Chicken with Szechuan Sauce (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Recreate a Chinese takeaway style classic with this chicken with Szechuan sauce recipe. Spicy with hot bean sauce and a variety of vegetables, it’s ideal for a quick dinner with egg fried rice and salt & pepper chips.

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This Scottish Chinese takeaway style chicken with Szechuan sauce is a real restaurant favourite recreated at home. Tender pieces of chicken, stir-fried with vegetables in a hot pepper sauce that’s aromatic and full of flavour.

Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Szechuan Sauce

This classic Chinese takeaway chicken with Szechuan sauce combines tender chicken with onion, green pepper, carrot, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. The sauce is made using hot bean sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and hoisin, with fresh and dried chilli for even more heat.

• Hot Bean Sauce
• Tomato Ketchup
• Oyster Sauce
• Light Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce
• White Pepper
• Sunflower Oil
• Onion
• Green Pepper
• Carrot
• Bamboo Shoots
• Water Chestnuts
• Chicken For Chinese Takeaway Style Stir Fry Dishes
• Sea Salt
• MSG
• Chopped Garlic in Oil
• Crushed Dried Chilli Flakes
• Chopped Garlic in Oil
• Light Chicken Stock
• Potato Starch
• Spring Onion
• Rice Wine
• Red Chilli

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see the exact oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine I use in all my Chinese recipes? Check out my Chinese Takeaway Style Cooking Essentials guide.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Szechuan Sauce

Making this tasty Chinese takeaway style chicken with Szechuan sauce is quick and easy! First, the sauce is prepared. Next, vegetables are stir fried in a hot wok, along with tender chicken, sea salt, MSG, chopped garlic and chilli flakes. The prepared sauce is added and simmered with stock before being thickened slightly. Finally, spring onion, rice wine and fresh chilli are added to finish and the dish is ready to serve.

Step 1: Sauce

In a bowl, add 1 1/2 tablespoons hot bean sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce, 1/4 teaspoon caster sugar and pinch white pepper. Mix briefly and set aside.

Step 2: Stir Fry

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, 1/4 onion, sliced, 1/4 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped, 1/4 carrot, thinly sliced, 1 handful tinned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained (about 30g) and 1 handful tinned water chestnuts, rinsed and drained (about 30g). Stir fry for 1 minute. Add 1 portion chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishespinch sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon MSG, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic in oil and 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried chilli flakes and mix well. Add the prepared sauce and 200 millilitres light chicken stock. Mix well, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.

Step 3: Finish

Slowly add 1 tablespoon potato starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water, stirring well until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (you may not need all of the mix). Finish with 1 spring onion, sliced, 1 teaspoon rice wine, and 1 red chilli, sliced. Mix well once more and serve.

Recipe Tips for Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Szechuan Sauce

Tender Chicken: This recipe uses chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishes. This simple velveting technique ensures you get deliciously soft and tender chicken pieces for your favourite takeaway style dishes.

Preparation: Stir fry dishes come together quickly, so it’s good to have all the necessary ingredients and sauces prepared and to hand before you start cooking. Once you start, it’s all go until the dish is sizzling hot and ready to serve!

I hope you’ll try this Chinese takeaway style chicken with Szechuan sauce recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken with Szechuan Sauce Recipe FAQ

What is hot bean sauce?

Hot bean sauce (sometimes called chilli bean sauce or doubanjiang) is a spicy, savoury Chinese condiment made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, and chillies. You can use it in Szechuan style dishes and dan dan noodles.

Which brand of hot bean sauce should I use?

For this recipe, I recommend Yeo’s Hot Bean Sauce. It’s widely available online and in Chinese supermarkets, and it delivers the right balance of saltiness, spice, and fermented depth without being overpowering. I’ve also made this dish with Lee Kum Kee hot bean sauce with good results.

Can I substitute another brand of hot bean sauce?

You can, but flavours will vary slightly. Some versions of doubanjiang are more salty, or hotter than Yeo’s. If substituting, use a smaller amount to begin with and adjust to taste.

What is MSG and why should I use it?

MSG is monosodium glutamate, a seasoning ingredient widely used in Chinese takeaway kitchens, in pure form or as an ingredient in soy sauces and other seasoning sauces. Despite historic baseless claims of its dangers, it has been widely proven to be considered safe for use in cooking. In fact, many of the myths and lies about MSG were deliberately and maliciously spread as a form of racism. You can find MSG naturally in many foodstuffs including broccoli, cheese and tomatoes. It’s available online or in Chinese supermarkets. You can learn more about MSG from the brilliant Chin Taylor of Ziang’s Kitchen here.

Do I need a carbon steel wok to cook Chinese takeaway style dishes?

A well seasoned carbon steel wok is a wonderful addition to your Chinese takeaway style cooking equipment, and I would highly recommend investing in one. But, you can cook this dish in any wok or large frying pan and it will be delicious!

Can I use cornflour instead of potato starch?

Yes, you can use cornflour and water to thicken the simmering stir fry sauce. It will do a similar job, however a more consistent texture is achieved using potato starch.

Can I use beef / char siu pork / king prawns / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with beef, char siu pork, king prawns or mixed vegetables.

What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

In Chinese takeaway kitchens, chefs use light soy sauce mainly for seasoning – it’s thinner and more salty than dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and is used to add colour to stir fry sauces and egg fried rice.

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Do you like this Chinese takeaway style chicken with Szechuan sauce recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make Scottish Chinese takeaway style beef curry, char siu satay, cheese omelette and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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