This Chinese Jalapeno Chicken is simple and flavorful, ready in a flash! The jalapeno and sauce coat the chicken perfectly, making it the best Chinese dish you have ever made.
⭐Chinese Jalapeno Chicken: A Quick Look
- What it is: A quick Chinese cuisine chicken stir-fry with jalapeño and bold garlic soy glaze
- Time & Yield: 20 minutes, serves 2
- Taste & Texture: Savory, slightly sweet, garlicky; tender chicken with glossy, sticky coating
- Heat Level: Medium heat from jalapeño and chili garlic sauce
- How To Make: Toss chicken in cornstarch and garlic, pan-fry, then coat with a quick soy-chili-jalapeño sauce
- Recipe's Top Highlights: Quick weeknight spicy chicken dinner. Bold, sweet, savory garlic sauce. Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor
⭐️Why You'll Love This Recipe?
This fusion recipe uses Chinese-style food and the Mexican ingredient, jalapeno.
I like this recipe because it's so much quicker and made with easy-to-find Asian ingredients like soy sauce, corn starch, and rice wine vinegar. If you love Chinese takeout, it will meet all your expectations.
Chicken is usually deep-fried for this recipe, but we have made it lighter using a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Jump to:
Chinese Jalapeno Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: I always use chicken breasts, but you can substitute tenderloins or thighs. Dice them into bite-sized cubes.
- Cornstarch, thickens the sauce and coats the chicken evenly. If preferred, you can substitute it with tapioca starch.
- Soy sauce: Two versions are available on the market: light and dark. Light soy sauce has less sodium than dark soy sauce. Some American palates find the sauce salty. I would recommend using half the soy sauce first, tasting it, and increasing the amount if needed.
- Rice wine vinegar: Adds an authentic Chinese flavor.
- Brown sugar: I vote for light brown sugar because it gives the chicken a bright golden brown glaze. However, you may substitute it with honey, the closest alternative.
- Garlic: What else can we think of when it comes to flavors? Garlic brings vibrant flavors. Plus, it tastes finger-licking when combined with brown sugar and soy sauce. Mince for a bountiful aroma.
- Jalapeno: De-seed and slice them. If you're new to jalapeno peppers, wear gloves to avoid irritation.
How To Make Chinese Jalapeno Chicken?
- Step 1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Mix with cornstarch and minced garlic. Set aside.
- Step 2. Mix soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and jalapeño slices in a mixing bowl.
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- Step 3. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Add ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add chicken and cook until fully done.
- Step 4. Stir in the sauce. Sauté for a minute until the chicken is well-coated. Serve with rice.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat?
Everyone's heat tolerance is different; what someone finds bland may be too spicy for others. But when we make ourselves, we know our family members' requisitions.
The recipe is very much adaptable to a spicy or nonspicy version, like most of my spicy chicken recipes. Both versions are incredibly delicious, as the main focus is to infuse the chicken with the jalapeno flavors, and the heat from the pepper is secondary.
Remove the seeds and white membrane inside the jalapeno peppers for mild heat, and add them whole for intense heat.
You can also adjust the amount of chili garlic sauce to your heat tolerance.
Make-Ahead Tips
If you are making it for a party or want to make dinner quickly, Make the chicken and the sauce separately and store them separately.
Toss them just before serving. This process will not take more than 5 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
You can use leftover Chinese jalapeño chicken, fried rice, wraps, soup, or stir-fried noodles.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for about three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
For reheating, add a splash of water to retain moisture. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or microwave for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring in between to ensure even heating.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a complete meal, serve with hibachi soup and Szechuan fried rice. Brown rice, white rice, or quinoa are great weeknight options.
Yes, this recipe is highly adaptable. You can use other proteins like beef, shrimp, or even tofu. Stir-fry them and toss in our based jalapeño sauce.
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cook over medium heat until cooked through but not overdone. This will help preserve its tenderness.
If you enjoyed this Recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Chinese Jalapeno Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 3 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil /roasted sesame oil
Instructions
For preparation
- Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes.
- In a mixing bowl, add chicken chicken, corn starch, and minced garlic. And set aside.
- In another small mixing bowl, add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and jalapeno slices. Combine well and set aside.
For making
- Over high heat, place a heavy-bottomed pan. And add vegetable oil.
- Add chicken and cook until it is done completely.
- Now stir in the sauce and saute for a minute until the sauce coats the chicken well.
- Remove from heat and serve with rice.
Notes
- Adjust the heat by controlling jalapeño seeds and chili garlic sauce to your liking.
- Store leftovers for up to three days in the fridge or freeze for up to three months.
- Reheat with a splash of water on the stovetop or microwave for even heating.
Nutrition
Additional Info
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This Chinese jalapeno chicken sounds absolutely wonderful. My family are going to love it and I love that I can adjust the heat level as needed.
We made this chicken for dinner last night and it was delicious! Perfectly spicy!
This Chinese Jalapeno Chicken recipe was a flavor explosion in every bite! Such a simple yet incredibly tasty dish that brought a little spice to our dinner table. Can't wait to make it again!
This is a really fantastic blend of cultural cuisines! Love the spice from the jalapenos and the Asian flavors - it's really great!