Sichuan-Style Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Peanuts and Chili Oil

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-23 · Updated 2026-06-23

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A bold Chinese stir fry featuring tender chicken tossed with crunchy peanuts, dried chilies, and numbing Sichuan peppercorns in a vibrant chili oil sauce. This Chinese chicken recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs boneless chicken thighs, cornstarch, and vegetable oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 420 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp vegetable oil
8 whole dried red chilies
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 minced garlic cloves
3 sliced scallions
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp chili oil

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Instructions

Step 1: Toss 1 lb thinly sliced boneless chicken thighs with 2 tbsp cornstarch until evenly coated.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add 8 whole dried red chilies and 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.
Step 3: Add minced 1 tbsp ginger and 3 minced garlic cloves; stir-fry for 15 seconds.
Step 4: Add the chicken to the wok, spreading out in a single layer. Stir-fry for 5-6 minutes until chicken is cooked through and begins to brown.
Step 5: Stir in 3 sliced scallions, 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, and 1 tsp sugar. Toss to combine and cook for another 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats chicken.
Step 6: Remove from heat and drizzle 2 tbsp chili oil over the stir fry. Toss gently to distribute the heat and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.