La Zi Ji (Chongqing Chilli Chicken)
Bite-sized crispy fried chicken tossed in the wok with a mountain of dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and ginger. Numbing, crunchy and very moreish.
Ingredients
- 700g boneless chicken thigh, skin on if you like, cut into 2cm pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- Neutral oil, for deep-frying (about 750ml)
- 40g dried red chillies (about 2 big handfuls), snipped in half and seeds shaken out
- 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 3cm piece ginger, sliced
- 3 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix the chicken with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and salt and leave for 10 minutes. Toss through the cornflour until every piece is lightly coated.
- Heat the oil in a wok to 170°C. Fry the chicken in two batches for 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Lift out and drain.
- Bring the oil up to 190°C and fry all the chicken again for 1-2 minutes until very crisp. Drain well.
- Pour off all but 2 tbsp oil. Over low-medium heat, fry the Sichuan peppercorns for 30 seconds, then add the dried chillies and stir for 1 minute until they darken slightly but do not blacken.
- Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Turn the heat to high, tip in the chicken, sprinkle over the sugar and toss for 1 minute so everything is coated in the chilli oil. Scatter with sesame seeds and serve with rice. The chillies are for flavour; you pick the chicken out from among them.
About this dish
La zi ji (辣子鸡) is Chongqing's famous chilli chicken: small pieces of fried chicken hidden in a big pile of dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. The chillies perfume the oil rather than being eaten, and the peppercorns give the tingling, numbing "ma la" feeling Sichuan food is known for.
If you like kung pao chicken, this is its drier, crunchier, louder cousin. Serve it with plain rice and something cooling such as smashed cucumber salad, or pair it with Sichuan dry-fried green beans for a full Sichuan spread. Our wok hei guide covers getting the wok hot enough for the final toss.
Tips for the best result
- Double-fry the chicken. The second, hotter fry is what keeps it crunchy once it meets the oil and spices.
- Keep the heat low when the chillies go in. Burnt chillies turn bitter in seconds.
- Use mild, fragrant dried chillies (such as Sichuan or Kashmiri types) so you can use plenty without blowing your head off.
Substitutions
- Chicken: boneless thigh is best. Wings chopped into pieces are traditional if you don't mind bones.
- Shaoxing wine: dry sherry, or leave it out.
- Less oil: shallow-fry or air-fry the coated chicken at 200°C for 15-18 minutes, shaking halfway.
Storage
Best eaten straight away while crisp. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer, not the microwave.
La zi ji FAQs
Do you eat the chillies in la zi ji?
Usually not. They are there to flavour the oil and the chicken. Pick out the chicken pieces with chopsticks and leave most of the chillies behind.
Why does Sichuan pepper make my mouth tingle?
Sichuan peppercorns contain a compound called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which causes a buzzing, numbing feeling on the lips and tongue. It is harmless and fades after a few minutes.
Where can I buy Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies in Australia?
Asian grocers sell both in bags, often near the dried spices. Look for red Sichuan peppercorns that smell strongly citrusy. Large supermarkets sometimes stock Sichuan pepper in the spice aisle.
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