Step 1 of 8
Marinate the chicken with Shaoxing, soy, and 1 tbsp cornstarch for 15 minutes.
Step 2 of 8
Mix the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together Chinkiang vinegar, dark soy, sugar, stock, and 1 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 3 of 8
Heat the wok over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil. Add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir 20 seconds until the oil turns red and the smell is intense — *not* black; black means burnt.
Step 4 of 8
Add the chicken in a single layer. Don't stir for 30 seconds — let it sear. Then stir-fry 2 minutes until just cooked through.
Step 5 of 8
Push to one side. In the cleared space, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Stir-fry 30 seconds.
Step 6 of 8
Add the peanuts. Toss everything together for 15 seconds.
Step 7 of 8
Pour in the sauce. It will thicken almost immediately to a glossy coat. Toss for 30 seconds.
Step 8 of 8
Off heat. Stir in sesame oil and scatter scallion greens. Plate. Serve immediately with rice.
Ingredients 16
the protein
- 400 g boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 100 g roasted unsalted peanuts
the marinade
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for the marinade)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for marinade) + 1 tsp (for the sauce slurry)
the aromatics
- 10 dried red chiles (Tianjin or chiles de árbol), broken in half
- 1.5 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly toasted
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- Thumb of ginger, sliced into 5 mm coins
- 4 scallions, white parts only, cut into 2 cm lengths (greens reserved for garnish)
the sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 60 ml chicken stock or water
the finish
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
the cook
- 3 tbsp neutral oil