Ingredients
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1" cubes
- Sauce
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp ground Szechaun peppercorns
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 to 10 dried red chilies
- 3 green onions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp minced or grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Preparation
Step 1
Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and stir gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Prepare the sauce: In another bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, and Szechuan pepper. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved and set aside.
You may need to turn on your stove's exhaust fan, because stir-frying dried chilies on high heat can get a little smoky. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the oil and swirl to coat the base. Add the chilies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until the chilies have just begun to blacken and the oil is slightly fragrant. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the white part of the green onions, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce and mix to coat the other ingredients. Stir in the peanuts and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle the remaining green onions on top, and serve with steamed rice.