Spicy Chili Chicken

Lazi Ji (辣子鸡)

Crispy, fried bits of chicken in a mountain of crimson chilies – the spicy, numbing (麻辣) heat ascends to the heavens where it meets a satisfyingly salty and slightly sweet paradise.

Don’t fear the Chilies! They’ll be hot but not overwhelming. The Chilies add both a delicious heat and a tantalizing fragrance. Use Seven Star Chilies (七星椒) for spiciness, Bullethead Chilies (子弹头) for color, and Lantern Chilies (灯笼椒) for fragrance. Facing Heaven Chili Peppers (朝天椒) can be used instead of Seven Star Chilies (七星椒) for slightly less heat. They’ll still pack a punch, so the best way to quench the flames will be an ice-cold beer.

Spicy Chili Chicken (辣子鸡) originated in Chongqing as the local version of Crispy-Fried Chicken (干煸鸡). The flavors and especially the cooking techniques are quite similar. In fact, one version of Spicy Chili Chicken that I tried, which was made by a Chongqing chef, used almost identical flavors to my recipe for Fragrant-Spicy Crispy-Fried Chicken (香辣干煸鸡). Unlike most Crispy-Fried Chicken Dishes, which cut the Chicken into Bites (鸡块), Spicy Chili Chicken requires the Chicken be cut into Bits (鸡丁). The size is typically about 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes.

The Chicken in this dish is ultra-crispy. This isn’t done by battering or breading, but by using good heat control to evaporate all water from the surface. When done correctly, the skin will be so light and crispy it resembles pork rinds. If using an induction top or modern stove, as opposed to a high-powered wok burner, you’ll need to fry the Chicken in batches to get that super-crispy skin. When the Chicken is added to the Oil, the temperature of the Oil will cool. If it cools too much, the water won’t evaporate but merge with the Oil. If this happens, the Chicken will boil and not fry. Avoid this by cooking the Chicken in two to three batches during the initial frying stage.

Prep Time: 35 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 45 min

Serving: 4 people

Ingredients

1/2 of a Chicken

Marinade
1 Tbsp. Shaoxing Rice Wine
1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp. White Pepper
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tbsp Corn Starch
1/4 cup Peanut Oil

Chilies and Peppercorns
20 grams of spicy Dried Red Chilies (Preferably: Seven Star Chilies 七星椒; about 1 cup of 1-inch pieces)
30 grams of colorful Dried Red Chilies (Preferably: Bullethead Chilies 弹头干; about 1 1/2 cups of 1-inch pieces)
30 grams of fragrant Dried Red Chilies (Preferably: Lantern Chilies 灯笼椒; about 1 1/2 cups of 1-inch pieces)
15 grams Green Sichuan Peppercorns (about 1/4 cup)

Aromatics
4 cloves of Garlic (about 20 grams)
1 4-inch block of Ginger (about 30 grams)
1 2-inch white stalk of Scallion (香葱)

Garnish
1 green stalk of Scallion (香葱; Optional)

Peanut Oil (Enough for Deep-Frying)

Sauces and Seasonings
2 tsp. Chinkiang Black Vinegar
2 tsp. White Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. MSG

Nuts and Seeds
1/2 cup of roasted Peanuts (about 40 grams)
1/8 cup Sesame Seeds (about 10 grams)

Brightening Oil
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp. Sichuan Pepper Oil

Directions

1.) Wash the Chicken thoroughly, making sure to remove any blood, and pat it dry with paper towels.

2.) Using a good cleaver and a thick cutting board, chop the Chicken:

• Cut the talons off the Chicken feet.
• Cut off the Chicken leg at the thigh separating it from the breast.
• Chop the breast into thin 1-inch-thick strips cutting crosswise across the breast.
• Rotate the breast slices and chop them into tiny 1-inch cubes.
• Chop the thigh into 1-inch-thick slices, cutting crosswise across the thigh. As you chop, rotate the Chicken slightly once you reach the lower leg to chop it crosswise.
• Chop all the way down the length of the lower leg stopping at the ankle of the foot.
• Rotate the thigh and leg slices and chop them into 1-inch cubes.

3.) Place the Chicken in a large bowl and add the Rice Wine, Soy Sauce, Salt, and White Pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand until everything is coated. Then, add an Egg Yolk and mix again by hand. Add about a tablespoon of Corn Starch and mix once more by hand. Pour in the Oil, mix one last time, and then allow the Chicken to marinate for 30 minutes.

4.) On a cutting board or large surface, snip one type of the Chilies into 1-inch pieces to match the size of the Chicken. Transfer the Chilies to a bowl set atop a kitchen scale to weigh them, leaving behind most of the seeds on the cutting board. Place this type of Chili into a large bowl and repeat the process with the other types of Chilies. Finally, add the Sichuan Peppercorns to this large bowl, making it the bowl of Chilies and Peppercorns.

(Don’t be too thorough with removing the Chili seeds, but don’t add too many unnecessarily. Only 20% at most of the Chili seeds should be kept. The total weight of all the Chilies should be about 80 grams, not including the Peppercorns, or about 4 cups of 1-inch Chili pieces. It’s not necessary to use multiple types of Dried Red Chilies, although it is highly recommended. If using only one or two types of Chilies, simply keep the total weight around 80 grams. This will seem like an insane amount, but it’s quite normal for this dish).

5.) Peel, smash, and roughly mince the Garlic and Ginger. Finely slice the white stalk of Scallion. Set all of these aside in a bowl for Aromatics.

6.) Finely slice the green stalk of Scallion and set it aside in a bowl for Garnish.

7.) Fill a seasoned wok at least 1/3 full, but no more than 1/2 full, with Peanut Oil and heat on medium-high for deep frying.

(Use plenty of Oil at a very high heat! Use a wok or large pot. Do not attempt in a skillet. For best results, fry the Chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding and the Oil becoming soupy. If using an induction top or modern stove double the following deep-frying times to 2 minutes for the first fry and about 1 minute for the second fry).

8.) When the Oil is extremely hot and nearly smoking, add the Chicken and fry for about 1 minute, stirring gently, until crispy on the outside. Remove the Chicken with a large slotted spoon or mesh strainer.

9.) Clear the Oil of any scum with a mesh strainer, increase the heat to high, and then re-fry the Chicken in the super-hot oil for about 30 seconds until ultra-crispy. Remove the Chicken from the Oil with a slotted spoon and allow the pieces to rest on a wire rack.

10.) Quickly clean out the wok pouring the hot oil into a large metal bowl or pot. Add about 1/4 cup of Oil back to the wok and heat it on medium.

11.) When hot, remove the wok from heat, and add the bowl of Chilies and Peppercorns along with the Aromatics, stir-frying about 30 seconds until fragrant.

12.) Add the Chicken back to the wok, reduce the heat to medium-low, return the wok to heat, and stir-fry the Chicken tossing it in the sizzling-spicy Oil for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the Chilies.

(The Chilies should turn a dark reddish brown, but should not be black or burnt. Being able to toss the ingredients together in the wok will greatly reduce the likelihood of burning the Chilies. If a few Chilies do burn, it won’t ruin the dish. Pull the wok away from heat, reduce the temperature, and then put it back on heat, keeping the contents in the wok constantly moving).

13.) Pull the wok away from heat and add the Sauces and Seasonings (Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, and MSG), splashing the Vinegar around the sides of the wok. Also, add the Peanuts and Sesame Seeds along with the Brightening Oils (Sesame Oil and Sichuan Pepper Oil).

14.) Return the wok to heat and stir-fry vigorously for a few more seconds until everything is mixed thoroughly. Plate the delicious Spicy Chili Chicken and sprinkle with the finely sliced Scallion.

 

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