Ge Le Shan Lazi Chicken (歌乐山辣子鸡)

歌乐山辣子鸡

Ge Le Shan Lazi Chicken (歌乐山辣子鸡) — SichuanChongqing (歌乐山) home cooking.

Ingredients

• boneless chicken thighs, 2 cm cubes
• dried red chilies, whole (snipped)
• Sichuan peppercorns (red, not green)
• light soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine
• cornstarch
• garlic cloves, smashed
• ginger, sliced
• white sesame seeds
• neutral oil (for frying)

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken: mix with soy, Shaoxing, and a pinch of white pepper. Add cornstarch and toss until every cube is coated. Rest 20 minutes. (Chicken cubes are dull, coated in a thin matte film)
2. Heat oil to 170°C (medium-high). Fry chicken in 2 batches, 4-5 minutes per batch, until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on a rack. (Oil bubbles vigorously around chicken; crust is deep golden and firm)
3. Pour out all but 2 tbsp oil. Lower heat to medium. Add Sichuan peppercorns and stir 15 seconds until fragrant. (Peppercorns swell; oil takes on a faint citrusy aroma)
4. Add dried chilies, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 30 seconds until chilies darken to burgundy. (Chilies turn deep burgundy; garlic edges just golden)
5. Return all fried chicken to the wok. Toss on high heat for 1 minute so every piece gets coated in chili-peppercorn oil. (Each chicken cube glistens red; chilies and peppercorns stick to the crust)
6. Off heat, sprinkle sesame seeds and toss once. Serve on a platter — the fun is digging through the chilies to find the chicken. (Mound of dark red chilies studded with golden crispy chicken and white sesame)