La Zi Ji - Chinese Recipe

La Zi Ji

Famous Sichuan dish with crispy chicken pieces stir-fried with generous dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns

Prep Time15m
Cook Time30m
Yield4 servings
Cuisine
Spicy:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Ingredients

  • Chicken thigh meat 500g
  • Dried chilies 50g
  • Sichuan peppercorn 2 tbsp
  • Ginger 20g
  • Garlic 20g
  • Scallions 30g
  • Cooking wine 2 tbsp
  • Soy sauce 1 tbsp
  • Cornstarch 3 tbsp
  • White sesame 1 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Sugar 1 tbsp
  • Oil as needed

Steps

  1. Cut chicken: Debone chicken thighs, cut into about 2cm pieces.
  2. Marinate: Add 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and salt. Mix well, marinate for 20 minutes.
  3. Prepare aromatics: Cut dried chilies into sections, slice ginger and garlic, cut scallions.
  4. Fry chicken: Heat plenty of oil to 170°C, add chicken pieces, fry until golden and crispy (about 3-4 minutes). Drain.
  5. Stir-fry spices: Leave some oil in wok, add Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies, stir on low heat until fragrant.
  6. Add aromatics: Add ginger and garlic, stir until fragrant.
  7. Return chicken: Add fried chicken, stir-fry quickly on high heat.
  8. Season: Add 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp sugar, and salt. Stir well.
  9. Add sesame: Sprinkle white sesame and scallions, toss briefly.
  10. Serve: Transfer to plate, sprinkle more sesame on top if desired.

Tips

Tips: 1) Fry chicken until crispy; 2) Stir-fry chilies and peppercorns on low heat; 3) Stir-fry on high heat throughout; 4) Adjust spiciness to taste.