Description
Discover how to make Spicy Pepper Chicken Stir-fry with Steamed Rice, a quick and flavorful dish perfect for dinner. Impress with vibrant flavors and easy steps!
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14 ounce (397 g) s) Chicken Thighs or Breasts, boneless, skinless – cleaned and pat-dried, excess fat trimmed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Garlic clove – grated
- 1/2 TSP (3 ml) ground White Pepper
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Corn Starch
- 1 TSP (5 ml) Sesame Oil
- 1 TBLS Sichuan Red Peppercorns
- 1 TBLS freshly cracked Black Pepper
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Corn Starch
- 3 TBLS Oyster Sauce
- 2 TBLS Apple Juice
- 4 TSP (20 ml) Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Chinkiang Vinegar
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TSP (10 ml) Sesame Oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Water
- 1 Yellow Onion – diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper – cored, deseeded, diced
- 10 Garlic cloves – minced
- 2-inch knob of Ginger – thinly sliced into rounds, then roughly chopped
- 4-12 Red Chilies, to taste (Bird’s eye preferred, but Holland or any other small hot chilies will work)
- 2 Spring Onion – chopped, white and green parts separated
- 4-10 Thai Dried Red Chilies, to taste
- 3 TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Clean and remove any extra fat from the chicken pieces. Cut them into small chunks and place them in a mixing bowl. Incorporate the grated garlic, white pepper, light soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Stir until everything blends well, then set aside while you get the other ingredients ready.
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop the onion and red bell pepper into small pieces. Mince the garlic, chop the ginger coarsely, and slice the red chilies and spring onion, keeping the white and green parts apart. Remove the stems from the dried red chilies.
- Create the sauce: In a dry pan, toast the Sichuan peppercorns until aromatic, shaking often to prevent burning. Crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a small blender. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the ground peppercorns with black pepper, cornstarch, oyster sauce, apple juice, low sodium and dark soy sauces, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and water. Stir well and set aside.
- Sauté the red chilies: Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the dried red chilies and sauté for 30-40 seconds until they become crispy and aromatic. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to drain. (No need to clean the pan.)
- Cook the chicken: Pour 1.5 tablespoons of oil into the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken, spreading it evenly around the pan. Let it cook without moving for a minute, then stir-fry for another minute until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Stir-fry the onion and spices: Add the last tablespoon of oil to the pan, heating over medium-high. Toss in the onion, spring onion whites, and ginger, stir-frying for a minute until the onion softens. Add the garlic and chilies, and continue to stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Combine the bell pepper, chicken, and sauce: Add the bell pepper and dried red chilies to the pan, mixing well. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir-fry constantly for about a minute until everything is well-coated and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Finish with spring onion greens: Mix in the majority of the spring onion greens, saving some for decoration, then turn off the heat.
- Serve: Place the dish in a serving bowl, garnish with the reserved spring onion greens, and enjoy immediately with hot steamed rice.
Notes
- Ensure the chicken is evenly coated with marinade for optimal flavor and tendernessnToast Sichuan peppercorns to a light golden color for their distinctive citrusy aromanMix sauce ingredients well to fully dissolve cornstarch for a smooth, glossy finish
