank you!
Jen says
I’m thrilled you loved this Szechuan Chicken so much Jennifer! When I love something so much I want everyone else too love it that much too, so YAY! I’m honored it earned “top of the stir fry list!”
Joe says
Store didn’t have dried thai chiles but I have de arbol on hand, would this work? How many to use?
Jen says
yes, that would work great! Thai chilies are typically three to four times hotter than chile de ร rbol, so you can use quite a bit more.
Sophia Hamade says
I *very throughly* read all of your instructions and I just have to say I appreciate all of tips because they really made this dish perfect, and I learned a lot just from this one recipe. Just finished a huge plate of this and it was most definitely better than any take out I have ever tried AND Szechuan chicken is always my go to!! Thank you so much for this recipe, itโs definitely going into the cookbook.
Jen says
That is awesome you actually read the whole post -I’m so pleased you found it helpful! I’m also so pleased the recipe was hit and earned a place in the cookbook! Thanks Sophia!
Jen says
Hi Sophia,
It’s finally happening! Thank you so much for your previous interest in a cookbook xo
I’m excited to inform you it’s now available for presale! Copy and paste the following into your browser: https://carlsbadcravings.com/home/cookbook/ OR Google “Carlsbad Cravings Cookbook”:
Happy Cooking!
Mark says
I unfortunately had to throw this in the garbageโฆ I donโt blame the recipeโฆI used fresh Szechuan peppercorns, toasted them, ground them and sifted and used the amount called for. The Szechuan was so overpowering, the dish was inedible.. even tap water tasted carbonated. I tried cutting with sherry, brown sugar, lime etcโฆ nothing helped. I am guessing the peppercorns were so fresh the flavor carried far beyond what you might get from them had they been pre-ground and sitting in a container for months. I will do it again but perhaps a word of warning to anyone toasting and grinding the fresh peppercorns to perhaps start with 1/2 what is called for and build from there.
Jen says
I am so sorry Mark, that must have been so frustrating! I appreciate the warning! I have never tried this recipe with fresh Szechuan peppercorns so I will definitely make a note on the recipe. Again, my apologies!
Londa says
Hi Jen,
Looking forward to making this! Just wondering if you used the mild peppers or medium/hot from Amazon? Thanks!
Jen says
I used mild hot, but totally personal preference. Enjoy!
Diane Downie says
Just made it for dinner , the sauce is fantastic so flavourful. I made it with my Asian cauliflower rice and was a perfect . Thanks so much
Jen says
You are so welcome Diane! Thank you so much for making my recipes! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!