Crispy Sichuan Chicken with Numbing Chilies
This bold Sichuan classic pairs crispy fried chicken pieces with dried red chilies and aromatic Sichuan peppercorns, delivering that distinctive tongue-tingling heat the region is famous for.
Story
The secret to this dish lies in the double-fry technique, which creates an incredibly crispy coating that holds up well when tossed with the aromatic sauce. Sichuan peppercorns provide that unique numbing sensation rather than just pure heat.
Ingredients
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
Cut chicken thighs into uniform bite-sized cubes. Combine with cooking wine, light soy sauce, salt, egg yolk, cornstarch, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated. Let rest for 30 minutes so the flavors can penetrate the meat.
Fry until crispy
Heat oil in a wok over medium heat until it shimmers. Add marinated chicken in batches, frying on medium-low heat until golden and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove and let rest briefly, then fry again for extra crunch. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Toast the aromatics
Pour off most of the frying oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the wok. Reheat over medium heat. Add dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-frying briefly until fragrant and the chilies darken slightly. Toss in garlic and ginger, cooking until aromatic, roughly 30 seconds.
Combine and serve
Return the fried chicken to the wok. Drizzle in dark soy sauce and sprinkle sugar and sesame seeds. Toss quickly over high heat until everything is evenly coated and heated through. Garnish with fresh scallions and serve immediately while hot and crispy.