Szechuan Chicken
| For the Chicken | |
| 500 g | chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces |
| ¼ cup | cornstarch |
| 2 tbsp | soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | rice vinegar |
| ½ tsp | salt |
| Vegetable oil for frying | |
| For the sauce | |
| 2 tbsp | soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | rice vinegar |
| 1 tbsp | hoisin sauce |
| 1 tbsp | chili paste or chili garlic sauce |
| 1 tsp | sugar |
| ¼ cup | chicken broth |
| 1 tsp | cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (slurry) |
| For the stir-fry | |
| 2 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| 3 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 inch | ginger, minced |
| 5 | dried red chilies (adjust to spice preference) |
| 1 | red bell pepper, diced |
| 1 | green bell pepper, diced |
| 1 small | onion, diced |
| 2 | green onions, sliced (for garnish) |
| Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, mix chicken pieces with soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and cornstarch. Let marinate for 15 minutes. |
| Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry the marinated chicken in batches until golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and set aside. |
| Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sugar, and chicken broth. Set aside. |
| Stir-fry: Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. |
| Add the bell peppers and onion, stir-frying for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp. |
| Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. |
| Add the crispy chicken and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. |
| Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot over steamed rice or noodles. |
| Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes |