This healthier option will still taste great but will be less crispy. If you don’t want to deep fry the chicken, it’s ok to pan fry it instead.Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces, allowing for quicker cooking and a crispier coating.Unlike both Hunan chicken and Kung Pao chicken, there is no sauce in authentic Szechuan chicken. Hunan Chicken typically uses sliced chicken breasts that are stir-fried with vegetables and doubanjiang (chili bean paste) in a Hunan sauce. Szechuan style traditionally uses chicken thighs which are battered and deep-fried before being stir-fried with chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other seasonings. While both are spicy chicken dishes, there are some differences between Szechuan Chicken and Hunan Chicken. You can start with a few for a less spicy dish and gradually increase to your liking. This recipe uses 15 chili peppers, which yields medium-level spiciness. Toasting the chilis before cooking imparts a richer flavor. Make sure to slice the chili peppers into halves and remove the seeds, which can taste bitter. The combination of the two takes the heat of Szechuan chicken to the next level! While Szechuan peppercorns create a tongue-tingling sensation, it’s the dried red chili peppers that actually make this dish spicy. Note that you should avoid biting into whole Szechuan peppercorns, as they’re for flavoring only! Ground peppercorn powder can be eaten when blended with other seasonings, however. If you can’t find any, try substituting a combination of regular black peppercorns and coriander seeds, although you won’t get the same numbing effect. They’re available in most Asian grocery stores and available online. Unlike what you might expect, Szechuan peppercorns are not spicy but rather create a slight numbing sensation in the mouth that’s characteristic of Sichuan cuisine. We can’t call it Szechuan chicken if there’s no Szechuan peppercorn! This spice has tangy overtones and creates a numbing sensation in the mouth. Vegetable oil: use canola oil or peanut oil for frying the chicken because of their high smoke points.Green onions: this adds some freshness to the dish.Szechuan peppercorns: the secret ingredient that gives this dish the characteristic numbing sensation (see more details below).Crushed chili flakes are a good substitute. This is the ingredient that adds heat to the dish. Dried red chilis: or cayenne chilis, which are 2-3 inches long.Garlic and ginger: use freshly minced instead of powdered for the best flavor.Marinating ingredients: the chicken marinade includes soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, green onions, and ginger.Chicken breasts also work but are easy to overcook. Boneless chicken thighs: traditional Szechuan chicken uses chicken thighs for their tenderness.What ingredients go into Szechuan chicken? Combine everything: Add back the fried chicken thighs, together with salt, sugar and green onions.Stir-fry other ingredients: Add garlic and ginger.Toast Szechuan peppers and red chilis: Fry Szechuan peppercorns and dried red chili peppers in the hot wok until fragrant.Fry the chicken: Deep fry the chicken until crispy and browned.Marinate the chicken: Add the cubed chicken thighs.Make the marinade: Combine soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, green onions, and ginger in a bowl.I learned this technique when living in China and have used it ever since. This process elevates the aromas and numbing sensation from the Szechuan peppercorn while mellowing its bitterness. This process produces the best texture, plus the chicken thighs are more tender and juicy than chicken breasts.įor the signature ingredient Szechuan Peppercorns, I toast them in the wok together with dried red chilis. My version fries marinated chicken thighs to crispy perfection before stir-frying with other ingredients. This recipe is for anyone who’d like to have an unforgettable Szechuan chicken experience! The best Szechuan chicken is crispy and tender with spicy, aromatic and numbing qualities. Szechuan chicken is a popular hot and spicy Chinese dish, but most recipes don’t stack up to the authentic version. The best part, you can control the spiciness to make it mild or EXTRA HOT! This easy Szechuan style chicken recipe tastes like your favorite Chinese takeout and is ready in less time. Szechuan Chicken is a delicious Chinese dish with the perfect combination of spicy, salty and sweet flavors.
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