Chicken Dinners
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[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

This recipe was inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt's Real Deal Mapo Dofu.

Notes: Sichuan peppercorns and fermented chili bean paste can be located in your local Asian supermarket. To make your own chili oil for this recipe, toast 1/4 hot dried chili peppers in a wok or skillet until toasted, then add 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil and gently heat until the chilis start to bubble slightly. Let cool.

About the author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore as a freelance writer for Time Out Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com. Follow Yvonne on Twitter.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: serves 3
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Special equipment: wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet
This recipe appears in: Chicken Dinners: Mapo Chicken

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns (see note above)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • 1-inch piece ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breast and dark meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fermented chili bean paste (see note above)
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese ground chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup chili oil (see note above)
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced, divided
  • 4 cups cooked rice to serve on side

Procedures

  1. In small bowl, whisk cornstarch with chicken stock until combined; set aside. Heat Sichuan peppercorns in wok (or 12-inch non-stick skillet) over medium heat until fragrant, about one minute. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound until finely ground; set aside.

  2. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat until smoking. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add chicken and chili paste and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

  3. Stir in the chili powder, wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch mixture. Bring to boil to thicken. Stir in ground Sichuan peppercorns, chili oil, and half of the green onions. Serve immediately with rice on the side and garnish with remaining green onions.