chicken szechuan

This recipe is adapted from a very old cookbook of my mom’s, The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith. She made this all the time while we were growing up and it has continued as a staple in my own life. After a few tweaks and adaptions, I think I’ve mastered the perfect take on the classic asian dish. Feel free to make your own tweaks as well - for example, my mom uses mushrooms in hers. Add whatever veg you love in a stir-fry type dish, or keep this vegetarian and skip the chicken. Bon appetit!

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Feeds: 4-6

Ingredients:

chicken & marinade:

  • 3-4 chicken boneless, skinless breasts (~ 1 lb)

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry

sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 4 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons worcestershire

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

other:

  • 1 head of broccoli

  • 2 bell peppers (I like to use red and green)

  • 1 bunch of scallions

  • 1 cup white rice

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2-3 tablespoons of peanut or other neutral oil

Instructions:

  1. Mix together your marinade in a glass dish: 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sherry, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

  2. Cut chicken breast into 1 inch pieces and add them to the marinade. Mix and set aside for at least 10 minutes (Tip: prep this in the morning and let it marinate all day)

  3. Prep the veggies: chop the head of broccoli and bell peppers into 1 inch bite size pieces. Set aside.

  4. Meanwhile, begin cooking your white rice according to the package instructions. (Note: I typically make 1 cup of rice for 4 people, but feel free to make more or less depending on your audience.)

  5. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to a hot wok (Note: Splash a drop or two of water into the wok - if it sizzles, then it is hot enough to begin cooking. If you don’t have a wok, any large pot or pan will do!)

  6. Add the marinated chicken. Cook over medium high-heat for about 7 minutes, until cooked through. Stir every so often.

  7. Add the broccoli and cover for about 3 minutes. This will allow the broccoli to steam and accelerate their cooking process.

  8. Add the bell peppers and stir together. Cover for another 3 minutes.

  9. Meanwhile, prep the sauce: whisk together 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of dry sherry, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of worcestershire, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

  10. Add the sauce to the wok and incorporate with the chicken and vegetables. Continue stirring over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens a bit and nicely coats the stir fry.

  11. Slice the bunch of scallions: slice the green part of the scallion into 1/2 inch pieces, but finely slice the white part into thin rounds.

  12. Stir the greens of the scallion into the stir fry. Set aside the whites for garnish.

  13. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.

  14. Serve the chicken szechuan over white rice and top with remaining scallions. Enjoy!