Email to Cat      

Spicy Gingery Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Half Baked Harvest Every Day" by Tieghan Gerard


Recipe Introduction

"Sichuan chicken is one of my brother's favorite orders at Chinese American restaurants, and it usually consists of fried chicken thighs stir-fried with vegetables, dried red chile peppers, and mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. (The Sichuan province in China is famous for its spicy cuisine.) When we're home in Colorado and far away from a delicious version, I do my best to make a dish with reminiscent flavors using what's in my pantry. Since I don't love deep-frying, I use my favorite 'oven-fried chicken' method and bake everything on a sheet pan. The sauce is a little bit sweet, but heavy on the spice and ginger. I order Sichuan peppercorns online, but you can also use red pepper flakes in a pinch. A mix of bell peppers and lots of shallots offer a nice dose of veggies and flavor, and I always serve the chicken over steamed rice."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 tablespoons sesame oil or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
â—¦ ¼ cup arrowroot powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
â—¦ 2 bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (I like red and green)
â—¦ Fine pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 3 shallots, thinly sliced
â—¦ â…“ cup raw peanuts
â—¦ â…” cup low-sodium soy sauce
â—¦ â…“ cup pomegranate juice
â—¦ 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
â—¦ ¼ cup raw honey
â—¦ 1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
â—¦ 2 to 3 teaspoons crushed Sichuan peppercorns or crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ Steamed rice, for serving
â—¦ 2 green onions, sliced, for serving


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 475° F. Grease a baking sheet.

Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, arrowroot powder, and ground ginger, tossing to coat well. Remove the chicken from the bowl and drop it into the egg, turning to coat. Working in batches, remove the chicken from the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Dredge the chicken through the bread crumbs, pressing to adhere. Place the chicken on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Drizzle the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Arrange the bell peppers on the other side of the baking sheet and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for 12 minutes, then flip the chicken, toss the peppers, and add the shallots and peanuts to the baking sheet. Return the sheet to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, whisk together the soy sauce, pomegranate juice, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, and ¼ cup of water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by a third, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Pour the sauce over the chicken and peppers and toss to coat. To serve, divide the steamed rice among bowls and add the chicken and peppers. Top with the sliced green onions.

Serves 4