Firecracker Chicken | LaZiJi | 辣子雞

Jump To Recipe

Jump To Video

Believe it or not, the very 1st time I discovered this dish is also the same time I found out that there is a dish called Maltose Chicken. That's the perks for having friends from different countries and cultures. When my friend served this, I actually made a joke about him serving a platter of chilies.

He told me that's the purpose of LaZiJi. It is for you to find the fried chicken in the mountain of chilies. Despite the spiciness, I still kept on eating as this is a very yummilicious dish. And to say that I asked for his recipe is an understatement; I begged.

You can use the entire chicken. You can also use wings or bone-in skin-on chicken thigh. The key is bone-in chicken. I dislike bone-in breast as it tends to dry out during cooking process. It is still up to your own preference.

Be sure to get your hands on some Szechuan chilies or any good quality chilies from China. They make a huge difference. I deseeded the chilies to my own palete. You can leave the seeds on if you are awesome. And if you're interested in the history, you can check out Wiki.

---

Ingredients:

(Serve 4)

• Chicken:

• Chicken Wings (I used flats) / Chicken Thigh Bone-In Skin-On, 500g

• Sea Salt, Pinch

• White Pepper, Pinch

• Mushroom Powder, Pinch

• Light Soy Sauce, 2 TBSP

• ShaoXing / HuaTiao / Sherry Wine, 2 TBSP

• Egg, 1

• To Fry:

• Cornstarch, 40g

• Grapeseed / Sunflower / Peanut / Canola Oil, For Deep Frying

• LaZiJi:

• Coriander Corsely Chopped, A Handful

• Scallions Green Parts Corsely Chopped, A Handful

• Szechuan Peppercorns, 1 TBSP

• Mustard / Rapeseed / Peanut Oil, 1/4 Cup

• Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves

• Ginger Finely Minced, 1"

• Dried Chilies Preferably Szechuan Deseeded, 50g

• Freshly Ground Chili Flakes Preferably Szechuan, 3 Chilies

• Peanuts Roasted Unsalted, 30g

• Sea Salt, Pinch

• White Pepper, Pinch

• Mushroom Powder, Pinch

• Granulated Sugar, Pinch

• Toasted Sesame Oil, 2 TBSP

• Chinese Black Vinegar, 2 TBSP

• Scallions White Parts Corsely Chopped, A Handful

• Sesame Seeds, Pinch

---

Equipment:

• Dutch Oven

• Cast Iron Skillet / Pan

• Oven

• Spice Grinder

---

Directions:

1. Prepare the Chicken

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken with marinade ingredients.

3. Mix well until thoroughly coated.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.

5. Fry the Chicken (First Fry)

6. Add cornstarch to the marinated chicken and mix until evenly coated.

7. Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

8. Test the oil with a wooden chopstick—if bubbles form, it's ready.

9. Gently drop chicken into the hot oil and fry until lightly golden.

10. Drizzle some batter over the frying chicken for extra crisp bits.

11. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate.

12. Rest for 5 minutes.

13. Fry the Chicken (Second Fry)

14. Fry the chicken a second time until deeply golden and crisp.

15. Drain and set aside.

16. Prepare the Garnishes

17. Soak coriander and scallions in a bowl of ice water.

18. Toast Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic.

19. Remove and set aside.

20. Make the Laziji Stir-Fry

21. In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

22. Add garlic and ginger, sauté until aromatic.

23. Add in the double-fried chicken, dried chilies, chili flakes, toasted Szechuan peppercorns, and roasted peanuts.

24. To make chili flakes, blitz dried chilies in a spice grinder.

25. To roast peanuts: bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes, then remove skins.

26. Sauté until everything is well mixed.

27. Season with salt, pepper, and mushroom powder.

28. Drain the soaked coriander and scallions. Add to the skillet and toss to combine.

29. Finish with sugar, sesame oil, and black vinegar.

30. Give everything a final toss and remove from heat.

31. To Serve

32. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra scallions.

33. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

You're wingin' it...

Super chickenlicious...

---

Recipe Video: