Sichuan Cold Chicken
Sichuan Cold Chicken is a spicy, savory dish featuring tender chicken cooled in an aromatic marinade. The key is the wonderful balance of heat from the chillies and the numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns.
Nutrition
Calories: 250cal
Carbohydrate: 6g
Protein: 25g
Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 75mg
Sodium: – -mg
Difficulty Level: easy
30 min Prep
30 min Cook
1 hr Total
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (about 700g) chicken breast or thighs, skin-on
- 4 cups water
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons chili oil (adjust for desired heat)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups ice cubes
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with 4 cups of water. Add the chicken breasts, ginger slices, scallion pieces, and 1 tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Allow the chicken to simmer for about 20 minutes, ensuring it’s fully cooked. Check by slicing into the thickest part of the chicken.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl by combining 2 cups of ice cubes and cold water. This will be used to cool down the cooked chicken quickly.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot using tongs and immediately immerse it into the ice bath. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. This will stop the cooking process and make the chicken easier to handle.
- While the chicken cools, prepare the sauce. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, sugar, and minced garlic until the sugar dissolves.
- Now, remove the cooled chicken from the ice bath, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the ice bath. Use your hands or two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the shredded chicken into a serving bowl. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, ensuring it’s evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns and toasted sesame seeds over the chicken.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve the dish cold. Optionally, let it sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to meld further before serving.
