Chongqing chicken

I ate a dish like this in Chengdu in 1987. Not knowing any better, I ate most of the dried red chillis until a member of staff told me I should have left them on the plate. Since then, I have enjoyed this dish in Sichuan restaurants in London’s Chinatown many times. The dish looks good and tastes good.

Mouth numbing? It may depend on the amount of Sichuan peppercorns used…

Also known as Laziji, translated as dry chili chicken, firecracker chicken, Chongqing chicken, and mala chicken.

Chongqing chicken

Mouth-numbing Sichuan chicken dish

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 people

Calories 390 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large wok

Ingredients

  

Marinaded chicken

• 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

Prepartion of dish

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 slices ginger julienned
• 5 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 cup whole dried red chilies
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 80 g zha cai (preserved mustard tubers)
• 1 whole spring onion chopped

Garnish

• 1 tabsp roasted sesame seeds
• 1 whole spring onion sliced

Instructions

 

Marinade the chicken

• You can use fewer dried chillies if you like. Smash a few of the chillies to give the dish some heat. The more you smash, the greater the heat!
• Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, place in the bowl and toss with the marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Prepare the rest of the dish

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, and let it sear without stirring until there is a crisp crust on the bottom of the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces over and repeat until it’s browned and crisp on all sides. Turn off the heat and remove the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Make sure there is about one tablespoon of oil left in the wok. Heat the wok over medium-low heat and add the Sichuan peppercorns. Toast them in the oil for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the zha cai, ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the whole dried chillies and stir for another minute.
• Turn up the heat to high, and add the chicken, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and scallion. Continue to stir-fry, until any liquid in the wok has evaporated. Serve with rice and something like steamed pak choi.

Keyword Chingqing chicken, spicy

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