Sichuan chicken with chilies (laziji 辣子鸡)

Last Updated on June 15, 2021 by Simon Fan

Spicy chicken dishes are featured in various Chinese regional cuisines, and Sichuan chicken with chilies or laziji (辣子鸡) is probably one of the most renowned and beloved of them all.

There are different ways to make laziji. You can use a whole chicken or boneless, skinless chicken meat. The chopped chicken pieces can be stir-fried with chilies, aromatics, and seasonings, or first fried until golden and then tossed with other flavoring ingredients. The list of seasonings varies from cook to cook. Some like to include dou ban jiang (豆瓣酱, chili paste with fermented fava beans) or chopped salted chilies, and some don’t.

For me, the most satisfying and visually appealing version of laziji is the one originated in the Gele Mountain (歌乐山) area near the city of Chongqing (重庆), which is why it’s often called Gele Mountain Laziji or Chongqing Laziji. In their rendition, tasty chicken morsels are almost buried in a sea of red chilies speckled with Sichuan peppercorns. For fans of this addictive dish, picking through the pile of chilies to find the chicken tidbits is all part of the excitement.

With such a generous amount of chilies, the dish may appear very spicy. But once you’ve tasted it, you’ll realize it’s only mildly so. The chilies and Sichuan peppercorns lend their wonderful aromas to the fried chicken pieces while giving them only a gentle heat and a subtle tingling effect.

Making this stunning dish at home is easy by following my recipe below. Compared with the laziji made in Sichuan, my recipe uses slightly fewer chilies without compromising on the dish’s authenticity or appeal. Feel free to adjust the amount of chilies to your liking.

With the perfect amount of skin, meat, and bone, chicken wings are great for this dish. They’re excitingly delicious when cut into bite-size pieces, fried, and then tossed with the fragrant spices. Of course, you can use any chicken parts you like for the recipe.

By the way, you might also like fried smelt with chilies, which is inspired by the flavors of laziji.

Sichuan chicken with chilies (laziji 辣子鸡)

Serves 2

Ingredients

14 oz (400 g) chicken wings (tips removed)
1 oz (30 g) dried chilies

Marinade
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1½ teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch

Sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon Shaoxing wine

1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil with a high smoke point, for frying
1 scallion, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds

Directions

1. Cut the chicken wings through the bones into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces. In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the salt and wine. Add the potato starch and stir until well coated. Let marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Use a pair of scissors to cut the chilies into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, and shake off the seeds. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce.
3. Heat the oil in a wok (making sure it’s stable) or skillet over high heat to 395°F (200°C). Add the chicken pieces and fry, stirring from time to time, until light golden, about 4 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the oil. Heat the oil to 395°F (200°C) again, return the chicken to the wok, and fry until golden and fully cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Carefully remove all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the wok. Set the heat to medium. Add the scallion white, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and continue to stir-fry for 15 seconds. Next, add the chilies and toss for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the spices and lowering the heat as needed. Return the chicken to the wok, and stir to combine for 1 minute. Add the sauce mixture and continue to stir until the flavors are well blended, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and mix in the sesame oil. Sprinkle with the scallion green and sesame seeds, and serve right away.