A spicy and flavorful chicken quick bite recipe, this Szechuan chicken bite is guaranteed to win over your heart thanks to its incredible mix of flavors with spicy kick from Sichuan peppercorns and mild sweetness from the sauce!
Chinese food has always been my favorite since my childhood. In India we primarily get Indo-Chinese food which is a perfect amalgamation of Chinese flavors with Indian zest. After I started cooking for my blog, I discovered many more Chinese recipes which skyrocketed my love for this cuisine!
Same is the case with these Szechuan chicken bites. The juicy and tender chicken flavored with pungent and spicy Sichuan peppercorn is sure to win over your heart just like it did for us!
This is a chicken stir fry dish where tender chicken cubes are perfectly paired with crunchy veggies of your choice. To make it a colorful dish, try to use veggies of contrasting colors like red/yellow/green bell peppers, white/red onion, carrots, beans or anything of your choice!
The chicken and veggies are then laced with a glossy sauce with round things up beautifully leaving your taste buds in awe of its deliciousness!
What is Szechuan Chicken Bites
Szechuan chicken is a quick stir fried chicken with veggies of your choice and flavored with Szechuan peppercorn which gives a very earthy spicy flavor to the chicken. A dash of soy sauce adds a pungent flavor to complement it.
If you cook Chinese food frequently at home and have a bottle of Shaoxing wine handy, then add it too for the authentic Chinese flavors in your Szechuan chicken bites.
This homemade version of Szechuan chicken bites is a much better alternative to all your Chinese takeaways as you would know what you are adding to your chicken.
Plus, the homemade chicken and veggie stir fry would be bursting with super flavors thanks to all the freshly added ingredients and the star ingredient of this recipe which is Szechuan peppercorn.
Ingredients for Szechuan Chicken Bites
This Szechuan chicken bites is a quick and easy appetizer recipe which you can whip up fast when you crave for something spicy & peppery without much of a hassle. So the ingredient list can’t be too long as that may demotivate you from making this delish dish at home.
Chicken: Since this is a boneless quick bite, you will need boneless and skinless chicken. You can either use chicken breast or chicken thighs cut into small bite-sized pieces. My personal suggestion would be to use chicken thighs as they turn out to be more tender and juicier.
Soy sauce: Add soy sauce into your marinade and also in the sauce to infuse that deep earthy flavor into your Szechuan chicken bites.
Shaoxing wine: This one is an optional ingredient but if you can use it, you will get that authentic flavor which you get in your Chinese takeaway dishes. If you cook Chinese dishes often at home, I would recommend having a bottle of Shaoxing wine handy. If you don’t have this at the moment, you can substitute it with rice wine vinegar or white vinegar.
Sichuan peppercorn: This one is the star of the show! Sichuan peppercorn is very different from your regular black peppercorn and is a must if you want to really make a good Szechuan chicken at home. This has a very strong peppery flavor and the right amount of kick that you would expect from your Szechuan chicken.
Veggies: To complement the juicy & tender bites of chicken, you can add a handful of crunchy veggies in your stir fry. Sliced onion will add some sweetness and mixed bell peppers will add vibrant colors with crunch! All in all a beautiful looking dish!
Aromatics: As in any stir fry, you will need finely chopped garlic and ginger to add that incredible aroma which will add wholesome completeness to your Szechuan chicken bites.
Dry red chilli: If you are as adventurous as us, then definitely throw in a few dry red chillies which will impart an additional spicy kick to your chicken bites.
Seasoning: While seasoning your Szechuan chicken, please be cautious as soy sauce is already quite salty. Hence add salt sparingly after tasting. To balance out the spiciness, you will need to add a tablespoon of sugar to the sauce.
Cornflour/cornstarch: This will be needed in both marinade and the sauce. When you add cornflour to the marinade, it will make your chicken somewhat crispy. When you add it to the sauce, it will give that right smooth & sticky consistency.
Vegetable oil: You can use any vegetable oil but it must be flavorless. Please avoid olive oil or mustard oil in all respects!
How to make Szechuan Chicken Bites?
Step 1: Wash and pat dry your chicken thoroughly. Then cut the chicken into 1-inch bite sized pieces. Take them in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Now add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and a pinch of salt to your chicken. Give them a good mix using a spatula or your good old hand! Set them aside for 30 minutes for the flavor to develop.
Step 3: After about 30 mins, sprinkle the cornflour/cornstarch over the marinated chicken and coat each chicken piece evenly on all sides with the cornflour.
Step 4: In another small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients – soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and cornflour. Don’t add salt to the sauce. You will have to taste the chicken and then only season it appropriately. Set the sauce aside.
Step 5: Heat oil in a wok for frying the chicken. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium-low and drop the chicken pieces one by one. You may have to do it in batches as too much overcrowding will result in soggy chicken pieces.
Step 6: Fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Once they turn golden brown, take them out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Step 7: When all the chicken pieces are done frying, remove excess oil from the wok leaving only a couple of teaspoons behind.
Step 8: Add chopped dry red chillies, garlic & ginger to the hot wok and cook for a few seconds. Then tip in the sliced onion. Stir fry them for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium high heat.
Step 9: Now add the bell peppers and continue to stir fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high heat. You don’t need to completely soften the bell peppers; the cruncy peppers will complement the chicken really well.
Step 10: Once the peppers are fried nicely, add the star ingredient – the crushed Sichuan peppercorn and give a good stir.
Step 11: Finally add the fried chicken pieces and pour the prepared sauce over it. Continue stirring the chicken using a spatula keeping the wok on medium heat for about 2 more minutes.
Step 12: You Szechuan chicken bites are ready to serve. Garnish with freshly chopped greens of green/spring onion and serve immediately!
Other Chinese stir fry recipes that you will love:
- Shrimp Stir Fry with Vegetables
- Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry Video Recipe
- All Veggie Stir Fry with Mushrooms & Zucchini
Recipe inspired from Jo Cooks.
- Chicken thigh - 500 gms, boneless & skinless
- Light soy sauce - 1 tbsp
- Shaoxing wine - 1 tbsp
- Cornflour/cornstarch - ½ cup
- Light soy sauce - 3 tbsp (preferably low sodium)
- Shaoxing wine - 1 tbsp
- Sugar - 1 tbsp
- Cornflour/cornstarch - 1 tbsp
- Onion - 1, small, thinly sliced
- Red bell pepper - 1, small, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Green bell pepper - 1, small, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Dry red chillies - 4 (adjust according to your liking)
- Garlic - 6 to 8 cloves, finely minced
- Ginger - 1-inch piece, finely chopped
- Sichuan peppercorn - 1 tbsp, crushed in mortar and pestle
- Vegetable oil (canola/sunflower) for frying
- Wash and pat dry your chicken thoroughly. Then cut the chicken into 1-inch bite sized pieces. Take them in a large mixing bowl.
- Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and a pinch of salt to your chicken. Give them a good mix. Set them aside for 30 minutes for the flavor to develop.
- After about 30 mins, sprinkle the cornflour/cornstarch over the marinated chicken and coat each chicken piece evenly on all sides with the cornflour.
- In another small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and cornflour. Don't add salt to the sauce. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat oil in a wok for frying the chicken - you can either deep fry or shallow fry. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium-low and drop the chicken pieces one by one. You may have to do it in batches as too much overcrowding will result in soggy chicken pieces.
- Fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Once they turn golden brown, take them out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- When all the chicken pieces are done frying, remove excess oil from the wok leaving only a couple of teaspoons behind.
- Add chopped dry red chillies, garlic & ginger and cook for a few seconds. Then tip in the sliced onion. Stir fry them for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now add the bell peppers and continue to stir fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high heat. You don't need to completely soften the bell peppers; the crunchy peppers will complement the chicken really well.
- Once the peppers are fried nicely, add the crushed Sichuan peppercorn and give a good stir.
- Finally add the fried chicken pieces and pour the prepared sauce over it. Continue stirring the chicken & veggies using a spatula keeping the wok on medium heat for about 2 more minutes.
- You Szechuan chicken bites are ready to serve. Garnish with freshly chopped greens of green/spring onion and serve immediately!
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