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Szechuan Chicken

Szechuan Chicken
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5 from 1 review

Szechuan Chicken is popular for good reason. Each bite is bursting with spicy, sweet flavor that will have you going back for more! 

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup raw cashews or peanuts

White rice, for serving

Chicken preparation

1/2 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into one-inch pieces

1/2 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 egg white

1/4 cup corn starch

1 cup vegetable oil

Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons red chili paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup water

Other

1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, crushed with a mortar and pestle (be careful not to touch your eyes with your pepper-covered hands)

10 small red hot chili pepper, stems removed * see note about varieties

1 large bunch of scallion whites, cut into one-inch pieces (save tops for garnish)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Scallion tops, sliced thin for garnish

Instructions

  1. All ingredients must be prepared and ready to assemble this dish. Once the cooking begins, the dish comes together quickly.
  2. In a small pan over medium heat, toast cashews or peanuts for a few minutes to lightly brown. Set aside.
  3. If you are serving with rice, start cooking that now.
  4. Place the chicken, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and soy sauce in a small bowl, mix and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
  5. While the chicken sits for 30 minutes, make the sauce by whisking all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  6. After 30 minutes add the egg white and corn starch to the chicken and mix to dissolve the corn starch. The mixture will be thick and gooey.
  7. In your wok over medium high heat, heat the vegetable oil to 325 degrees F using a candy thermometer or other means to gauge the temperature. Have a bowl standing by.
  8. The next step will be to double fry the chicken.
  9. Drop the chicken pieces one at a time into the hot oil and fry in 5-6 batches just for about two minutes, flipping each over to lightly fry on both sides. Then using a spider or strainer, move each batch to the waiting bowl. Let the oil temperature recover between batches.
  10. Once all the chicken has fried, turn the heat to high to heat oil to 375 degrees F and once hot, add half of the cooked chicken to crisp. Fry for about another 1-2 minutes until nicely browned and crispy and then move to a plate covered in a paper towel. Once the oil heats back up, fry the second half and then move to the same plate. (Note: The second frying will splatter, so be careful adding the half-cooked chicken to the hot oil.)
  11. Pour the hot oil into a small metal bowl and spoon one tablespoon back into the wok and heat over a medium high burner.
  12. Once hot, add the bell peppers and cook for about three minutes then move to a waiting bowl.
  13. Add one more tablespoon of the oil and once hot, add the peppercorns, chili peppers, scallion whites, garlic and ginger and toss and cook for one minute. (Note: The Szechuan peppercorns are very intense and fill the air with their spicy eye-watering scent once they hit the hot pan.)
  14. Add the reserved sauce and once hot, add the cooked chicken and bell peppers back in and toss.
  15. Remove from heat and serve with or over cooked white rice and top with toasted cashews and scallion greens.

Find it online: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/szechuan-chicken/