Salt and Pepper Chicken

Method13 steps · about 2 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Cut the boneless skinless thighs into pieces about ½ inch (10–12 mm) thick and 4–5 inches across, and pound thicker areas evenly. Do not rinse raw chicken (1¼ lb). Before heating any oil, chop the garlic, wash and dry the green pepper and slice it into thin rounds, and peel and thinly slice the shallot. Keep the vegetables and clean tools separate from raw chicken.

   Uses 1¼ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs · Water to wash the green pepper before drying and slicing

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the cut chicken with 3 tbsp water, 1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp sugar, optional ¼ tsp MSG, ¼ tsp white pepper, ⅛ tsp five-spice powder and ½ tsp sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

   Initial 30-minute refrigerated marination · 30 minUses All the cut chicken from step 1, apart from vegetable washing water · 3 tablespoons water · 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 1/2 teaspoon sugar · 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional) · 1/4 teaspoon white pepper · 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Mix 1 tsp salt, ¾ tsp finely ground white pepper and ⅛ tsp sugar to make the seasoned salt. Keep it in a clean dry bowl. Measure ½ tsp into the batter at the next step and reserve the rest separately, without contact with raw chicken.

   Uses 1 teaspoon salt · 3/4 teaspoon white pepper (finely ground) · 1/8 teaspoon sugar

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Mix ⅓ cup cornstarch, ⅓ cup water, 1 tbsp flour, 1½ tbsp canola oil, ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp of the clean seasoned salt to make a loose batter. Add all the marinated chicken and turn to coat. If the batter will not cling, mix in the separate extra 1 tbsp cornstarch. Keep the remaining clean seasoned salt for finishing.

   Uses ⅓ cup cornstarch for batter · ⅓ cup water for batter · 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour · 1½ tbsp canola oil for batter · 1/2 teaspoon baking soda · ½ tsp of the clean seasoned-salt mix from step 3; keep the remainder clean for topping · All the marinated chicken and its coating from step 2 · 1 tbsp extra cornstarch, only if needed for batter to cling

   
5. 5

   Step 5: In a wok or medium deep pot with plenty of headroom, add enough frying oil to submerge a single layer of chicken. Heat it to 120–135°C/250–275°F. Add all 2 tbsp chopped garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, checking from 30 seconds, until it just begins to turn colour. Avoid browning it. Lift the garlic with a fine-mesh strainer onto paper towel to drain; leave the oil in the pan for frying the chicken.

   Check garlic from 30 seconds · 1 minUses Canola oil for a frying reservoir, enough to submerge one layer of chicken · 2 tbsp chopped garlic

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Bring the retained frying oil to 175°C/350°F. Swish each chicken piece through the batter and gently lower an uncrowded batch into the oil. Maintain 160–175°C/325–350°F, moving and turning the pieces so they cook evenly. Fry for about 3–4 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until light golden and every piece reaches 74°C/165°F; continue as needed for its thickness. Lift onto a rack over a tray or a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

   Check first chicken batch from 3 minutes · 3 minUses Only the chicken pieces that fit uncrowded in one layer, coated with batter from step 4 · The frying-oil reservoir retained from step 5, separate from drained garlic

7. 7

   Step 7: If coated chicken remains, repeat the first frying pass in uncrowded batches, maintaining 160–175°C/325–350°F. Use the same 3–4-minute guide for each batch and continue until every piece reaches 74°C/165°F. Drain each cooked batch beside the first and retain the frying oil. Finish this pass for all the chicken before the cooling pause.

   Uses The drained, fully cooked first batch from step 6 kept separate from the frying oil · Any remaining chicken and batter from step 4 for later first-fry batches · The oil remaining after the first batch in step 6

8. 8

   Step 8: Let all the first-fried chicken cool on the rack or plate for at least 5 minutes after the last batch is lifted, allowing steam to escape before the second fry.

   Minimum 5-minute cooling pause · 5 minUses All the fully cooked, drained chicken from step 7, apart from the retained oil

9. 9

   Step 9: Just before finishing, bring the retained oil back to 175°C/350°F. Add the first of two uncrowded chicken batches for the second fry. Fry for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until crisp, then lift and drain it onto a large serving platter. Retain the oil for the remaining batch.

   Check first crisping batch from 1 minute · 1 minUses A first uncrowded batch of cooled chicken from step 8; keep the remainder for the next batch · The retained frying-oil reservoir from step 7, separate from the drained chicken

10. 10

    Step 10: Return the oil to 175°C/350°F and second-fry the remaining chicken for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until crisp. Lift and drain it onto the platter beside the first crisped batch. Leave unused frying oil behind.

    Check remaining crisping batch from 1 minute · 1 minUses The remaining cooled chicken from step 8 · The oil retained after step 9, separate from its crisp chicken

11. 11

    Step 11: Heat a separate clean dry pan over medium-high heat until hot, then reduce to medium-low. Add the thin green-pepper rounds and toss for about 20 seconds until lightly seared and fragrant.

    Sear green-pepper rounds for 20 seconds · 1 minUses 1 long hot green pepper (sliced crosswise into thin rounds)

12. 12

    Step 12: Turn off the heat. Add the thinly sliced shallot (1), all the drained fried garlic and the remaining clean seasoned salt to the seared pepper. Toss gently to combine.

    Uses All the seared green-pepper rounds from step 11 · 1 small shallot (thinly sliced) · All the drained fried garlic from step 5, apart from the retained frying oil · The clean seasoned salt reserved from step 3 after the half-teaspoon batter draw

13. 13

    Step 13: Spread the aromatic topping evenly over both crisp chicken batches and serve immediately, shared between six portions, with separately cooked rice if desired.

    Uses The drained crisp chicken from step 9, apart from its retained oil · The drained crisp chicken from step 10, apart from unused frying oil · All the pepper, shallot, garlic and clean seasoned-salt topping from step 12 · Ready steamed rice for serving, if desired