Sichuan chicken
Sichuan chicken with glossy red chilli‑spiked sauce, tender chicken pieces and bright peppers, creating a fiery, aromatic dish that looks bold, colourful and perfect for spice lovers
Equipment
- 2 bowls
- Frying pan / Wok
Ingredients
Sichuan spicy sauce
- 50 ml cold water
- 1 tsp chilli bean paste (brought from a local chinese supermarket)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Remaining ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs or breasts, sliced thinly
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2½ cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely crated
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp dry sherry or shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tbsp cold water
Other suggestions
- Add sliced courgettes, peppers, onions or carrots
- Additional 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the Sichuan spicy sauce in a bowl, then set aside.
- In another bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper and then dust with cornflour. Mix to coat well, then set aside.
- Heat a frying pan or wok over a high heat, add the rapeseed oil. Add the garlic, ginger and red chilli and toss for a few seconds to release their flavours, but don’t let them burn. Add the chicken and fry until they start to turn brown, add the sherry or shaoxing wine for 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the cold water to create some steam. If using additional vegetables, add them now with another 1 tbsp. of cold water, this will help to cook the vegetables.
- Pour in the sauce and fry until the vegetable are cooked to your liking and the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately with rice and enjoy….