Sichuan Chicken in Red Oil Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsps Shaoxing wine
• 4 dried chilli peppers
• 2 slices ginger
• 4 green onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• Sauce:
• 3-4 tbsps homemade chili oil with 2 tablespoons chili flake residue
• 2 tbsps homemade flavored sweet soy sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic , grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger , grated
• Chopped cilantro

Steps

1. Place chicken in a small pot and add water to cover. Add the dried chili peppers, Shaoxing wine, ginger, green onion, bay leaf, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. Cook over medium high heat until bringing to a boil. Turn to medium low heat. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through. You can test it by inserting a knife into the thickest part and checking whether the juice runs clear. If it’s clear, the chicken is cooked.
2. Prepare an ice bath while boiling the chicken by adding ice into a big bowl and water to cover.
3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
4. When the chicken is cooked, transfer it into the ice bath using a pair of tongs. Set it aside for 10 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooled down. Transfer the chicken onto a cutting board. Remove the bones using a paring knife, then slice chicken into 1/4-inch (1/2-cm) pieces. Transfer chicken to a small bowl.
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with cilantro.
6. Serve cold as an appetizer.