Chinese Jalapeno Chicken (One Pot)
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Quick and easy jalapeno chicken recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot on stovetop in 30 minutes. Creamy and spicy with Asian/ Chinese flavor inspiration.
If you are fond of spicy meals that are still balanced, you are going to love today’s meal. It’s delicious just like my Black Pepper Chicken (One Pot) and Szechuan Chicken (One Pot). The recipe is versatile enough that you can always adjust the spice level, based on your family’s preference.
Please note that this recipe is different than Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Chicken (One Pot), which is inspired my Mexican flavors.
How to make jalapeno chicken recipe from scratch?
- Heat sesame oil and olive oil- Over medium-high heat.
- Add other ingredients- This includes chicken, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, vinegar, jalapenos, salt, pepper.
- Mix- Until combined.
- Cover and cook- Until chicken is almost cooked through.
- Uncover and cook- Until sauce thickens.
- Turn off heat- And mix in cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Enjoy– Garnish with green onions and dig in.
What sides to serve with Asian/ Chinese jalapeno chicken?
It’s best served with rice. Try any of these:
- Steamed jasmine rice or basmati rize
- Steam brown rice
- Vegetable Fried Rice (One Pot)
- Pineapple Rice (One Pot)
- Bacon Fried Rice (One Pot)
- Chicken Fried Rice (One Pot)
- Quinoa- A healthier option to rice.
- Cauliflower Fried Rice (One Pot)– A low carb option to rice.
- Coconut Rice (One Pot)
- Garlic Rice (One Pot)
Noodles are another delicious option such as:
- Boiled and drained egg noodles or plain ramen noodles.
- Sesame Noodles (One Pot)
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Thai Peanut Noodles (One Pot)
- Zucchini noodles/ Zoodles
Never under-estimate a good salad side like:
- Asian Cucumber Salad (One Pot)
- Simple chopped green salad without any strong dressings of vinaigrettes.
Soups can complete any meal. Try these:
Variations
Make it very creamy- Mix in more cream cheese and heavy cream than the quantities listed below.
Add vegetables- Mix in some spinach or 1 cup of frozen vegetables to make this meal even more filling.
Garnish options- Green onions, cilantro, additional chopped jalapenos, shredded mozzarella cheese.
Make is even more spicy- By mixing in some red chili flakes or increasing the quantity of jalalpenos and sriracha sauce.
Use a different cut of chicken– Try chicken thighs, legs, or wings. Just note they will have different cook times.
Mix in boiled and drained pasta- Do this near the end and toss everything together until combined.
Try other proteins- Such as shrimp or sausage or beef.
Use leftovers as a topping or add-in– In pizzas, salads, rice, pasta, tacos, sandwiches, wraps or even as a filling in the Best Cheese Quesadillas (One Pan).
Add to soup– Use leftovers in this Egg Drop Soup (One Pot).
Tips and Techniques
Adjust amount of spice- Add more or less jalapenos and sriracha sauce, based on your tolerance level.
Feed a crowd- Double or even triple the ingredients and use a larger pot or pan to make a bigger batch.
Use low sodium soy sauce- Because that prevents this dish from becoming too salty.
Don’t omit sesame oil- Because it adds a lot of flavor that you would not achieve with any other ingredient.
Use fresh garlic and ginger- Because they have the best and strongest flavor profiles. If you are in a pinch, you can use garlic powder and ginger powder but it’s just not the same.
Heavy cream substitute- Use whole milk instead.
Cream cheese substitute- Use full fat Greek yogurt of full fat sour cream but they are both likely to add a bit of tanginess that can affect the overall flavor.
Deseed jalapenos- This means to remove seeds. It’s important because it prevents the meal from becoming too spicy.
Use nonstick pot or pan- Because it prevents the chicken and sauce from sticking and burning.
How to thicken sauce? Cook uncovered until excess liquid is reduced. You can also mix in additional heavy cream and cream cheese to make it thicker.
How to make sauce thinner? Mix in some broth or water to thin it out.
What vinegar to use? Regular distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar or even rice vinegar are all good choices.
Make sure all the chicken is cut up about the same size– Because this allows it to cook evenly.
Storage
Refrigerate– Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Freeze– I don’t recommend freezing leftovers because this meal has dairy and that does not thaw well and tends to separate.
Reheat– In the microwave.
More One Pot Chinese Chicken Recipes
- Chinese Bourbon Chicken (One Pot)
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef (One Pot)
- Chicken Pad Thai (One Pot)
- Mango Chicken (One Pot)
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken (One Pot)
- Honey Sesame Chicken (One Pot)
- Cashew Chicken (One Pot)
- Chicken and Broccoli (One Pot)
One Pot Jalapeno Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 pound Boneless chicken breast, Cut into small 1.5 inch cubes
- 1 clove Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 tsp Ginger , Freshly grated, Or replace with 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1-2 tsp Soy sauce, Low sodium
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp Vinegar, Or lemon juice
- 1 Jalapeno, Small, Deseeded, Finely chopped
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1 tbsp Cream cheese
- 1 tbsp Heavy cream , Or whole milk
- 1 tbsp Green onions, Thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat sesame oil and olive oil in a large nonstick pot or pan over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, vinegar, jalapenos, salt, pepper and mix everything together.
- Cover and cook for about 8 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Remove lid and let it cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes until excess liquid is reduced and sauce is starting to thicken.
- Turn off heat and mix in cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Mix until cheese is fully melted and sauce is creamy.
- Garnish with jalapenos and green onions and additional jalapenos (finely chopped), if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated in the microwave.
