Tengjiao Chicken (藤椒鸡)

藤椒鸡

Tengjiao Chicken (藤椒鸡) — SichuanSichuan home cooking.

Ingredients

• boneless chicken thighs
• fresh green Sichuan peppercorns (tengjiao) or frozen
• garlic cloves, minced
• scallions, finely sliced
• light soy sauce
• chinkiang vinegar
• sugar
• toasted sesame oil
• cooking oil
• salt (for poaching)

Instructions

1. Poach chicken: place thighs in a pot, cover with water, add 1/2 tsp salt and 2 scallion segments. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and cook 12 minutes. Remove and plunge into ice water. (Water is at a gentle simmer (small bubbles); chicken is opaque through the thickest part)
2. Make the sauce: mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and sliced scallions in a bowl. Taste — it should be salty, slightly sweet, with a bright vinegar note. (Sauce is emulsified and glossy; sugar is fully dissolved)
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium. Add fresh tengjiao (or frozen) and fry 10 seconds until fragrant. Pour over the sauce. (Peppercorns swell and release a bright green oil; aroma is citrusy and numbing)
4. Remove chicken from ice water, pat dry, and cut into bite-size strips. Toss with the sauce until evenly coated. (Chicken strips are coated in glossy green sauce with visible tengjiao bits)
5. Let rest 10 minutes for flavors to penetrate. Serve at room temperature or chilled. (Sauce thickens slightly as it coats; chicken absorbs the green tint)