Szechuan Chicken | Quick & Easy Szechuan ChChicken Bites
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 Servings
 
Ingredients
For Marinade:
  • Chicken thigh - 500 gms, boneless & skinless
  • Light soy sauce - 1 tbsp
  • Shaoxing wine - 1 tbsp
  • Cornflour/cornstarch - ½ cup
For Sauce:
  • Light soy sauce - 3 tbsp (preferably low sodium)
  • Shaoxing wine - 1 tbsp
  • Sugar - 1 tbsp
  • Cornflour/cornstarch - 1 tbsp
For Stir Fry:
  • Onion - 1, small, thinly sliced
  • Red bell pepper - 1, small, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Green bell pepper - 1, small, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Dry red chillies - 4 (adjust according to your liking)
  • Garlic - 6 to 8 cloves, finely minced
  • Ginger - 1-inch piece, finely chopped
  • Sichuan peppercorn - 1 tbsp, crushed in mortar and pestle
  • Vegetable oil (canola/sunflower) for frying
Instructions
  1. Wash and pat dry your chicken thoroughly. Then cut the chicken into 1-inch bite sized pieces. Take them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and a pinch of salt to your chicken. Give them a good mix. Set them aside for 30 minutes for the flavor to develop.
  3. After about 30 mins, sprinkle the cornflour/cornstarch over the marinated chicken and coat each chicken piece evenly on all sides with the cornflour.
  4. In another small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and cornflour. Don't add salt to the sauce. Set the sauce aside.
  5. Heat oil in a wok for frying the chicken - you can either deep fry or shallow fry. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium-low and drop the chicken pieces one by one. You may have to do it in batches as too much overcrowding will result in soggy chicken pieces.
  6. Fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Once they turn golden brown, take them out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
  7. When all the chicken pieces are done frying, remove excess oil from the wok leaving only a couple of teaspoons behind.
  8. Add chopped dry red chillies, garlic & ginger and cook for a few seconds. Then tip in the sliced onion. Stir fry them for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Now add the bell peppers and continue to stir fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high heat. You don't need to completely soften the bell peppers; the crunchy peppers will complement the chicken really well.
  10. Once the peppers are fried nicely, add the crushed Sichuan peppercorn and give a good stir.
  11. Finally add the fried chicken pieces and pour the prepared sauce over it. Continue stirring the chicken & veggies using a spatula keeping the wok on medium heat for about 2 more minutes.
  12. You Szechuan chicken bites are ready to serve. Garnish with freshly chopped greens of green/spring onion and serve immediately!
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://www.flavorquotient.com/2023/04/szechuan-chicken/