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Sichuan Spicy Chicken
China · Meat Dishes · Spicy

Sichuan Spicy Chicken

A classic of Chinese cuisine with bold flavor and the signature numbing heat of Sichuan pepper — the mala effect. Velveted chicken stir-fried until crispy, finished in a spicy sauce with dried chili, garlic, and roasted peanuts. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

35 min 320 kcal 2 serves Medium🌶️Spicy🇨🇳China★★★★★4.8· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric
  • 300 gchicken fillet
  • 1 tspcornstarch
  • 1 tbspsoy sauce
  • 1 tsprice wine or rice vinegar
  • 2 tbspsoy sauce
  • 1 tbsprice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tspsugar
  • 1 tspsesame oil
  • 1 tspcornstarch + 2 tbsp water
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 5 dried chili peppers
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 50 groasted peanuts
  • oil for frying

Method

  1. Marinate chicken with cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice wine for at least 15 minutes — velveting technique keeps it juicy inside.
  2. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  3. In a very hot wok fry dried chili until fragrant, add garlic, then chicken — fry until golden.
  4. Add bell pepper, stir-fry one minute. Pour in sauce and bring to a boil until thickened.
  5. Add peanuts, stir and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

FAQ

Sichuan pepper is not a regular chili — it is the berry of a plant in the citrus family. It contains hydroxy-alpha-sanshool which causes a light tingling and numbing in the mouth. This is called mala (numbing + spicy) and is what makes Sichuan cuisine uniquely distinctive in the world.

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Comments (1)

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  • Sergei MartynovAuthor
    29d ago

    I never cut into the chicken fillet to check doneness for sichuan spicy chicken. A thermometer preserves the juices; a knife wound lets them escape. Every cut is flavor leaving the meat.