Fiery Pepper Chicken

This chicken dish is straight from the Szechuan province of China and it is hot! It is known in China as Chong Qing Lazi Ji. Unfortunately, substituting black peppercorns for Szechuan will not taste right.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 336 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 cups peanut oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
• ¼ cup cornstarch, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
• ½ pound boneless chicken, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 green onions, julienned
• 2 long, green chilies - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups dried chilies, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Stir together 1 teaspoon cooking wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; add the chicken and stir to coat. Allow to marinate 2 to 3 minutes. Place the marinated chicken in a large, sealable plastic bag with the cornstarch and shake to coat.

Step 2

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Fry the chicken in the oil until it begins to crisp around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil, discarding the rest.

Step 3

Reheat the reserved oil in the wok over medium-high heat; cook and stir the garlic, ginger, and green onions in the oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the green chilies, crushed dried chilies, and Szechuan peppercorns; continue frying about 20 seconds more. Return the chicken to the wok; stir in the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cooking wine, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and serve immediately.