Mouth-Watering Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 chicken legs (about 500g)
• 3 slices ginger
• 2 green onions, tied in a knot
• 1 tbsp cooking wine
• 3 tbsp chili oil
• 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn oil or ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp crushed peanuts
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Steps

1. Bring a pot of water to boil with ginger slices, green onion knot, and cooking wine. Add chicken legs and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through.
2. Remove chicken and immediately plunge into an ice bath for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking and keeps the skin firm and glossy.
3. Mix the sauce: combine chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, sugar, and salt. Stir well.
4. Remove chicken from ice bath and pat dry. Debone and slice into bite-sized pieces, or use a cleaver to chop through the bone into pieces.
5. Arrange chicken pieces on a serving plate.
6. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.
7. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro.
8. Serve cold or at room temperature.