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This Szechuan chicken recipe is a fast, fiery stir-fry with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns for that signature má-là spice. Just 10 minutes prep time, 15 minute cook time and serves 4. Juicy chicken, crisp-tender veggies, and a sticky, spicy-garlicky sauce, weeknight easy, takeout vibes.
Table of Contents
- Why my version Works
- Ingredients For Szechuan Chicken
- What Are Sichuan Peppercorns? (Peppercorns 101)
- How to Make Szechuan Chicken
- Quick Stir Fry Tip
- Customize the Heat and Stir Fry Variations
- What is Szechuan Chicken?
- Storage, Reheating and Make-Ahead Tips
- Hunan Chicken vs. Szechuan Chicken
- Does Szechuan Chicken have vegetables?
- Substitute for Szechuan Peppercorns
- What to Serve with Szechuan Chicken
- Szechuan Chicken Recipe
- Want even more easy takeout recipes to make at home? Try THESE favorites!
Why my version Works
- Tested three heat levels to keep chicken juicy and avoid overcooked vegetables.
- Tried two peppercorn toasting methods to maximize aroma without bitterness.
- Built-in easy swaps: chili-garlic paste vs dried chilies so you can fine-tune spice.
- Uses pantry-friendly ingredients so it’s weeknight practical.
This Easy Szechuan Chicken recipe is our favorite take out Chinese food because it’s slightly spicy and seriously packed with flavor. I think it’s better than our local Chinese restaurants and it’s definitely healthier because it’s not deep fried or loaded with sodium.
It’s pretty close to an authentic Szechuan Chicken recipe in that it uses szechuan peppercorns for a hit of mild heat. We like to top ours with chopped peanuts kind of like General Tso’s Chicken and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for added crunch.
Ingredients For Szechuan Chicken
Szechuan Chicken Stir Fry is really simple to make with easy to find ingredients.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – We like chicken breast because it’s lean but boneless chicken thighs work well as a substitution.
- Cornstarch – A thickening agent for the sauce, it also helps make the chicken crispy up a bit to hold onto the sauce.
- Olive Oil – If you’re not an olive oil fan, peanut oil, avocado oil or another neutral oil is a good sub.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is the only way.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger or ginger paste are my favorites to use.
- Chili Garlic Paste – Thicker than chili garlic sauce, this adds the heat you need in szechuan cooking.
- Soy Sauce – Try to find a low sodium version.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – Mild rice wine vinegar is best but I’ve used apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
- Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) – Mirin is not the same as rice wine vinegar and can be found in your grocery store asian aisle.
- Sesame Oil – A little bit goes a long way.
- Red Chili Peppers – If you’r not a fan of a lot of spice you can use red bell peppers in place of the chili peppers.
- Dried Red Chilies – If you can’t find dried red chili peppers, crushed red pepper flakes are an excellent substitute.
- Szechuan Peppercorns – Also called Sichuan Peppercorns or Chinese pepper, is not the same as black pepper. They’re actually berries from the prickly ash treat and are comment in Sichuan cuisine in China. If you can’t find them, you can leave them out.
- Peanuts – Finely chopped unsalted peanuts add crunch.
- Sesame Seeds – For garnish, you can use toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds.
- Chopped Scallions – Also for garnish, chopped green onions add freshness and color.
While it looks like a lot of ingredients for Szechuan Chicken stir fry, most of them are pantry staples that you can keep on hand to whip up other easy fake out take out recipes on the fly.
For the full ingredient list, measurements and instructions, see the recipe card below.
What Are Sichuan Peppercorns? (Peppercorns 101)
- Pro tip: Bloom ground peppercorns in a teaspoon of hot oil for 20–30 seconds before saucing, bigger aroma, cleaner finish.
- Not black pepper: They’re the citrusy husk of the prickly ash, famous for a buzzing, tongue-tingling sensation called má-là.
- Toast then grind: Dry-toast whole peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat 60–90 seconds until fragrant; cool, then grind. This wakes up lemony aroma without bitterness.
- How much to use: Start with ½ – 1 teaspoon ground for mild tingle; go to 1½ teaspoons for pronounced buzz.
- Smart swaps if you can’t find them: It’s not identical, but try a pinch of ground coriander and lemon zest for aroma, and a bit more chili for heat.
How to Make Szechuan Chicken
I love this recipe because chicken stir fry is incredibly quick to make. Just be sure to have all your ingredients prepped in advance because the cooking process goes quickly.
- Marinate: Toss chicken with soy, Shaoxing (or dry sherry), and cornstarch 10 minutes.
- Batch sear: Hot wok/skillet, thin oil film; cook chicken in batches until browned—don’t crowd.
- Stir-fry veg: Bell peppers/onion to crisp-tender (edges just blistered).
- Bloom aromatics: Garlic, ginger, dried chilies 30 seconds; add Sichuan peppercorns.
- Sauce & glaze: Pour in sauce; simmer 60–90 seconds until glossy. Toss with peanuts and scallions.
Quick Stir Fry Tip
If the pan doesn’t sizzle on contact, reduce the amount of chicken in the pan. Overcrowded pan equates to soggy stir fry.
Customize the Heat and Stir Fry Variations
Turn up the Heat
- Mild: 1-2 teaspoon chili-garlic paste; ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper.
- Medium: 3-4 teaspoon chili-garlic paste or 6-8 dried chilies; 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Hot: 10 -15 dried chilies, 1-1½ teaspoon pepper. Bloom chilies in oil first for a smoky kick.
Flavor Variation
- Vegetable swaps: Broccoli florets, celery, or snap peas.
- Nutty twist: Swap peanuts for cashews or leave out for nut-free.
- Protein swap: Extra-firm tofu (pressed and cornstarch-dusted for crispiness) or thin-sliced pork.
- Sauce enhancer: A drizzle of black vinegar at the end brightens everything.
What is Szechuan Chicken?
Szechuan Chicken, or Sichuan Chicken, is a style of Chinese cooking originating in the Sichuan region of China. Famous for it’s bold and spicy flavors created by tons of garlic and spicy peppers, as well as, the notorious Szechuan Peppercorn known for it’s citrus-y spice that creates a numbing sensation in the mouth which helps you tolerate the heat of many of the spicy dishes from that area of the world.
Storage, Reheating and Make-Ahead Tips
- Storage: Transfer leftover Szechuan Chicken to an airtight container and store up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Hot wok or skillet for 2–3 minutes to re-glaze, this preserves crisp vegetables better than the microwave.
- Freezer: Best to freeze the sauce separately; stir-fry fresh vegetables for freshness and crunch.
- Food safety: Reheat chicken to 165°F (74°C).
- Make-ahead: Mix sauce up to 3 days in advance; slice chicken and vegetables the night before then store in an airtight container, separately, in the refrigerator.
Hunan Chicken vs. Szechuan Chicken
While both Hunan Chicken and Szechuan Chicken are made with large amounts of chili peppers and garlic, Hunan Chicken is decidedly spicier than Szechuan Chicken.
Szechuan Chicken has a nice balance of flavors with both sweet and spicy while Hunan Chicken is much more plain in flavor but exceptionally spicy.
Does Szechuan Chicken have vegetables?
Typical Chinese Szechuan Chicken doesn’t usually have many vegetables except for the red chili peppers, however, you can modify this recipe to add whatever vegetables you like. We love to add snow peas or broccoli to this stir fry recipe just to bulk it up and add some extra healthiness to the dish. That’s one of the benefits of making your own take out dinners at home….that and you don’t have to answer the door in your pajamas.
Substitute for Szechuan Peppercorns
If you’re having trouble finding Szechuan Peppercorns, like I sometimes do, you can use regular whole peppercorns in their place. You won’t have the citrus-y, peppery heat but you will get a slight heat from the regular peppercorns. If you want to make it a little more spicy and you’re omitting the Szechuan Peppercorns, you can add a little extra Chili Garlic Paste.
What to Serve with Szechuan Chicken
Some of my favorite things to serve with Szechuan Chicken, besides white rice, are:
Use your own imagination, some Szechuan green beans or even frozen eggrolls just to mix things up. And in full disclosure, I’ve been loving the frozen jasmine rice in the microwave steam bag from my local grocery store.
If you don’t want a spicy chicken dish, my family loves this Chicken Chop Suey! It’s a kitchen sink recipe in that just about whatever vegetables you have on hand will work perfectly! Or you can skip the chicken and make this easy Szechuan Shrimp!
Szechuan Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 wok or skillet
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- chef's knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 15 red chili peppers, chopped, serrano, fresno, red jalapenos would all work well but be mindful of the heat level if you’re sensitive to spice.
- 2 tbsp szechuan peppercorns
- 6 whole dried red chilis
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp mirin , sweet rice wine
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl and set aside.
- Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper. Pour the cornstarch over the chicken and toss to coat.
- Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Shake off the excess cornstarch on the chicken and add it to the pan in batches being sure not to crowd the pan.
- Cook the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Remove the last of the chicken from the pan and transfer to a platter.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the red chili peppers. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the szechuan peppercorns and dry chilis, cook until crisp, approximately 1 minute.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil and mirin. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir, cooking for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the chicken with the peanuts, scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with rice, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Heat dial: Mild (1–2 tsp chili-garlic paste), Medium (3–4 tsp or 6–8 dried chilies), Hot (10–15 dried chilies).
- Peppercorns: Dry-toast 60–90 sec, cool, then grind; bloom in hot oil 20–30 sec for max aroma.
- Batch sear: Work in batches to brown chicken—overcrowding = steaming.
- Glaze check: Sauce should turn glossy in 60-90 sec; remove from heat before vegetables softens.
- Protein/vegetable swaps: Chicken Thighs or chicken breasts; tofu works, too. Try broccoli, celery, or snap peas.
- Nut options: Peanuts are classic; swap with cashews or omit for nut-free.
- Sodium-smart: Use low-sodium soy; taste sauce before salting.
- Equipment: Best in a wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat.
- Storage: Refrigerate 3-4 days; reheat in a hot skillet 2-3 min to re-sauce.
- Food safety: Reheat chicken to 165°F (74°C).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Want even more easy takeout recipes to make at home? Try THESE favorites!
- Super Easy Mongolian Beef Stir Fry
- Easy Beef Stir Fry with Noodles (SOOOO AMAZING!)
- Beef Broccoli and Quinoa Stir Fry
- Stir Fry Beef Peppers and Snow Peas
- 15 minute Pepper Steak
- Spicy Singapore Noodles with Shrimp
- Asian Style Pan Roasted Pork Chops
- Baked Chicken Teriyaki Casserole
- Moo Goo Gai Pan
- Chicken Lo Mein
So, whether you have a packed agenda during the week like us (but strangely….we have not much going on this week.) or a leisurely week to laze around, this easy Szechuan Chicken Stir Fry recipe is sure to please even the pickiest eater in your home.
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Yes, use the coriander and lemon zest swap and increase chilies slightly. It won’t be classic má-là, but it stays delicious.
Pan wasn’t hot enough or it was overcrowded. Sear chicken in batches, and keep veg to a single layer when possible.
Both work. Breasts cook fast but can dry out; thighs are more forgiving. Cut to similar sizes for even searing.
High heat, short time. Add veg after the chicken is mostly done; pull as soon as edges blister.
Use low-sodium soy sauce and skip added salt in the marinade; taste the sauce before salting.
We used fontana peppers, only 6, and this was WAY tooooo HOT. I used fewer dried red peppers also. I may try again w regular green and red peppers
I’m not familiar with fontana peppers but the type of pepper can definitely add a much more intense heat.
Can green jalapenos be used instead of red? There are several of these ingredients that are not in my pantry staples, but I’ll hang onto this recipe until I feel safe to leave my home. It sounds delicious! TY.
I am curious how this is a “healthy” recipe with 46% daily sodium intake with just one serving? I try to look for ideas on the internet to make healthy, lower fat and lower sodium meals. This would definitely not be something I would classify as healthy!
You can reduce the sodium by using low sodium soy sauce or less of it. It’s healthier than if you would order it from restaurant…..that’s for sure. So, you label it however you like.
My daughter is looking over my shoulder asking when we can make this for dinner! It looks and sounds amazing!!!
What a great dinner idea.
So stinking good! perfect weeknight meal
It really is!
This was DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Thank you! It’s one of our favorites!
such an easy delicious meal that’s packed with flavor the whole family loves!