Red Oil Chicken Bites

Hong You Jikuai (红油鸡块)

Delicious bites of poached chicken are coated in a fragrant spicy chili oil sauce combining the heat of the red oil with a touch of saltiness, umami, and sweetness.

Simple, but tasty – ‘Red Oil’ cold dishes are commonly found in homes all across Sichuan. They’re a classic combination of Red Chili Oil (红油), Soy Sauce, and a touch of Sugar paired with tender meats. Red Oil Chicken Bites is perhaps the simplest dish utilizing this incredible Red Oil Sauce – combining sizzling and spicy (麻辣), sweet and sour (甜酸), fresh and fragrant (鲜香), salty and umami (咸鲜).

Traditionally, Red Oil Chicken Bites are made with half of a Boiled Chicken. The Boiled Chicken would be cut into strips and then chopped into cubes. While this is delicious, it’s much quicker and easier to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/ or thighs. Boiled Chicken Breasts are just as tasty, but take far less time to cook. They’re also a bit easier to eat, since there are no pesky bones.

The Red Oil Sauce is clearly a must for this dish – the Aromatics, surprisingly, not so much. The entire dish could be made without any of the Aromatics aside from the Big Scallion (大葱). But even this could be replaced by celery for anyone with an aversion to onion flavors. The Aromatics transform the flavor of this dish into a fragrant spicy (香辣) dish. As for the Chili Oil, it is the key ingredient. It can be somewhat difficult to source authentic Sichuan Chili Oil outside of China. So, homemade Chili Oil or substitution of Chili Oil (红油) and Chili Flakes (油辣子) is ideal.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Total Time: 10 min

Serving: 4 people

Ingredients

2 Boiled Chicken Breasts (OR 1/2 of a Boiled Chicken)

Aromatics
3 fresh Red Chilies
2 cloves of Garlic
1 1-inch block of Ginger
1 8-inch white stalk of Big Scallion (大葱)

Garnishes
1 4-inch white stalk of Big Scallion
1 green stalk of Small Scallion (小葱)
1 small bunch of Cilantro
1 tsp. Sesame Seeds

Red Oil Sauce
1/2 cup of Chili Oil with Chili Flakes (6 Tbsp. Red Chili Oil 红油 + 1 Tbsp. Oil Chili Flakes 油辣子)
1/4 cup of Chicken Stock (Preferably: Soup from cooking the Chicken)
3 Tbsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Chinkiang Black Vinegar
1 tsp. Sichuan Pepper Oil
1 tsp. White Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. MSG
1/2 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Powder

Directions

1.) Cut the Boiled Chicken Breast into 1-inch-thick strips and then cut the strips into roughly 1-inch cubes.

(The cubes can be slightly larger than an inch and are usually closer to 1.5-inches at most restaurants. Think of them as large chunks).

Prepare the Aromatics placing them all together in a large mixing bowl:

• Slice the fresh Red Chilies into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Peel and mince the Garlic and Ginger.
• Lightly smack the Big Scallion with the flat of a cleaver. Cut the Big Scallion on a bias, slicing at a 45-degree angle to get long ‘horse ear’-shaped pieces.

3.) Prepare the Garnishes, placing each on a separate area of a plate:

• Slice into the Big Scallion lengthwise and unroll the layers of Scallion like a scroll. Flatten the layers and then quickly run your knife through them to julienne the Scallion into long thin slivers.
• Finely slice the Small Scallion.
• Finely slice the stem of the Cilantro and roughly chop the leaves.
• Simply place the Sesame Seeds on the plate.

4.) In a new bowl, add all of the Red Oil Sauce ingredients (Chili Oil, Chicken Stock, Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Sichuan Pepper Oil, Sugar, Salt, MSG, and Chicken Bouillon Powder) and stir vigorously until the Sugar dissolves and everything has emulsified.

5.) Pour the Red Oil Sauce into the mixing bowl with the Aromatics and mix gently until combined. Add the Chicken Bites to the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with the Sauce and Aromatics. Pour the Red Oil Chicken Bites into a serving dish.

6.) Garnish the Red Oil Chicken Bites with Sesame Seeds, Cilantro, Small Scallion, and finally the thin slivers of Big Scallion in that order.

 

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