✅ Step 1: Ingredient List
Here are the main ingredients needed to make Dry Pot Chicken.
| Category | Ingredient | Quantity | Notes (Emoji & Description) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Chicken Thighs / Young Chicken | 500g | 🐔 Chicken thigh meat is more tender; cut into small pieces |
| Core Ingredients | Dried Red Chili Peppers | 20g | 🌶️ Cut into segments; provides dry chili aroma |
| Sichuan Peppercorns | 5-10g | Provides numbing sensation (má) | |
| Vegetables | Potato | 1 (approx. 250g) | 🥔 Cut into thick slices or strips; for frying |
| Celery | 100g | Cut into sections | |
| Onion | 1/2 (approx. 200g) | Cut into chunks | |
| Green Bell Pepper / Red Bell Pepper | 1 each | 🌶️ Cut into chunks; adds color and flavor | |
| Aromatics | Garlic | 10 cloves | Sliced |
| Ginger | 20g | Sliced | |
| Scallion | 40g | Cut into sections | |
| Other | Cooking Oil | As needed | For frying and stir-frying |
👨🍳 Step 2: Instructions
Making Dry Pot Chicken emphasizes marinating for flavor, frying, and heat control. Here are the core steps.
- 🐔 Prepare & Marinate the Chicken:
- •Wash the chicken and chop it into 2-3 cm cubes.
- •Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add cooking wine (15g), salt (5g), Sichuan peppercorns (5g), and minced ginger. Mix well and marinate for at least 2 hours. Optionally, add 1/4 egg and starch to make the chicken more tender.
- 🥔 Prepare the Ingredients:
- •Peel the potato and cut it into thick slices or strips. Soak in water to prevent oxidation.
- •Wash the celery and cut into sections; onion into chunks; bell peppers deseeded and cut into chunks.
- •Cut the dried chilies into segments; garlic into slices; ginger into slices; scallion into sections.
- 🔥 Frying Ingredients (Key Step):
- •Pour ample oil into a wok and heat to 60-70% hot (approx. 160-180°C / 320-355°F).
- •Add the potato slices/strips to the oil and fry until the surface is golden brown. Remove and drain.
- •Add the marinated chicken pieces to the oil and fry until they are dry and fragrant or the surface is golden brown. Remove and drain. A semi-pan-frying method can also be used.
- 🍳 Stir-frying & Seasoning:
- •Leave some base oil in the wok, heat it up. Add Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili segments, ginger slices, garlic slices, and scallion sections. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.
- •Add Pixian Doubanjiang (30g) and stir-fry to release the red oil and aroma.
- •Add the fried chicken pieces, quickly stir-fry to combine.
- •Add seasonings: light soy sauce (30g), sugar (5g), oyster sauce (15g), cooking wine (15g), etc. (See precise amounts in Step 3). Stir-fry evenly.
- •Add the vegetable accessories: celery sections, onion chunks, bell pepper chunks, etc. Quickly stir-fry until they are cooked through but still crisp.
- 🍲 Serving & Garnish:
- •Stir-fry until all ingredients are evenly coated with the seasoning, the moisture has reduced, and the aroma is intense.
- •Garnish with toasted white sesame seeds (10g) and cilantro sections before serving. It can be served in a dry pot (or skillet) for heating while eating.
🌟 Step 3: Seasoning Ratio & Nutrition Info
Precise seasoning ratios are key to the flavor of Dry Pot Chicken, especially the control of numbing and spicy levels.
| Seasoning | Precise Amount (g) | Notes (Emoji & Description) |
|---|---|---|
| Pixian Doubanjiang | 30g | 🌶️ Provides soy sauce aroma and red oil; the soul of Sichuan cuisine |
| Light Soy Sauce | 30g | Provides savory umami flavor |
| Oyster Sauce | 15g | Enhances freshness |
| Cooking Wine | 30g | 🍶 Removes gaminess and adds aroma; used in marinating and stir-frying |
| Sugar | 5g | Balances flavors, enhances freshness |
| Dark Soy Sauce | 10g (optional) | Primarily for coloring |
| Sichuan Peppercorn Oil / Sesame Oil | 10g (optional) | Enhances aroma |
| MSG / Chicken Bouillon | 3g (optional) | Enhances freshness |
| Table Salt | 5g (or to taste) | Provides base saltiness; note the saltiness of Doubanjiang |
💡 Chef’s Tips (TIPS)
- Choosing Ingredients is Fundamental: Prioritize chicken thighs; they are more tender and less likely to become tough when cooked than chicken breast. Pixian Doubanjiang is the soul of Sichuan cuisine and is essential.
- Marinating is Essential: Marinating the chicken in advance (at least 2 hours) not only effectively removes gaminess but also allows it to absorb initial flavor, which is the foundation for flavorful meat.
- Heat Control is Key: When frying chicken pieces and stir-frying, sufficient heat is needed to achieve the dry and fragrant effect. However, use low heat when stir-frying aromatics to prevent burning.
- Vegetable Pairings Can Be Adjusted: Besides potatoes and celery, you can also add your favorite vegetables like lotus root, lettuce stem, or king oyster mushrooms.
- Adjustable Numbing & Spiciness: The amount of Sichuan peppercorns (for numbing) and chili peppers (for heat) can be flexibly adjusted according to personal taste. Reduce peppercorns if sensitive to numbing sensation; reduce dried chilies or remove seeds if sensitive to heat.
