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La zi ji (Chongqing chilli chicken)
辣子鸡 (làzi jī) — crisp fried chicken bites tossed in a mountain of dried chillies and Sichuan pepper
Truck drivers stopping on Geleshan, the hill outside Chongqing, made this dish famous at roadside canteens in the 1980s, and it still arrives at tables there as a platter that looks like nothing but dried chillies. Hidden among them are small pieces of chicken fried twice until the outside is dry and crunchy and the inside juicy, then tossed with garlic, ginger and handfuls of Sichuan pepper. Eating it is a game: you hunt through the red pile with chopsticks for the morsels, which are smoky, salty, numbing and surprisingly moreish with a cold beer or a pot of tea. Serve it with rice and a mild soup or stir-fried greens. Chef's tip: fry the chicken in two batches and give it a second, hotter fry; crowding the oil is the most common mistake and leaves the coating soft.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs, skin oncut into 2 cm pieces
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wineor the same amount of chicken stock with 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (alcohol-free)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ oz fresh gingerfinely grated
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 3 ¼ cups neutral oil, for deep-frying
For the wok
- 1 ¾ oz dried red chilliessnipped into 2 cm pieces, seeds shaken out
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercornsred, green or a mix
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- ½ oz fresh gingersliced
- 3 spring onionscut into 3 cm lengths
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp saltto taste
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs, skin on with 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, 1 tsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp salt and ⅓ oz fresh ginger and leave to marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. Keep the board you cut the chicken on away from anything else.
10 minStep 2: Toss the chicken with 2 tbsp cornflour until each piece has a thin, dry-looking coat.
Step 3: Heat 3 ¼ cups neutral oil, for deep-frying in a wok or deep pan to 350°F (a cube of bread browns in about 40 seconds). Fry half the chicken for 4–5 minutes, until pale golden, lift out and drain. Repeat with the second batch.
10 minStep 4: Heat the oil to 375°F and fry all the chicken again for 1–2 minutes, until deep golden, crisp and rattling against the spoon. Cut the largest piece open: it must be cooked through with clear juices (165°F / 165 °F). Drain on kitchen paper.
2 minStep 5: Carefully pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil (let the rest cool before straining it for reuse). Over a low heat, add 4 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh ginger and 3 spring onions and stir for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 6: Add 1 ¾ oz dried red chillies and 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry over a low-medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until the chillies are crisp and brick red and the kitchen smells smoky. Keep them moving so they don't blacken.
2 minStep 7: Return the chicken to the wok, turn the heat to high and toss for 1 minute with 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and ¼ tsp salt, until every piece is speckled with chilli and seeds.
1 minStep 8: Pile onto a platter, chillies and all, and serve at once while the chicken is crisp. The chillies are a fragrant bed, not something to eat by the spoonful.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does la zi ji (Chongqing chilli chicken) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs, skin on?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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