This Szechuan Chicken with Peppers is all about big flavour, minimal effort. You get that classic chilli-garlic kick, a glossy savoury sauce, and tender chicken stir-fried with crisp peppers, all in under 30 minutes. It’s the kind of dish that tastes like your favourite takeaway, but it’s easy enough to throw together on a weeknight.
No hard-to-find ingredients either, just pantry staples like soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and a little chilli. Serve it with fluffy rice or noodles, and you’ve got dinner sorted.
Love spicy, saucy stir-fries? You might also like my Spicy Tiger Prawn Stir-Fry….quick, bold, and full of kick.
🍴 Tools You’ll Need
Wok or Frying Pan – A wok like this gives even heat and space to move things around.
Chef’s Knife – Slice through meat and veg with ease…this one is sharp and sturdy.
Small Bowl – A bowl like this is ideal for stir-fry sauces.
Rice Cooker – Optional, but this takes the guesswork out of perfect rice.
Szechuan Chicken with Peppers
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breast cut into pieces
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 green pepper sliced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated (or use ginger paste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or sriracha adjust to heat preference
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce optional, for sweetness
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional, for extra flavour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Chopped spring onions and sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Toss the chicken in cornflour, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Set aside while you prep the veg and sauce.
- In a small bowl like this, mix soy sauce, vinegar, chilli garlic sauce, hoisin (if using), and a splash of water to loosen. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan or wok like this over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until golden and just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan. Stir-fry the peppers for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan and pour over the sauce. Toss everything together for 2–3 minutes until coated and bubbling.
- Drizzle in sesame oil if using. Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot with rice or noodles. A simple rice cooker like this takes all the stress out of getting fluffy rice every time.
Top Tips for Szechuan Chicken with Peppers
Use cornflour for crispness: Lightly coating the chicken gives you that lovely takeaway-style texture once it hits the hot pan.
Prep everything first: Stir-fries move quickly, so have all your ingredients chopped and your sauce mixed before you start.
Control the heat: Add more or less chilli garlic sauce depending on your spice tolerance, or mix in a splash of honey to tone it down.
Double the sauce: If you like it extra saucy for rice or noodles, just scale up the sauce ingredients a bit.