Sichuan Spicy Three Pepper Chicken

Method9 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Remove the bones from all 1 lb chicken thighs, keeping the skin. Cut the meat and skin into 1-inch pieces and keep chilled until frying. Wash and dry the 2 long hot green peppers and cut them crosswise into 1-inch pieces, keeping or removing their seeds to taste. Pick any black seeds from the 2 tsp red Sichuan peppercorns. Seed and cut the 10 dried chilies into ½-inch pieces. Prepare 1 tbsp minced ginger, 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic and 1 tbsp chopped scallion. Measure the remaining ingredients and have everything ready before heating the wok.

   Uses 1 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs · 2 long hot green peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces · 2 teaspoons red Sichuan peppercorns (picked through to remove any black seeds) · 10 dried Chinese chili peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces · 1 tablespoon minced ginger · 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic · 1 tablespoon chopped scallion · Clean water for washing green peppers as needed

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a wok over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then add all 2½ tbsp neutral oil and coat the wok. Add the prepared skin-on chicken pieces from step 1 in one layer. Fry their first face for about 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute; reduce to medium-high if needed to prevent burning. Turn the pieces in step 3 once a crust forms.

   Chicken: first face · 1 minUses 2½ tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil) · All prepared meat and skin, excluding removed bones and other prepared ingredients

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Turn the chicken pieces in the oil from step 2 and fry their second face for about 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute. Keep the heat high enough to form a crust without burning; continue crisping in step 4.

   Chicken: second face · 1 minUses Chicken pieces and frying oil

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Once both faces have formed a crust, stir and turn the chicken in the wok from step 3 until uniformly crisp, about another 4 minutes. Continue as needed until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches at least 74°C. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate, leaving the oil and rendered fat in the wok.

   Finish crisping the chicken · 4 minUses Two-face seared chicken and wok oil

5. 5

   Step 5: With the heat on high, add all the prepared green pepper pieces from step 1 to the oil and rendered fat retained in the wok from step 4. Cook about 1 minute, until blistered but still bright and holding their shape. Lift the peppers to a plate, leaving the wok fat for step 6.

   Blister the green peppers · 1 minUses Wok fat only, excluding the lifted chicken · Green peppers only, excluding chicken and other aromatics

6. 6

   Step 6: Lower the heat and let the wok from step 5 cool slightly. Remove excess fat carefully so about 2 tbsp remains in the wok, letting the removed fat cool before disposal. Add the prepared Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili pieces from step 1. Toast over low heat about 30 seconds to 1 minute, checking from 30 seconds and stirring frequently until fragrant without burning.

   Toast chilies and peppercorns · 1 minUses About 2 tbsp left in the wok after frying chicken and green peppers · Peppercorns and dried chilies only, excluding other prepared foods

7. 7

   Step 7: Add all 1 tbsp la doubanjiang spicy bean paste and the prepared 1 tbsp minced ginger from step 1 to the toasted spices and wok fat from step 6. Stir-fry until the oil turns bright red, then stir in the prepared 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic.

   Uses Toasted chilies, peppercorns and retained wok fat · 1 tablespoon spicy bean paste (la doubanjiang) · Measured ginger and garlic only, excluding chicken, peppers and scallion

8. 8

   Step 8: Return the cooked chicken lifted in step 4 and green peppers lifted in step 5 to the red spice mixture from step 7. Add all ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar and optional 1 tsp chili oil with flakes. Raise the heat to medium-high, stir everything together and pour the 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok.

   Uses Red doubanjiang mixture, aromatics and retained wok fat · Lifted chicken only, excluding the retained wok fat · Lifted peppers only, excluding the retained wok fat · ¼ teaspoon salt · ¼ teaspoon sugar · 1 teaspoon chili oil (with flakes; optional) · 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir-fry the combined chicken, peppers and seasonings from step 8 over high heat for about 30 seconds. Then toss in all the prepared 1 tbsp chopped scallion from step 1, give everything a final stir and serve immediately.

   Final chicken-and-pepper toss · 1 minUses Cooked chicken, peppers and spicy seasonings · All 1 tbsp prepared scallion only, excluding other prepared foods