Salt and Pepper Crispy Chicken (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 400 g / 14 oz chicken thighs, cut in bite sizes
02 - 1 cup cornstarch
03 - 1 tsp baking powder
04 - 1 onion, medium, diced
05 - 2 red Thai chili, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, sliced
07 - 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
08 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
09 - Oil for frying

→ Marinade

10 - 1 tbsp light soy sauce
11 - 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
12 - 1 tbsp garlic, grated

→ Salt and Pepper Mix

13 - 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
14 - 1 tbsp black peppercorns
15 - 1 tbsp sea salt

# Instructions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, mix together chicken, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and garlic. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
02 - In a frying pan, toast Sichuan peppercorns and black peppercorns on medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then use a mortar and pestle to grind into fine powder. Transfer to a bowl. Add in sea salt (not regular salt). Mix well. Salt and pepper mix is ready.
03 - In another large bowl, add in cornstarch and baking powder. Mix well. Add in the chicken and marinade. Use your hands to mix well the chicken pieces and cornstarch. Shake off extra starch.
04 - In a wok, on high heat, add in enough oil for the chicken to float. Use a wooden chopstick to check the temperature of the oil. When there are small bubbles coming up quickly, the oil is ready. Add the chicken pieces into the hot oil one at a time. Fry in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel or a wire rack.
05 - In a clean wok, add in 2 tbsp of vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Add in garlic and stir fry about 15 seconds until fragrant. Then add in the onions. Stir for about 2 minutes until the onions are a bit softened. Add in the red Thai chilies and green onions. Keep stirring. Then add in about 1 tsp of salt and pepper mix. Stir well.
06 - Add in all the fried chicken pieces. Combine well. Add in more salt and pepper mix. Give it a taste to adjust to your preference. Transfer to serving plate. Garnish with extra green onions and salt and pepper mix. Ready to serve!

# Notes:

01 - Do not use regular salt when making the salt and pepper mix. Always use sea salt.
02 - It is important to fry the chicken in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.
03 - Take a close look at the chicken when frying, especially when the color changes. You don’t want to burn them so much.
04 - You can also use chicken breast for this recipe. But I highly recommend to use the dark meat part of the chicken, such as legs and thighs.

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