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Meat, East Asian

Sichuan dry fried chili chicken with rice

Sichuan dry fried chili chicken, or la zi ji, is made of small chicken pieces that are fried then stir fried with dozens of dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. For 4 people, it takes 40 minutes at a medium difficulty level, for €3.20 per serving. Success depends on hot oil for frying and chilies that perfume the dish without burning.

Tonight it's la zi ji, Sichuan style, little pieces of chicken fried then tossed in a shower of dried chilies, time to go hunting for the chicken.

Sichuan dry fried chili chicken with rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

La zi ji is the opposite of a dish you eat spoonful by spoonful for the heat. Here, the dried chilies are meant to scent the oil and the chicken, not to be eaten themselves. The chicken comes out golden, crispy outside and tender inside, with that gentle tingling buzz from the Sichuan peppercorns building slowly on your tongue.

This is a dish for when you want something different on a weeknight or a Sunday among adults, since it's not really built with kids in mind. You gather around the bowl of rice, dig through the mountain of chilies to find the chicken pieces, and let the rice cool things down between bites. We like this treasure hunt side of the meal even more than the heat itself.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless chicken thighs 700 g

Pantry

  • Dried chilies 25
  • Sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp
  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 20 g

Allergens Soy, Gluten, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the chicken into 2 cm cubes, mix it with the soy sauce and let it marinate. 15 min

    Keep the skin on, it turns crispy and adds flavor.

  2. Roll the pieces in the cornstarch.

    Shake off the excess, a thin layer is enough.

  3. Fry the chicken in hot oil at 180°C in two batches, until golden, then drain it. 10 min

    A quick second fry at the end makes it extra crispy.

  4. In a little oil, sauté the chilies, the Sichuan peppercorns, the garlic and the sliced ginger, then add the chicken back in and stir fry. 5 min

    Don't let the chilies burn, they'll turn bitter.

  5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice cooked in salted water. 11 min

    The rice is your best friend for putting out the fire.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pat the chicken pieces dry before coating them in cornstarch, excess moisture keeps the crust from forming properly during frying.
  • Test the oil temperature by dropping in a small piece of bread or chicken, it should sizzle and rise right away.
  • Chop all the aromatics before you start frying, the stir fry step moves fast and leaves no time for slicing or peeling.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for firm tofu, well drained and cut into pieces, coated the same way, for a vegetarian version.
  • Use bone in chicken thighs cut into small pieces for a result closer to the traditional version served in Sichuan restaurants.
  • Cut the dried chilies by half and skip the Sichuan peppercorns for a milder version that keeps the crispy chicken.

What to serve it with

  • Plain rice to cool the heat
  • Green or jasmine tea
  • Cold cucumber salad

Storage

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the chicken in a hot skillet to bring back some crispiness, the microwave will make it soggy. Freezing isn't recommended, the fried texture suffers too much after thawing.

Questions about this dish

Are you supposed to eat the dried chilies in this dish?

No, the dried chilies are there to flavor the oil and the chicken, not to be eaten. Push them aside to find the chicken pieces underneath, the same way you'd handle bay leaves.

Can you bake the chicken instead of frying it?

Yes, you can bake the cornstarch coated pieces on an oiled tray at 220°C for about 20 minutes. It won't be as crispy as real frying, but it's a lighter way to prepare it.

Can this dish be made ahead of time?

You can marinate the chicken the night before and keep it in the fridge. Fry and stir fry it just before serving though, since the chicken loses its crispiness if it sits too long.

What can replace Sichuan peppercorns if I can't find any?

There's no real substitute, that light tingling sensation is unique to them. You can skip it and the dish will still taste good, but it will lose part of its typical character.

How long does it take to make a Sichuan dry fried chili chicken with rice?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Sichuan dry fried chili chicken with rice?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Sichuan dry fried chili chicken with rice cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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