Hunan Chicken

Chinese cuisine

I have travelled to China several times and absolutely crave the fabulous cooking throughout the country. It is as diverse in cuisine as the US or Europe. Hunan Province, along with the Szechuan Province, is quite famous for its hot and spicy cuisine. In fact, General Tso’s chicken is believed to be derived from Hunan cuisine by Chinese Americans. Hunan Province has a wide variety of agriculture including a large rice production. Chilies, garlic, shallots, green onions (scallions), etc. are just a few of the many products produced throughout the province. In this classic dish, not only is my recipe a bit hot but also sweet and includes many of the major products of the Hunan Province.

Ingredients (6 servings):

• 2 pounds – chicken breasts, boneless and skinless – cut into bite size pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons – soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons – corn starch
• 6 tablespoons – water
• 3 tablespoons – rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons – soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons – sesame oil (I recommend an oriental brand like Hokan)
• 3 teaspoons – corn starch
• 3 teaspoons – sugar
• 2 tablespoons – peanut oil (for chicken)
• 2 tablespoons – peanut oil (for vegetables)
• 10 – green onions (scallions) cut into ½-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons – chili-garlic sauce (I like Hokan brand) – typically sold in supermarkets but may only be available in Asian markets in some parts of the country
• 8 cloves – garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons – ginger, minced
• 6 servings – cooked rice

Preparation:

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and add to a large bowl. Mix the chicken with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 3 teaspoons corn starch making sure that the chicken is coated. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Chicken marinating.

Meanwhile, prepare the cooking sauce by mixing the water, vinegar, soy sauce (4 tablespoons), sesame oil, corn starch (3 teaspoons), and sugar in a bowl.

Once the chicken is ready, add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to a non-stick pan or wok over high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Stir-frying chicken.

Remove the chicken from the pan or wok with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl.

Left to right – ginger, garlic, and scallions.

Immediately add an additional 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to the pan or wok followed by the onions, chili-garlic sauce, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes (do not allow it to burn). Add the chicken back into the pan along with the cooking sauce and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes.

The Hunan chicken ready to simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan or wok, and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice immediately. Good eating!

Hunan chicken

J. Botticelli