This fire chicken recipe blends toasted Szechuan peppercorns with dried habanero peppers for a bold, spicy dinner.
Last week I attended the CookGirl launch party at Little Goat, an intimate event in Chicago’s vibrant dining scene. Little Goat is the more casual sister to Girl and the Goat, both helmed by celebrity chef Stephanie Izard. She spoke about her travels in China and was helping prepare the meal, which was exciting to watch. The food was excellent — several dishes smelled amazing and inspired me to look for a reservation at Girl and the Goat across the street. I booked a table; I want Mr. B to try it too.
Because I have a shellfish allergy, many of the dishes at the event were off-limits. Even when kitchens are careful, cross-contamination risk makes dining out at some restaurants risky for me. That’s pushed me to start recreating Asian-inspired flavors at home where I can control ingredients and preparation.
Szechuan Peppercorns
This recipe was inspired by two things: Stephanie Izard’s talk about cooking and traveling in China, and a demonstration by chef Sara Moulton, who opened my eyes to Szechuan peppercorns. I’d eaten dishes that used them but didn’t recognize the spice itself. Afterward I ordered a bag online and stored it among my herbs until I finally pulled it out and experimented. Toasting and lightly crushing the husks releases that unique floral, citrusy numbness Szechuan peppercorns are known for, and they became the backbone of this dish.
Fire Chicken Recipe
Before cooking, sort through the Szechuan peppercorns and discard any stems or dark seeds so only the husks remain. Toast the husks in a dry pan for about 5 minutes until fragrant, then let them cool and gently crush them to release the oils.
I used dehydrated habanero peppers for concentrated heat, but you can substitute other dried chilies or a single fresh habanero, finely diced. If using fresh, dice it very small — large pieces can overpower the dish quickly. Serve the finished chicken with rice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro to balance the heat.
Fire Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 pounds chicken breast diced into 1 inch chunks
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons toasted Szechuan peppercorns smashed into pieces
- 1 habanero pepper finely diced (I used dried but fresh are fine too)
- ½ cup green onion chopped
- salt to taste
- cilantro
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
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Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger paste to the skillet. Stir well and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the toasted Szechuan peppercorns, habanero, and green onion. Stir and cook an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
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Serve portions garnished with fresh cilantro.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 13.5g
| Protein: 50.5g
| Fat: 9.5g