Bang Bang Chicken

Bang Bang Ji (棒棒鸡)

Thin strips of tender boiled chicken, cut by hammering the back of a cleaver, are coated in a sizzling-spicy, sweet chili oil sauce full of sesame seeds and crunchy peanuts.

The following recipe is for the classic Bang Bang Chicken, which originated in Leshan – a city in Sichuan known for its giant Buddha. Leshan-style Bang Bang Chicken features strips of chicken cut in a similar manner to Mouthwatering Chicken (口水鸡) with a simple sweet, numbing, and spicy chili oil sauce. The Bang Bang in the name of this dish refers not too the sound of an explosion but rather to the Chinese word for a small club or cudgel. This is because a wooden dowel is used to hammer the back of a cleaver when cutting the chicken into strips. Another version of Bang Bang Chicken, possibly from Chengdu, features shredded chicken with a tangy, spicy sesame sauce. For this version, the recipe can be found at the following link: Bang Bang Shredded Chicken (棒棒鸡丝).

While much of Sichuan favors sour and spicy flavors, Leshan locals definitely have a sweet-tooth. I tried many delicious sweets in Leshan, such as various cakes and many red sugar dishes like Red Sugar Donuts (红糖锅盔) and Red Sugar Ice Jelly (红糖冰粉). However, sweet flavors were not limited to pastries and desserts but were also prevalent in popular local delicacies like Sweet (Crispy) Skin Duck (甜皮鸭) and even Bang Bang Chicken (棒棒鸡). The Bang Bang sauce I tried in Leshan was quite similar to the sauce I used for my Red Oil Chicken Bites (红油鸡块), but it was a little sweeter with even more sizzling sensation (麻味). Therefore, as much as possible, use ground FRESH Sichuan pepper with a good sizzling flavor.

One other notable feature about Leshan cuisine is sesame seeds... lots and lots of sesame seeds. Many popular Leshan dishes feature high quality chili oil and a flourish of sesame seeds.

For this Cold Chicken Dish, I recommend using half of a chicken (bone-in, skin-on). Traditionally, the chicken is boiled with simple aromatics and seasonings so that the delicious sauce provides the core flavors. To cut this chicken, you’ll need a sharp knife, preferably a cleaver, and something heavy to hammer the back of the blade. With a keen edge and strong palm, you could even strike the back of the blade repeatedly to cut through the bone. However, a mallet is preferred.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Total Time: 15 min

Serving: 4 people

Ingredients

1/2 of a Boiled Chicken

5 Black Wood-Ear Mushrooms

Sweet Chili Oil Sauce
1/2 cup – 1 cup Chili Oil with Chili Flakes
1/4 cup Chicken Stock (Preferably: Soup from cooking the Chicken)
1 Tbsp. Sichuan Pepper Oil
2 tsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. White Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. MSG
1/2 tsp. ground Green Sichuan Pepper

Garnish
1 Tbsp. roasted Sesame Seeds
1 Tbsp. roasted Peanuts

Directions

1.) Prepare half of a Chicken using my recipe for Boiled Chicken. Then, follow the instructions below for cutting the cooked Chicken and arranging it on a plate:

• Initial Preparation:
• If the Chicken still has its head, cut off the head and then cut off the neck. The neck can be cut into 1/2-inch pieces, set aside for later, or simply discarded. The head can be likewise set aside for later or discarded.
• Using a cleaver, separate the body from the leg at the thigh and set the leg aside.
• Remove the wing and separate it into three pieces: the upper wing, middle wing, and wing tip. Set the wing pieces aside in a bowl.
• Place the Body in a bowl as well.
• Cutting the Chicken into 1/4-inch-thick strips:
• Return the leg to the cutting board. Place the edge of the blade firmly against the skin 1/4-inch from the edge of the upper thigh. Use a mallet or old rolling pin and hammer twice to cleanly cut the meat and bone, creating a 1/4-inch strip. Repeat this process all the way down to the knee joint, at which point you’ll rotate the leg slightly and continue cutting all the way down to the ankle. Set the leg and thigh pieces aside carefully to keep the original leg shape.
• Place the body onto the cutting board. Using the hammering method, cut across the body chopping it into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Optionally, if the body is too large, cut the Body in half separating the belly and lower breast from the upper breast and back. Then, cut each of these into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Arranging the Chicken:
• Place the three wing pieces and optionally the foot together in the center of the plate.
• Add any of the unsightly pieces atop the wings and use both cupped hands to press the meat together firmly into a dome shape.
• Starting with the least appealing pieces and working toward the best-looking pieces, lay the slices around the dome-shaped meat, shingling the slices.
• The head can optionally be placed at the on top and in the direct center of all the slices.
• Place the plate in the fridge for the Chicken to chill and keep fresh.

2.) Fill a small pot with water and bring the water to a boil. Add the Wood Ear Mushrooms and boil for 1 minute until the Mushrooms have softened. Cut the Mushrooms in half and place them in a bowl of water while preparing the other ingredients.

(To be more time efficient, I would suggest preparing the Sweet Chili Oil Sauce while the water is heating).

3.) Add all of the Sweet Chili Oil Sauce ingredients (Chili Oil, Chicken Stock, Sichuan Pepper Oil, Soy Sauce, Sugar, Salt, MSG, and Sichuan Pepper) to a bowl and mix vigorously to emulsify.

4.) Add the Black Wood Ear Mushrooms, Sesame Seeds, and Peanuts to the Sweet Chili Oil Sauce and mix again thoroughly.

5.) Spoon the Sweet Chili Oil Sauce over the awaiting Bang Bang Chicken and serve immediately. Optionally, the Chicken can be garnished with a few more Sesame Seeds and a few sprigs of Cilantro.

 

Contribute to Sichuan Soul

Sichuan Soul is funded in part thanks to generous contributions by fans like you! Your donations supply Sichuan Soul with the funding needed to provide quality recipes and photos. All donations are processed safely and securely through PayPal. You can donate any amount using the 'Donate' button below. Thank you for your support.

 

Privacy Policy