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